Mark Lynas, the British author of books such as “The God Species,” delighted many in the biotechnology industry in January when he renounced years of anti-biotech activity and put himself firmly in the pro-GMO camp. Since then, he has given many speeches and interviews supporting GMOs in food and agriculture and blasting the opponents as quacks, charlatans, and nutjobs.

But now Lynas has taken a position at odds with the biotechnology industry – but it is a position the industry may come to embrace.

Lynas has come out for labeling.

Food label from Australia identifying genetically modified ingredient.

Labeling, that is, of any food item produced with the aid of modern biotechnology — which in theory could include the majority of packaged goods and many others such as cheese and beer.

Lynas has concluded that the public supports the “right to know,” so the battle against labeling is lost.

“It’s time to make a virtue out of a necessity,” Lynas said in a speech to the Center for Food Integrity (CFI) summit in Chicago on Oct. 15. (The text of his speech and a video can be found at http://www.marklynas.org/) “If enough people say that GMOs should be labeled, then labeled they must be.”
More…

Dear friend:

Happy holidays! Just thought we’d bring you up to date on the Lobbs of Virginia.

Richard (Dick) started a new job in February as managing director of the Council for Biotechnology Information in Washington, D.C., helping spread the word about genetically engineered crops. Still in the food and agriculture world and still dealing with things that are a wee bit controversial!

Susan left Sunrise and is fulltime at home, keeping up with her friends here and around the world.

Bud is still with Legal and General of America and was featured in a recent company video for his knack with bowties (inside joke). Bud moved back to the family home recently while he looks for a new living situation. We’re delighted to have him back for awhile.

Matthew is in the city of Ha’il, Saudi Arabia, teaching English to students at the university there. This follows up his previous stint in Spain. He says that so far everything is going well. We Skype with him periodically and it sounds like he is enjoying this line of work.

Conor is 18 and is in his senior year at W.T. Woodson High School. He’s busy filing college applications. He’s also working at Lifetime Fitness in Fairfax in the daycare center for children of members and also supervises birthday parties. Conor received his Eagle Scout award from Troop 681 in Falls Church, which means that all three Lobb boys are Eagle Scouts. Conor and Richard took part in the last activity of the Hawks Patrol, a backpacking trip in Shenandoah National Park, as all the boys are aging out of Scouting. (And the dads aren’t getting any younger either!)

We’d love to hear from folks! Friend us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/dicklobb

Sincerely,

The Lobbs

Conor, who stands 6’4″, with the finished wood drying shed at Potomac Overlook Regional Park in Arlington, Va. The roof is clear plastic.

The Lobb boys are a grand slam for Eagle Scout with confirmation that Conor, age 17, made it. His older brothers Bud and Matthew are also Eagles. Conor has enjoyed Scouting with Troop 681, Falls Church, Va., including a trek at the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico and a 50-miler on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. His Eagle project was the demolition of a wood drying shed at Potomac Overlook Regional Park in Arlington, Va., and construction of a bigger shed. This allows the park to harvest downed wood, dry it, and use it for furniture and other useful projects rather than chipping it or letting it rot.
Conor will age out of Boy Scouts in October but hopes to continue in Scouting in a Venture group.