The United States and Argentina, two of the largest soy producers in the world, produce mostly GM soy, and GM-free crops are often mixed with GM crops after harvesting. Further, seeds that are supposed to be GM-free can contain from 1 percent to 2 percent GM varieties. Over 60 percent of processed foods sole in supermarkets contain soy ingredients.
The Soil Association, which is responsible for handing out "organic" labels in the United Kingdom, limits the amount of GM material allowed in organic foods at 0.1 percent. However, researchers found that some products contained up to 0.7 percent GM material. The association is "hurriedly" reviewing their procedures as a result.
Researchers suggest that it will become increasingly difficult to keep organic products GM-free, and even say that the problem will be 10 times worse in just one year.
Nature February 6, 2004
The U.S. needs to wake up and smell the genetically-modified coffee. It’s bad enough that the United States allows GM crops to be grown at all, and it is even worse that we grow two-thirds of GM crops worldwide. 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" in the United States and elsewhere. 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 (genetically modified foods did not exist prior to 1995).
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.
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 unless things turn around.
Related Articles:
GM Crops Raise Price of Organic Food Europe Passes Tough GM Food Labeling Laws United States Grows More GM Crops Than Any Other Country All Organic Seeds Now Appear to Be Contaminated With Genetically Modified Crops Prominent Scientists Form Group to Counter GM Food How do You Know if Your Food is Genetically Modified?
GM Crops Raise Price of Organic Food
Europe Passes Tough GM Food Labeling Laws
United States Grows More GM Crops Than Any Other Country
All Organic Seeds Now Appear to Be Contaminated With Genetically Modified Crops
Prominent Scientists Form Group to Counter GM Food
How do You Know if Your Food is Genetically Modified?