Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are in the news again, and now even rock legend Neil Young has taken up arms in this fight. Young has urged his fans to boycott Starbucks over what he sees is the Seattle-based company's role to stop accurate food labeling and the lawsuit against Vermont on the GMO issue.

Starbucks has denied any such involvement and also iterated that it does not support any lawsuit pertaining to GMO labeling. It says that it has been wrongly accused in online petitions posted to websites such as Sumofus.org and Care2.com, of teaming up with Monsanto Co, a fellow member of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, in order to crush GMO labeling in Vermont.

Petitioners demanded that Starbucks cut all ties with GMA and switch to GMO-free organic milk. Starbucks has responded by saying such an action would be too drastic and they would lose their voice in industry debates if they give up their GMA membership. They have also mentioned that the supply chain mechanics for organic products is still in nascent stages, which could be harmful for their business and consumer interests.

Right now Starbucks is sitting on the fence, but whether they side with GMOs in the long run remains to be seen. Other GMA members like PepsiCo, Monsanto and Kellogg's, have been more vocal in their opposition to GMO labeling, and have reportedly spent millions in order to defeat GMO-labeling ballot measures in several states including Oregon, Washington, Colorado and California.

The hue and cry over GMO labeling stems from the fact that 90 percent of crops grown in the U.S. are genetically modified. The high-tech farming that American farmers have been practicing involves the transfer of genes from one plant to another to grow larger crops that are more resistant to weeds and pests. This is also the technology that has helped agriculture become a major force to be reckoned with in the American and global economy.

But with increasing awareness for natural and organic foods and the connection of various illnesses with genetically modified food, there is now a rising demand to stem the use of this technology. Activists and organic food experts are stressing on the fact there are too many unknown health impacts of these genetically modified foods, which can lead to fatal consequences for some.

While these concerns are legitimate, scientists are urging caution in taking up a militant stance against GMO. As early as 1992, the FDA had announced that the genetically modified crops are the same as regular crops, and has stuck to this stance today. The National Academy of Sciences along with other scientists in the field have found no evidence of negative health impacts from eating genetically modified food.

Thousands of other independent studies have been done on the subject and have found that GMOs are perfectly safe to eat. Proponents also point out to how GMO crops increase yield and help the environment by reducing the need for pesticides. But the debate will rage on for some time since exact results have yet to be clearly defined.

So far, states have decided to vote against mandatory labeling on foods made with genetically modified organisms (GMOs). People are unwilling to pay higher grocery bills, which would likely be the result of GMO labeling since natural or organic does cost more.

There is intense resistance from the food industry, which is looking at the rehauling of its entire production and supply-chain structure. States are also worried about how labeling would hurt American farmers who may not have the wherewithal to change their entire operations that easily. This would mean more costs and red tape for them, not to mention more pressure on the taxpayers at large.

For supporters of GMO labeling who are against the unnatural manipulation of food, every defeat is a huge setback. They believe that the labeling alerts consumers and gives them the choice to decide on what they want to eat. Organizations like Right to Know Colorado, Whole Foods and Natural Grocers want to continue their fight against GMOs, while brands like Chipotle and McDonald's have taken up more active stance by virtually cutting out all GMOs from their food supply.