As advances are made in science and biotechnology, the more the human race begins to dabble in an arena that should solely belong to Mother Nature by developing genetically engineered food. Research in food chemistry and genetics has led to significant discoveries like Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), but has also compromised the integrity of our environment and the livelihood of local farmers. Yet, how does a society stop a raging global giant from taking over the world with genetically engineered food? Corporations like Monsanto, Archer Daniels Midland and Cargill have become forces of stature to be reckoned with; however, their GMOs cause more problems than solutions. The human race must learn its lesson that no matter how much money, power and knowledge we have, we will never be a match for Mother Nature; therefore, we must demand from corporations natural food varieties that are healthy for us, our environment and the economic security of local farmers.
So, how does a society prepare for an insidious cataclysm like GMOs taking over the planet’s agriculture? With cross pollination and the lack of appropriate control over the proliferation of genetically engineered seeds, indigenous agriculture runs the risk of becoming endangered or extinct. According to Doug Gurian-Sherman of the Center for Food Safety and former EPA scientist, “The potential for yet undetected contamination of other corn varieties via cross-pollination or seed mix-ups means [that] unapproved corn could persist in the food supply for years…This possibility exists because U.S. regulatory agencies have not followed their own risk assessment procedures for allowing commercialization of genetically engineered foods” (OCA.com, 2005).
As corporations continue to peddle their GMOs in various products, genetic pollution becomes rampant across the globe. Currently, US and Canadian genetically engineered corn is being dumped into Mexico where “researchers have detected widespread contamination of traditional varieties of corn, caused by surreptitious imports of genetically engineered corn into Mexico by grain export giants such as Archer Daniels Midland and Cargill” (OCA.com, 2011). Often the introduction of non-native seed varieties leads to a genetic pollution that may become irreversible. The thought of GMOs taking over our natural food supply should be enough incentive to make serious changes in our culture.
Yet, simple facts are often not enough to motivate the general public to change their consumer habits from genetically engineered products because corporations like Monsanto and their special interest groups have plenty of money to push their GMO agenda, particularly when the issue is controversial and easily dismissed with misinformation and propaganda. Corporations also have the advantage of keeping their products cheap while organic products remain costly and a less viable option for the average American struggling in the current economy. But, the truth is unvaryingly simple – our bodies are effective organic mechanisms that are designed to process food in its natural state without scientific assistance. In reality, the science of GMOs and other altered foods only benefit the companies that develop and market them.
Genetically engineered corn benefits companies like Monsanto by ensuring a large harvest due to minimally damaged crops, and when over half of food found in grocery stores are made from corn derivatives, the revenue generated from genetically engineered products is quite lucrative. A narrator in the 2008 documentary Food Inc. brings to light this reality: “When you go through the supermarket, there are illusions of diversity. So much of our industrial food turns out to be rearrangements of corn”. And most of those products are results of GMOs or genetically engineered corn.
Imagine products marketed with what they are actually made from: “Buy our [insert product, i.e.: ketchup, peanut butter, processed cheese] made mostly from genetically engineered corn, or corn made in lab test tubes with a bacterium added to keep pests away.” How unappealing that actually sounds. An organic farmer, Joel Salatin, interviewed in Food Inc., adds insight, “If we put glass walls on all of the mega processing facilities, we would have a different food system in this country”. Yet, large companies have managed to make it illegal to capture photos of these industrial processing plants for that very reason. In addition, they do not want the public adequately educated about genetically engineered foods and GMOs.
Profit seems to be the only explanation as to why we are still industrializing genetically engineered food that only leads to poisoning the earth and hurting the small business owner. Nothing we have scientifically tried to do to food has reaped beneficial rewards for humanity; therefore, the interest in GMOs must lie with those that benefit from the profits.
The development of genetically engineered Bt10 Corn, also known simply as Bt Corn, is a prime example of a strictly monetary incentive in GMOs. Bt10 Corn is a variety of corn genetically engineered with a bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis, to kill a crop menace known as the corn borer. Although this may seem beneficial as it reduces the amount of damaged corn crops and eliminates the need for pesticides, further investigation suggests that the adverse effects far outweigh the benefits. The Organic Consumer’s Association notes that “Monsanto conveniently forgets to mention that Bt corn also kills beneficial insects and contaminates soil” as well as actually being more costly for small business farmers as the corn needs more fertilizer than natural varieties (OCA.com, 2011). The genetically engineered seeds are also more expensive and are the proprietary of Monsanto, not the farmer.
The need to steer away from toxic pesticides is undeniable; however, there are other viable and natural options to GMOs. Case in point, an increasing number of farmers in the Philippines are using the Trichogramma wasp to prevent corn borers from attacking crops as an alternative to pesticides and genetically engineered corn. This method has proven to be both cost effective and efficient, reducing corn borer infestation by 80-85% (OCA.com, 2011). It is an organic solution to a problem that occurs in nature, yet the government in the area is hesitant to support this ecofriendly solution and remains a supporter of GMOs. Enter again the politics in which big business has influence over the GMO debate.
These corporations who have government support have the small farmer backed into a corner; therefore, not only do GMOs present a risk to our natural food supply, they threaten the livelihood of many hard working farmers. Thus, it is clear that genetically engineered food is unnecessary and actually causes more problems than solutions for our health, our environment and the economic security of our farmers. It is time to reject the consumption of GMOs and return to the natural resources the human race has managed to survive on for many centuries.
Part one of two articles….Part two: Sustainable Alternatives to GMO Products
References:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/corn/index.cfm
Mayo Clinic Staff (May 6, 2011) Trans Fat is Double Trouble for Your Heart Health.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/trans-fat/CL00032
GMO Acreage Chart (2001) US Department of Agriculture. Retrieved from GM Crops: Costs and Benefits from the University of Michigan on 11/21/11 http://sitemaker.umich.edu/sec006group5/gm_food
GMO corn syringe image retrieved from http://www.gm.org/gm-foods/consumer-acceptance-of-genetically-modified-food/
Posted by Lia M Caldwell
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011 at 18:10 and is filed under DailyNews-Tech/Science, genetically engineered organisms, Opinion, Opinion-Tech/Science, Science, Tech/Science, technology.
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