Jeffrey M. Smith

Jeffrey M. Smith
Jeffrey M. Smith in 2009
Born	1958 New York City, United States
Residence	Fairfield, Iowa
Nationality	American
Education	Maharishi University of Management
Occupation	Consumer advocate, author, activist
Website	www.responsibletechnology.org

Jeffrey M. Smith (born 1958) is an American consumer activist, self-published author, and former politician. He is the author of two books on genetically engineered foods, Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies about the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You’re Eating, and Genetic Roulette: The Gamble of Our Lives, which he made into a film in 2012. He has appeared twice on The Dr. Oz Show. Smith has worked with organic food marketers and alternative health product promoters to advocate against genetically modified food. Supporters identify Smith as an influential educator on the alleged risks associated with genetically modified foods, while others point out Smith's lack of scientific background or expertise in the field. In 1998, Smith ran unsuccessfully for Congress as a candidate for the Natural Law Party. As of 2010, Smith was the executive director and sole employee of the Institute for Responsible Technology; in 2012 paperwork to become a 501(c)3 was filed.

Jeffrey Smith grew up in New York City and attended Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa in the 1980s.

Smith was a Natural Law Party member in 1996 and participated in a TM-Sidhi program yogic flying demonstration in Des Moines, Iowa. In 1998 he became the party's candidate for U.S. Congress in Iowa’s First District to raise awareness about GMOs. Smith received less than 1% of the vote, losing to Republican Jim Leach. Smith worked for several years as a marketing consultant and nonprofit marketing advisor.

Smith has opposed the use of genetically modified foods since they were introduced in the 1990s. As of 2000, Smith was the spokesperson and vice president for the accredited genetically modified organism (GMO) testing company, Genetic ID. Smith authored the books Seeds of Deception in 2003 and Genetic Roulette in 2007. In 2012 Smith directed and produced Genetic Roulette, a documentary film narrated by Lisa Oz and critical of genetically modified food. Smith is the founder and current executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology