GMO or Organic - You Decide

There's a lot of renewed interest in genetically modified organisms (aka GMO). Polls consistently show that American consumers want to know if their food contains GMOs. In fact, in a recent poll, 53% of consumers indicated they would not buy food that had been genetically modified. Despite this growing aversion to GMO products, industrial giants continue to push GMO. Thirty other countries around the world significantly restrict the use of GMOs because they are not proven safe. In the US, the FDA approved commercial production of GMOs based on studies conducted by the companies who created them and profit from their sale...the fox guarding the henhouse....

To be clear, organic standards prohibit the use of GMOs or GMO products in organic products (up to 0.1% can be from GMO according to the organic standards).

Proponents of GMO claim that by genetically altering food, the plants are more resistant to bugs, blight and disease; they also claim that the plants provide higher yields therefore increasing profit for farmers and providing more food for the planet.

Let's exam these statements one at a time.

1. More bug or disease resistent

There are numerous sustainable methods of managing bugs and disease. Yes, they take more thought, planning and are slower acting. However, bugs are good for the environment even if we see them as pests. They are part of a complex ecosystem that taken as a whole is sustainable and manageable. Spraying crops isn't great but genetically modifying plants is worse.

2. Higher yield - more profit

OK, farmers might be able to get more per acre out of their plants, but at what cost? Will it deplete the soil more rapidly? Will it cross pollinate with God-knows-what? More importantly, these seeds are PATENTED. Yup, one would think these belong to nature but no more. GMOs are products of their producers - in many cases companies like Monsanto. They own the seed technology - so you have to buy each seed from them. Many GMOs are designed to self-destruct rather than go to seed. No kidding. It's too strange for words, really. So, if a farmer has to buy seed and pay Monsanto every year, how does the farmer actually make more money? Maybe I'm missing something here but it seems like the farmer who gets sold this model is being sold a bill of goods.

3. Higher yield - feed the world

Guess what? A study released in the last couple of years by a University of Michigan researcher proved (mathematically) that if every arable acre of land on the planet (currently planted) was converted to organic, there would still be a surplus of kilocalories...translation: organic food can feed the world. So, higher yield is NOT the problem, distribution and other issues are what are leading to hunger in some parts of the planet.

Think about what we've learned about the human genome in the past decade. Now, think of all the things we still DON'T know. Odds are that monkeying with the genetic makeup of a species is a recipe for long-term disaster. History is chock full of lessons of "unintended consequences" and we are just at the infancy of knowing what these genetic mutations might do. There is growing scientific evidence that GMOs pose a health risk to animals - so clearly these are not bio-identical products but modified products that impact the animals that ingest them.

Let's talk about the butterfly effect. Perhaps you've heard of it. It's the mathematical notion that a small change at the origin can have a massive impact down the line.

Now, let's apply that to GMOs. GMO plants pollinate, the wind carries the GMO seeds to a neighboring farm. Now, the neighbor next door is growing GMO plants without his/her knowledge or permission. Companies like Monsanto modified seeds so they cannot be replicated - requiring the farmer to continue to buy seed from Monsanto. What happens to the farmer whose field is infiltrated by wind-borne GMO seeds? Must he or she now pay Monsanto? It's insane.

At shopOrganic.com, we work diligently to look at the source ingredients for all the products we carry. We make sure the products are certified organic and we look at source ingredients as well. We firmly and passionately believe that an organic model is sustainable and safe for generations to come. There was a time when science thought DDT was a great answer for crops - only to be banned years later as the cause of serious birth defects.

Don't get me wrong - I love science and technology - but the potential unintended consequences of GMOs are truly frightening. Rather than peddle fear, we'd like to suggest that we all look to creating a healthy, sustainable world for our kids and their kids and their kids. What do you think? Chime in, we love hearing from you.

Want to learn more? Visit the Non GMO Project

Want to buy GMO-free organic products? Head to shopOrganic.com