Genetically Modified Food

I've been reading a lot about food that is genetically engineered and comes from genetically modified organisms (GMO) and it is scary stuff. The most pervasive GMO foods are corn, soy and canola (rape seed). If they don't say organic, they are GMO. And they are in so many products that we buy; anything with these ingredients in them or with corn syrup in it, which is almost everything that is processed or pre-packaged, contains GMO. Plus for you meat and chicken eaters and milk drinkers, they are being fed on GMO corn, so you are getting it through them. Again, look for the organic label. Currently, GMO foods do not have to be labeled. Both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama support labeling. Currently, Senator McCain does not, but you can send him a letter and encourage him to do so.

The other scary thing is using food crops to grow pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals. After watching The Future of Food (a documentary made by Deborah Koons Garcia, widow of The Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia) it is clear how easily these crops can contaminate non-GMO crops through cross pollination. The Union of Concerned Scientists has taken on this issue.  I encourage you to sign the petition.

Don't believe the hype either, GMOs have not resulted in higher yield crops, drought resistant crops or crops that require less pesticides. In fact, it is the opposite. The same people that own the patents on these seeds (and yes, the U.S. now allows the patenting of seeds) sell the pesticides. None of this really works in the best interest of the farmer or the consumer.

80% of Americans have said that they wouldn't by foods that they knew came from GMO crops. Shouldn't we have the opportunity to make our own choices about what we put in our bodies? Labeling would be a good start. That way we can vote with our pocket books on how we would like our food supply to be healthy and safe.