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Organic Insider: David Bronner – CEO of Dr. Bronner’s and a Vegan – Gives His Take on the Impossible Burger Controversy

David Bronner is the CEO of Dr. Bronner’s and one of the most influential and actively engaged leaders in the organic industry.

When it comes to taking a stand on important social and environmental issues, I do not believe there is another company in our industry that has stepped up more than Dr. Bronner’s. The company has given millions to GMO-labeling, regenerative organic agriculture, organic hemp farming, the Organic Farmers Association and many other important causes.

In this week’s Organic Insider, I spoke with David Bronner, and we discussed the whole Impossible Burger controversy. Not only is David a vegan, but earlier this year he was publicly in support of the Impossible Burger, which contains a genetically-engineered protein as its main ingredient.

In my interview, David talks about:

– Why he was in favor of the Impossible Burger but has since changed his stance on it

– What would have to happen for him to be in support of the Impossible Burger again

– If the meat industry was behind the FDA’s rejection of the safety claims of Impossible Foods (the Impossible Burger)

– The three criteria that synbio GMO proteins, such as the one in the Impossible Burger, must meet in order for him to be okay with them

– The big picture goal that all of us need to be focusing on

The interview with David addresses one of the most important issues that are our industry faces today – should the organic industry be okay with genetically-engineered food products if they can lead to fewer CAFOs (animal factory farms), less pesticide use, and a reduction in organic farms being contaminated by GMOs?

Or, should we be against all genetically-engineered food products, even if they can potentially produce positive results in other areas of society?

Without question, this is a complex matter, but it is one that we need to be discussing.