GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants or animals…(yes you read that right animals too!!!) created through the gene splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE). This experimental technology merges DNA from different species, creating unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.
It can be difficult to stay up-to-date on food ingredients that are at-risk of being genetically modified, as the list of at-risk agricultural ingredients is frequently changing. So what foods are being modified right now?
- Alfalfa (first planting 2011)
- Canola (approx. 90% of U.S. crop)
- Corn (approx. 88% of U.S. crop in 2011)
- Cotton (approx. 90% of U.S. crop in 2011)
- Papaya (most of Hawaiian crop; approximately 988 acres)
- Soy (approx. 94% of U.S. crop in 2011)
- Sugar Beets (approx. 95% of U.S. crop in 2010)
- Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash (approx. 25,000 acres) (1)
What is the purpose of gene splicing?
1-Plants are supposed to be able to tolerate drought conditions better.
2-Crop losses from insects pests can be staggering, resulting in devastating loss for farmers. More and more consumers are concerned about buying foods free of pesticides. The design is for the bugs stomach to in essence explode if they ingested a part of a plant that has been GM. (Does this sound healthy for us to ingest???) So now MORE pesticides are being sprayed MORE often, see more on that below.
3-Herbicide tolerance. For some crops, it is not cost-effective to remove weeds by physical means such as tilling, so farmers will often spray large quantities of different herbicides (weed-killer) to destroy weeds, a time-consuming and expensive process. Crop plants genetically-engineered to be resistant to herbicides. For example, Monsanto has created a strain of soybeans genetically modified to be not affected by their herbicide product Roundup. Did I mention that Monsanto, the same company that created Roundup also created Saccharine, Aspartame, PCB’s, DDT, Agent Orange, Bovine Growth Hormone and Glyphosate (Roundup), all which have been linked to cancer and other health problems? Do we want a company like this to have a hand in the growth of our food and the health of our family?
More on Roundup—15 years of research by the USDA indicated that glyphosate, the key ingredient in Roundup herbicide, is linked to fungal disease in plants—not the absence of disease in plants. Glyphosate is no longer effective at killing weeds, as there is resistance-they are now called “super weeds”. According to USGS (U.S. Geological Survey Office), more than 88,000 tons of glyphosate was used in the US in 2007, up from only 11,000 tons in 1992. Since the advent of these so called “super weeds”, the use of glyphosate has risen significantly. Does it sound like Monsanto’s theory is working? Glyphosate residues are also found in our food: a recent study by Biosemioic Entropy found glyphosate residues in the main foods of the western diet-sugar, wheat, and GMO corn and soy. The residue is also found in 75% of our rainwater and air! These residues inhibit critical enzymes in mammals (which manifests slowly over time), as inflammation damages cellular systems throughout the body. (2)
Glyphosate causes birth defects and tumors in animals, and sharp decline in beneficial insects including monarch butterflies and bees. The birth defects were found in chicken and frog embryo’s. Glyphosate caused endocrine disruption, damage to DNA, reproductive and developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and cancer, as well as birth defects at low levels. (3) I am not happy with low levels….I want NO LEVELS of glyphosate in my food.
OK, so now you know some facts about what was supposed to happen with the advent of gene splicing…as well as it is just not working as they anticipated; at the risk of my health, your health and the health of your family….your children! There have not been significant LONG TERM studies to see how they will affect our health in the long term. In my opinion and the opinion of many; Monsanto is concerned about the Benjamins….nothing more, nothing less. I do not want my family or yours to be the next science experiment. Think about that for a minute before reading on……………………………………..
Most developed nations do not consider GMOs to be safe. In more than 60 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs. In the U.S., the government has approved GMOs based on studies conducted by the same corporations that created them and profit from their sale. See the startling image below showing you how the FDA and Monsanto team up together.
click image to enlarge
Unfortunately, even though polls consistently show that a significant majority of Americans want to know if the food they’re purchasing contains GMOs, the powerful biotech lobby has succeeded in keeping this information from the public. Americans are standing up and taking matters into their own hands and choosing to opt out of the GMO experiment. In the absence of mandatory labeling, the Non-GMO Project was created to give consumers the informed CHOICE THEY DESERVE.
The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization with a mission of protecting the non-GMO food supply and giving consumers an informed choice. We offer North America’s ONLY third party verification for products produced according to rigorous best practices for GMO avoidance. Their strategy is to empower consumers to make change through the marketplace. If people stop buying GMOs, companies will stop using them and farmers will stop growing them. See the Non-GMO site here. There are companies out there that are proud to be Non-GMO verified. Click here for a list of participating companies. Look for this image on your food.
This is the 2nd year that my family has participated in march Against Monsanto where nearly 2 million people in 50 countries worldwide attended to try to bring awareness to people about who Monsanto is and what GMO’s are and how they negatively affect our planet, our wildlife, and our health. Here is a great article about the day http://www.march-against-monsanto.com/2014/05/press-release.html
Here is a short video of the March that I participated in. I spoke in the 6 minute mark and my boys participated as well.
You do have a choice of what you put into your body, what you can do is vote with your grocery store dollar and support the organic farmer’s and buy the Non-GMO verified products. Shop your local farmer’s market…show Monsanto that we do not want their frankenfood!
References
(1) http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/what-is-gmo/
(2) http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416
(3) http://www.scribd.com/doc/57277946/RoundupandBirthDefectsv5
Additional Resources
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1752-4598.2011.00142.x/abstract
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/31/us-glyphosate-pollution-idUSTRE77U61720110831
http://www.march-against-monsanto.com/2014/05/press-release.html
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/08/06/genetic-modification.aspx
http://foodrevolution.org/blog/former-pro-gmo-scientist/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18989835
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23756170
Please note that I am not a medical practitioner. The content of this website is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended as, nor should it be considered a substitute for, professional medical advice. Do not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating any medical or health condition. If you have or suspect you have a medical problem, promptly contact your professional healthcare provider. By using this website, you assume full responsibility and liability for your own actions.
