A Genetically Modified (GM) crop is the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. The resulting genetically modified organism (GMO) contains foreign genes which may come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans. There are two main reasons this is done. One is to create crops with traits such as insect resistance and herbicide tolerance to lower farm-level production costs. The second reason is to increase nutritional and/or industrial traits. This includes foods like non-browning apples and non-bruising potatoes. This comes at a cost as the dangers of GMOs on our health and environment is becoming known.
The most commonly grown GMO crops are corn, soy, canola, alfalfa, and sugar beets. If you are buying any of these foods and the label doesn’t say “Organic” or “Non-GMO”, you can be fairly certain the food is GMO. In addition, when you see the words on a nutrition label like corn syrup, soybean oil or even sugar,a majority of the time that ingredient has been genetically modified. Other foods that may also be GMO or have GMO residue include: cottonseed oil, non-organic dairy, and papaya.
The Effects on Your Body
Studies have shown that there are over 200 differences in the proteins and metabolites in GMO corn as compared to non-GMO corn. Crops that are GM are typically sprayed with the herbicide Roundup, killing the weeds in the field, but coating the food we eat with the herbicide. This may be a health destroying 1-2 punch. Reports are showing that those who eat GMO foods are experiencing an:
- Increase in allergies
- Increase in antibiotic resistance
- Problems with the endocrine system
- Disorders of the reproductive system
- Increase in aging symptoms
- Cancerous Tumor growth
Just this August, San Francisco jurors ruled that Roundup, the most popular weedkiller in the world, gave a former school groundskeeper terminal cancer. So they awarded him $289 million in damages, mostly to punish the agricultural company Monsanto. This hopefully will set the stage for more lawsuits and more awareness about the dangers of GMOs.
Crops and the Seed Gene Pool
The Union of Concerned Scientists’ produced a report called Failure to Yield. In it, they describe the results of their study which found that the use of GMOs did not, on average, increase crop yields. Sustainable non-GMO agricultural methods used in developing countries, on the other hand, have conclusively resulted in yield increases of 79% and higher.
Another concerning issue is that GMOs cross pollinate and their seeds can travel. The result is that we now have a contaminated seed gene pool that is impossible to fully clean up. GMO contamination has caused economic losses for organic and non-GMO farmers who often struggle to keep their crops pure. The potential impact of the contaminated seed gene pool is huge, especially as more studies show the damaging effects and dangers of GMOs on our health.
Increased Use of Herbicides
Between 1996 and 2008, US farmers sprayed an extra 383 million pounds of herbicide on GMOs. Overuse of Roundup (active ingredient glyphosate) results in “superweeds,” resistant to the herbicide. This is causing farmers to use even more toxic herbicides every year. Not only does this create environmental harm, GM foods contain higher residues of toxic herbicides.
The long term impact of the herbicides on the soils and our ecosystems can not be overstated. We now are growing food in less than optimal soils, and so the resulting foods provide less than optimal vitamins, minerals, and other vital nutrients. In addition, glyphosate can bind to soil particles in the environment, which can get into the watershed during heavy rainfalls and reach the freshwater environments. The impact on animals and microorganisms is being studied and may have far reaching impacts.
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