A Mass Scale Biotech Agricultural Experiment

When I think of all-natural foods, my mind is filled with thoughts of free range chicken, organic vegetables, and farm fresh eggs.  I envision the farmer, tending his crops; the baker selling his goods.   One thing that does not come to mind is Genetically Modified Organisms.  Everywhere we turn, GMOs are popping up at an alarming rate.  The scary thing is that many people are not even aware they are consuming these products.  As of now, companies who manufacture GMOs are not required to label their products as such.  These foods that are consumed by millions of people every day are still permitted to be labeled as "all natural." Producers of genetically-modified organisms should be required to

“By 1999, to avoid labels that might drive customers away, most major European retailers had removed genetically modified ingredients from products bearing their brand.” (Chayka 1). Today most people seem to be more concerned about what is in their food. The author shows his concerns about GMOs and uses statistics to help his argument. All of the author’s reasoning makes me concerned and worried about our food and the safety of everyone else. People’s health is important for this world to survive and live a healthy lifestyle. GMO labels should be honest about their food no matter what issue they may face. People trust these brands and most likely stick with it for most of their lives. The important part of food companies is being honest with their ingredients, not interfering or harming other food companies, and ensuring the safety of its consumers.

The Federal Government should require labeling of GMO’s on genetically modified foods. The people deserve to know what they put in their bodies. Some of the food is very unhealthy and some people are completely unaware of that fact. Many food companies do not put out all the information about what goes into the food in which we consume, if the Federal government were to require labeling of all GMO foods then the people could be well educated about what they put inside their bodies, and know if it is good for them or not. GMO stands for genetically modified foods, a genetically modified food is “..an organism whose genome has been altered by the techniques of genetic engineering so that its DNA contains one or more genes not normally found

Whether or not to require labeling of GM foods is a major issue in the persistent debate over the risks and benefits of foods crops that are produced using biotechnology. Bills requiring compulsory labeling have been introduced and proposed in different levels, but not evenly implemented. Some of the common genetically engineered crops include soya beans, canola, corn and cotton. The US Food and Drug Administration policy on the labeling of GM food requires labeling is the food has significantly distinct nutritional property (US FDA par 2). Further, labeling is required if the GM food product includes an allergen that consumers may not expect to find in such a product, or if the product contains a toxicant that is beyond acceptable limits (US FDA par 3).

The debate over genetically modified foods continues to haunt producers and consumers alike. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are foods that have been modified through bioengineering to possess certain characteristics. These plants have been modified in the laboratory to enhance traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or increased nutritional content (Whitman, 2000). The debate continues to grow as to whether these genetically altered foodstuffs are the answer to hunger in the coming years, or whether we are simply children playing with something that we do not have the capacity to understand. One of the biggest debates in the GMO issue is whether producers need to use labeling of

Whether Americans realize it or not, most of them consume genetically modified organisms every time they eat a snack or a meal. According to Robin Mather’s article “The Threats from Genetically Modified Foods”, “you’re eating genetically modified foods almost daily unless you grow all of the food or always buy organic” (Mather). This can be a scary thought for those who know about the numerous effects of GMOs or those who didn’t know what was in the food they’ve been ingesting for years. When Nielsen selected 1,200 Americans for a survey on GMOs for The Wall Street Journal, “61% of consumers had heard of GMOs and nearly half of those people said they avoid eating them” (Gasparro). The only difficulty with avoiding genetically modified organisms is that they make up approximately eighty percent of the ingredients used in processed foods that put together most of the regular American diet (Gasparro). The reason that genetically modified organisms are in most processed foods is because most processed foods contain corn or high fructose corn syrup that comes from genetically modified corn plants. Of all the corn, soybeans, sugar beet, and canola crops grown in the United States, over ninety percent of those crops are grown from genetically altered seeds (Gasparro). Ever since 1996, when genetically modified plants were first commercially grown for the public, the use of genetically modified seeds has been on a sharp increase (Charman). Although the use of genetically modified

Sixty four countries around the world have banned the use of GMOs, otherwise known as Genetically Modified Organisms, within farms and supermarkets. However, the United States, a usually technologically advanced country, has yet to invest much time or effort into this endeavour, one that would make food healthier for people and protect the environment. The US government has taken a step back in this effort for healthier food options, as in the country, companies that use GMOs are not required to label their food as such. Some companies and businesses, however, are working to make a change in the case for GMOs in the US, by advocating minimized GMO usage, menu transparency, or the complete ban of the usage.

