GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants
or animals 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.
Virtually all commercial GMOs are engineered to withstand direct
application of herbicide and/or to produce an insecticide. Despite
biotech industry promises, none of the GMO traits currently on the
market offer increased yield, drought tolerance, enhanced nutrition, or
any other consumer benefit. Meanwhile, a growing body of evidence connects GMOs with health
problems, environmental damage and violation of farmers’ and consumers’
rights.
Are GMOs Safe?
Most developed nations do not consider GMOs to be safe. In nearly 50
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. Increasingly,
Americans are taking matters into their own hands and choosing to opt
out of the GMO experiment.
Do Americans want non-GMO foods and supplements?
Polls consistently show that a significant majority of North Americans
would like to be able to tell if the food they’re purchasing contains
GMOs (a 2008 CBS News Poll found that 87% of consumers wanted GMOs
labeled). According to a recent CBS/New York Times poll, 53% of
consumers said they would not buy food that has been genetically
modified. The Non-GMO Project’s seal for verified products will, for the
first time, give the public an opportunity to make an informed choice
when it comes to GMOs.
How common are GMOs?
According to the USDA, in 2009, 93% of soy, 93% of cotton, and 86% of
corn grown in the U.S. were GMO. It is estimated that over 90% of canola
grown is GMO, and there are also commercially produced GM varieties of
sugar beets, squash and Hawaiian Papaya. As a result, it is estimated
that GMOs are now present in more than 80% of packaged products in the
average U.S. or Canadian grocery store.
What are the impacts of GMOs on the environment?
Over 80% of all GMOs grown worldwide are engineered for herbicide
tolerance. As a result, use of toxic herbicides like Roundup has
increased 1S times since GMOs were introduced. GMO crops are also
responsible for the emergence of “super weeds” and “super bugs:’ which
can only be killed with ever more toxic poisons like 2,4-D (a major
ingredient in Agent Orange). GMOs are a direct extension of chemical
agriculture, and are developed and sold by the world’s biggest chemical
companies. The long-term impacts of GMOs are unknown, and once released
into the environment these novel organisms cannot be recalled.
How do GMOs affect farmers?
Because GMOs are novel life forms, biotechnology companies have
been able to obtain patents with which to restrict their use. As a
result, the companies that make GMOs now have the power to sue farmers
whose fields are contaminated with GMOs, even when it is the result of
inevitable drift from neighboring fields. GMOs therefore pose a serious
threat to farmer sovereignty and to the national food security of any
country where they are grown, including the United States.
Which foods might be GMO?
The following crops are at risk of being genetically
engineered, either because GMO varieties are in commercial production,
or because of contamination from unapproved trial varieties. Ingredients
from these crops may not be used in Non-GMO Project Verified products
unless DNA testing shows them to be compliant with the Non-GMO Project
Standard: alfalfa, canola, corn, cotton, flax, papaya, rice, soy, sugar beets, zucchini, and yellow summer squash...and possibly more.
Ingredients derived from these risk crops include (but are not
limited to): Amino Acids, Aspartame, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbate,
Vitamin C, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Ethanol, Flavorings (“natural”
and “artificial”), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrolyzed Vegetable
Protein, Lactic Acid, Maltodextrins, Molasses, Monosodium Glutamate,
Sucrose, Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), Xanthan Gum, Vitamins, Yeast
Products. Animal derivatives such as milk, meat, eggs, and honey are also
considered high-risk by the Non-GMO Project Standard, because of
potential GMO contamination in feed and other inputs.
Please Note: Information contained within this piece came from the Non-GMO Project website. This is a non-paid informational piece done without request or permission of the Non-GMO Project. Please visit the Non-GMO Project website to learn more about them and how you can get involved.
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