Genetically modified (GM) crops are causing cost increases for organic foods, which promise to be free of biotechnology, pesticides and other unnatural additions.
About 11 percent of farmers perform DNA tests on their crops to detect genetically modified organisms, according to a survey conducted by the Organic Farming Research Foundation. Other farmers have implemented more expensive planting processes or have lost sales due to concerns that their organic crops were contaminated with genetically altered organisms.
It is becoming harder for U.S. farmers to ensure their crops are free of genetically altered organisms, and some sales are being lost to European competitors who can provide more assurance.
In 2002, U.S. farmers planted GM crops--mostly soy and corn--on 92 million acres. This is up from 4.3 million acres worldwide in 1996 when GM crops first became commercially available.
Most often, crops are modified to be resistant to weed-killing chemicals like Roundup. Supporters of GM crops say that the engineered plants help reduce the amount of herbicides needed, which saves money and is better for the environment.
Those against GM crops argue that there hasn’t been sufficient testing on the potential long-term health and environmental risks of biotechnology. More and more consumers are turning to organic produce as more GM crops increase.
Close to half of organic farmers surveyed by the Organic Farming Research Foundation said they are concerned that the seeds they buy are contaminated with genetically modified organisms. Further, 42 percent said they fear "pollen drift" from GM crops will contaminate their fields.
New federal rules on food labeling allow products to contain up to two percent of genetically modified ingredients unintentionally mixed in with organic crops. Without genetic tests that cost more than $300 each, consumers can't be completely assured their organic products are 100 percent GMO free.
In Europe, consumers won’t accept any percentage of genetically modified ingredients in organic food.
USA Today June 4, 2003
With nearly 100 million acres of GM crops planted in the United States it will be increasingly difficult for any future crops to be truly "organic." The massive amount of GM crops produce pollen that will contaminate the organic crops even though they are quite a distance away.
This is all fine and dandy assuming that there are no complications with the GM crops. But unfortunately this is not the case as many respectable scientists are concerned about, and nearly all of Europe has strong opposition to, this technology.
Consuming genetically modified foods is like participating in a giant experiment. There is no telling what the consequences of using these genetically modified foods will be because these products have never existed before now.
It seems clear that these altered foods are capable of producing changes in humans. Already, investigators have found that rats fed genetically modified potatoes had an increased thickening in the lining of their stomach and intestine and a weakening of their immune system.
Further, some scientists want to put vaccines into plants without any real knowledge of what effects this unnatural addition will have on human health, or the health of our planet.
This is SHEER LUNACY.
What these scientists have failed to fully appreciate is that once these genetically modified plants are growing it is physically impossible to prevent them from pollinating other plants, thereby contaminating them with these new proteins, of which we do not know the long-term consequences.
The absurdity of the entire process is mind-boggling. These scientists are willing to sacrifice the country’s food supply by adding vaccines, which do not even work in the first place, to plants.
If this continues, our grandchildren may not have access to any non-genetically modified food, and the health of our society may continue to rapidly decline.
One of the keys to health is good food. Although most of us don't choose to do so, we can still purchase real, unaltered food in this country. Sadly, the future does not appear to provide this option.
Genetically modified foods did not exist prior to 1995. Ninety percent of the money Americans spend on food is spent on processed foods, and seventy percent of processed foods have genetically modified foods in them.
There have been NO STUDIES done with humans to show what happens when genetically modified foods are consumed. The FDA has ASSUMED that these modified foods are equivalent to the original foods and does not require any studies to have them approved, despite the fact that this technology has never before existed in the history of the world.
This is especially troubling in light of the United State’s federal track record on genetically engineered safety, which is terrible.
For example, last year genetically modified Starlink corn was approved for animal consumption, but NOT human consumption because of concern that it could cause allergies in humans. However, Starlink corn wound up directly in the human food supply, despite FDA precautions.
There are EIGHT different agencies in the United States regulating biotechnology under 12 different sets of laws. NONE of the laws had biotechnology in mind when they were passed, as they are 40 to 50 years old.
This lack of regulation and total irresponsibility in using genetically modified foods is a disaster waiting to happen.
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