What – you say. Round-up is a nasty weed killer so why would you think it could get into my corn flakes? Warning: This is scary.
Although genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been with us since the early 1990s, it is only fairly recently that mainstream consumers have begun hearing about them. There is a very good reason for this: the companies that develop them, along with numerous government agencies, insist that there are no differences between genetically modified crops and their non-GMO counterparts. The public is told there is no danger to health or contamination of non-GMO products, and that genetic engineering is highly beneficial, will help feed the world, will save natural resources such as water, and will result in less use of pesticides.
While the FDA has not required that GMOs be tested for adverse health effects, there are individuals and laboratories that have proceeded with testing anyway. Plentiful results can be found on the Institute for Responsible Technology website.
The term “genetically modified organism,” or GMO, refers to a living organism whose genes have been altered by inserting gene from an unrelated species. This type of technology is called “transgenic” technology and has been used in over 40 species of plants for food and fibers. In crops, the technology has generally been used to incorporate genes that enhance resistance to insecticides, herbicides or pesticides, enhance drought tolerance, encourage higher yields or promote the ability to plant more in a smaller area.
The most popular herbicide-tolerant GMOs are Monsanto’s Roundup Ready® crops, which are engineered to be resistant to the company’s own broad-spectrum herbicide Roundup (Glyphosate). This enables growers to use large quantities of Roundup on their fields, and the herbicide will kill everything except the GM crop.
“If you put a label on genetically engineered food you might as well put a skull and crossbones on it.” – Norman Braksick, president of Asgrow Seed Co., a subsidiary of Monsanto, quoted in the Kansas City Star, March 7, 1994
“Monsanto should not have to vouchsafe the safety of biotech food. Our interest is in selling as much of it as possible. Assuring its safety is the FDA’s job.” – Phil Angell, Monsanto’s director of corporate communications, quoted in the New York Times, October 25, 1998
There are eight GM food crops. The five major varieties—soy, corn, canola, cotton, and sugar beets—have bacterial genes inserted, which allow the plants to survive an otherwise deadly dose of weed killer. Farmers use considerably more herbicides on these GM crops and so the food has higher herbicide residues. About 68% of GM crops are herbicide tolerant.
The second GM trait is a built-in pesticide, found in GM corn and cotton. A gene from the soil bacterium called Bt (for Bacillus thuringiensis) is inserted into the plant’s DNA, where it secretes the insect-killing Bt-toxin in every cell. About 19% of GM crops produce their own pesticide. Another 13% produce a pesticide and are herbicide tolerant.
There is also Hawaiian papaya and a small amount of zucchini and yellow crookneck squash, which are engineered to resist a plant virus.
Today, over 80% of US corn, soybean and cotton crops are genetically modified. GM sugar beets were introduced in 2008, and already in the first year, 90% of the sugar beets grown in the U.S. are genetically modified.
There have been many arguments justifying the incorporation of GMOs into the food supply. However, there is evidence that GM foods have an increased risk of causing allergic reactions, and uncontrollable cross-pollination depletes crop diversity which has resulted in resistant “super-weeds” and “super-pests.” It’s clear that the primary benefits of GM seeds are to the seed and pesticide companies, not to growers or consumers. And many risks are as of yet unknown.
In the 1980s, a contaminated brand of a food supplement called L-tryptophan killed about 100 Americans and caused sickness and disability in another 5,000-10,000 people. The source of contaminants was almost certainly the genetic engineering process used in its production. The disease took years to find and was almost overlooked. It was only identified because the symptoms were unique, acute, and fast-acting. If all three characteristics were not in place, the deadly GM supplement might never have been identified or removed.
If GM foods on the market are causing common diseases or if their effects appear only after long-term exposure, we may not be able to identify the source of the problem for decades, if at all. There is no monitoring of GMO-related illnesses and no long-term animal studies. Heavily invested biotech corporations are gambling with the health of our nation for their profit.
Help end the genetic engineering of our food supply
When the tipping point of consumer concern about GMOs was achieved in Europe in 1999, within a single week virtually all major food manufacturers committed to remove GM ingredients. The Campaign for Healthier Eating in America is designed to reach a similar tipping point in the US soon.
Start buying non-GMO today. Help stop the genetic engineering of our food supply.
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With over 22 years experience in residential real estate, Lynn feels strongly that service is the key to satisfied customers. Lynn's passion for the environment prompted her to be one of Washington's first EcoBrokers. She is excited to assist both buyers and sellers in making choices that will lessen their footprint on the earth. 
