What experts?

I’d like to take a look at what experts are being called upon by each side of this controversy.

Obviously on the pro-GM side we have the scientists, who conduct the research and testing of the GM crops. It can hardly be argued that these scientists are the experts on the science of GM.

But what about all the other factors?

Being an expert on the scientific intricacies of GM does not make you an expert on the political implications of allowing/disallowing it, or an expert on the policy needed, or an expert on farming practices, for example.

On the flip side, just because you are an expert in policy, politics, or farming, that does not mean you are an expert of the science.

All of these disciplines play a big role in the controversy, putting forth their ‘professional opinion’ on matters raised (and sometimes their personal opinion too).

Yet, on the anti-GM side, I find it hard to identify any actual experts (but here we run into the issue of what is an expert?).

There are many activist groups and political parties that present data and ‘facts’ as though they are experts on the matter, but can they really be classed as experts when they are not directly involved in the science, farming, policy, political side of it all?

Few scientists seem to be actively aligned with anti-GM groups; however, many politicians and policy makers are. But as I just mentioned, how can these people be expected to present professional opinions on the science involved when they are not scientists themselves?

So why do so many people trust these activist groups more than the scientists? It could be something to do with the scare tactics mentioned in the previous post, or it could involve an ingrained distrust of science (for whatever reason). It could also be due to the active presence that anti-GM groups maintain in the public and media, while the scientists seem to sit back a little, dealing with government and non-government organisations more so than the public or the media.