Do you want to know what you are eating? Have you gotten sick over the past few years and not known why? Many people have gotten sick over the increase of food products with GMOs within them. Over the years many have argued that GMOs aren’t what is causing the increase in death and the decrease in birth, but many say it is the problem. GMOs should be labeled on our foods today because of the amount of health problems, and consumers want to know what they are eating. After all, it is what is going into our bodies.

Food is everywhere. It is an integral part of society and is a major part of everyday life. We plan our days around mealtimes, pack snacks for work and school, and visit the grocery store at least once a week. However, even our best, well thought out efforts to achieve a healthy lifestyle leave us mostly in the dark about what we are really putting into our bodies. GMOs, Genetically Modified Organisms, are organisms that have been bioengineered, planted, and sold to the public as food. These organisms are unnatural and have proven to be harmful. Unfortunately, the labeling of foods containing GMOs is not government mandated. Monsanto, the largest GMO producing conglomerate, will go to all lengths to convince the public that their product is safe and does not need to be labeled for consumers, despite the fact that countries around the world have stood up and refused to sell their products to their citizens. Unfortunately, the United States is not only not among these countries, but the government has shown little care for the global issue. Everyone has the right to know exactly what they are putting into their bodies and feeding their loved ones. For this reason I will be exploring how, with the existing research, GMOs are FDA approved, as well as how this relates to Monsanto’s fight against GMO labeling.

From a ‘preservative-free’ foot long ear of corn to an ‘all-natural’ refrigerator-sized cow, a lot of foods in our grocery stores are GMOs. GMOs are foods that humans have genetically altered to benefit consumers, but as this new technology is arising, more and more questions about whether it’s actually helpful have surfaced. GMOs should be labeled better because more and more people want to know what is in the food they’re buying, and because companies are deceiving the public with indirect labeling.

Genetically modified organisms should be labeled because all of the health risks are still unknown. According to the article, GMO Foods Should be Labeled by Ajita White, they state, “Specific engineered

Making way down the fruit section in the grocery store, the mom picks out a box of strawberries. She thought it was just ordinary strawberries because there was nothing different about the fruit. However, what she did not know was that the strawberries contained genetically modified organisms. Also known as GMO, it is the removal of DNA from another species then artificially injected into an unrelated species: plant or animal (“GMO Education”). GMOs are also worldwide out in the market for anyone to buy. Although it may be in the open market throughout the world, not all consumers know what is inside their food. There are disputes about labeling GMOs: that it matters or that it does not matter. Scientists claim that GMOs are nontoxic, however others propose that the knowledge of risks are not explored enough to complete understand or agree that it is safe (“GMO Foods Should Be Labeled”). Either way,

The 1990’s ushered in more than Gameboys and a Nebraska – Florida State college football rivalry. It was also a mad-scientists’ delight with the introduction of Dolly, a cloned sheep, and genetic engineering of food. Hoping to create a powerful agricultural tool, chemical companies set out to rearrange the building blocks of life and came back with genetically modified (GM) crop varieties that resist herbicide applications and produce insecticide during the growing process. Whether you are for, against, or indifferent to GM ingredients in your food, consumers should be informed on the questionable practices behind growing GM crops and they have a right to know what they are eating through food labeling.

Agribusiness and large scale farming have seen their fair share of both critics and supporters, especially today, as the internet has become an unlimited source of information and biased articles. Throughout the last few decades, technologies in the farming industry have advanced immensely as the need for more food faster has increased, but some still question the safety and trustworthiness of genetically modified organisms, also known as GMOs, while others find these technological advances necessary to feed our endlessly increasing population.

  You may know about the emerging field of biotechnology - the medicine, the ethics, the DNA, the Human Genome, etc.  But few realize the emergence of its agricultural branch, and the international conflict that has arisen from it.  It may apply to you more than you thought, for half of the soybean products and a quarter of the corn you ate in 1999 may have been genetically modified (Kaufman A6).  Genetically modified crops (commonly referred to as GMOs) are crops whose characteristics have been altered to produce a favorable trait, whether it be prolonged freshness, a more attractive appearance, or pesticide resistance (Activist 1).  Genetic alteration is the act of inserting a gene,