Blog

Overexposure to pesticides is something worth avoiding, but if you’re a consumer, it’s easy – all you have to do is eat less than 500 apples daily! That’s how many the average adult would have to consume (at maximum allowable pesticide levels) before noticing any effect whatsoever; so as we explain, consumers have nothing to fear.

Much like a number of recent biotech opponents-turned-supporters, Julee K, who blogs under the pseudonym “Sleuth4Health”, has come to realize that the safety and value of biotech crops. Previously skeptical of the value of a nonbrowning apple, Julee recently reached out to us to learn more about the science, benefits and safety of our Arctic apples. Now, as explained in her most recent post, she can’t wait to try them!

The BIO 2013 Convention is the biggest event of the year for the biotechnology industry, and OSF president Neal Carter really got the most out of the experience. We recap Neal’s multiple presentations and interviews, OSF’s Gold Leaf Award win, and some great photos from the event.

With snack food now making up over a quarter of calories consumed, replacing common, unhealthy options like chips and soda has never been so important. The evidence shows that consumers are increasingly looking for healthy, convenient snacks and we explain why pre-sliced apples are the perfect fit.

While some biotech opponents like to claim that biotech crops are not sufficiently tested before being approved, all of the evidence suggests otherwise. Using OSF as an example, we explain how rigorous the regulatory processes in the U.S. and Canada truly are.

Dr. Michael Neff, Director of Washington State University’s Molecular Plant Sciences Graduate Program, has applied to deliver a TEDx talk on agricultural biotechnology, much like OSF president Neal Carter did in Oct. 2012. The theme of Dr. Neff’s talk, however, will be the idea of renovating our food system, as he explains in a guest blog on arcticapples.com.

On April 5, Canada's biotechnology industry organization BIOTECanada announced that Okanagan Specialty Fruits is this year's winner for the Gold Leaf Award in the category of Early Stage Agriculture. View the full press release here.

Former biotech opponent Fourat Janabi has been busy over the past couple weeks. Looking for reputable information on biotech crops, he has interviewed plant scientist Dr. Kevin Folta, family farmer Brian Scott and now, OSF President Neal Carter. Read more about these excellent Q&As here, including links to each of the full-length interviews. 

Okanagan Specialty Fruits and their fellow apple industry members share the same goal – getting consumers to eat more apples. OSF president Neal Carter explains that Arctic apples were created with this in mind and also how industry cooperation in educating consumers about biotech foods can help benefit everyone who touches apples. 

Lately, a slew of individuals previously opposed to biotech foods have embraced the evidence of the safety and benefits of biotech foods. It is important to know where to look for scientifically accurate information, which is why the former biotech opponent Fourat Janabi reached out to plant geneticist Dr. Kevin Folta. His Q&A with Dr. Folta is extremely insightful and we highly recommend you read the full article here.