Gmo Labeling Laws Should Not Be Banned

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

The new GMO Labeling bill S. 764, that was passed July 2016 after being tacked onto the National Sea Grant College Program Act, requires companies to disclose their inclusion of GMOs in their products directly on the label. This legislation panders to consumers that are already against GMOs while creating more economic strain on consumers who cannot choose to eat non-GMO due to budgetary restrictions. This bill will have serious implications not only in our economy and agricultural industry, but many economies and agricultural industries worldwide. Recent studies of how extensive the effect of this bill will be on the consumers of the United States are estimating upwards of $1,050 annual increase in our grocery spending to accommodate. The damage occurs when food producers that use GMOs inevitably follow the trend of agricultural industries before them and switch to non-GMO ingredients if they believe that it could potentially save public relations and customer loyalty. These switches have grievous implications, including triggering a setback on technology currently being developed and technology that could be developed in the future. 70% of products consumed in the U.S. have genetically engineered materials in them. These labeling laws do not just affect some consumers. In fact, those who are advocating strongly for this labeling system are likely not going to be impacted to the same degree as lower income Americans. This is due to lower income Americans not having the

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

Ever since their entrance onto the consumer market in the last two decades of the twentieth century, genetically modified organisms (often referred to as GMOs) have been getting mixed reviews from the public. Genetically modified consumer products (primarily food) have pushed the barriers of some people's comfort levels. Born out of either a lack of knowledge or a sincere concern for public health or the environment, a consumer rights movement has been planted around the world pushing for labeling of genetically modified food products. This movement has matured in many places to a degree where interest groups have successfully lobbied governments into adopting criteria for labeling transgenic food

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.

GMO products are made just like Frankenstein. Frankenstein was created in a laboratory from different DNA unnatural from its own. But unlike Frankenstein who was ugly on the outside and initially beautiful on the inside, a GMO tomato for example, is a big plump, juicy, red, beautiful tomato on the outside but has harmful effects on the inside. In today’s society, our local grocery stores are filled with GMO products. Most consumers are uneducated about GMO and unaware of what is being purchased because there are no laws of mandatory GMO labeling. According to The Non-GMO Project, “In North America, over 80% of our food contains GMOs.” GMO foods

You may ask, “what difference could a label on a package make?” If the labeling of genetically modified foods can inform consumers across the country of what exactly they are eating, it can make a huge difference. But the only way to increase these labels is for more federal laws to be passed. Once the new laws are passed, Americans will be more knowledgeable of modern agriculture. When more people buy those genetically modified products, money will come back to the American farmer, and consumers won’t have to spend as much on their trip to the grocery

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.

In a Huffington Post article published on February 11, 2014 titled “Warning: Industry Spin May Be Hazardous to Your Health; Learn the Truth About GE Foods,” Elizabeth Kucinich, the policy director for the Center for Food Safety, strongly discusses the dangers of consuming genetically modified foods, which causes unpredictable allergic reactions, encourages rapid evolution for resistance in pests, and creates herbicide resistance leading to an overuse of chemicals. Empowering consumers about what’s in their food is an important issue because everyone has the right to know what’s going into their body, especially when it’s altered food. Letters from advocates of food labeling have poured into President Obama’s office, asking him to “fulfill

Today, people are wanting to become more aware of what they’re eating. Studies show that nine out of ten American consumers want to know if their food is a GMO. This supports a law in North Carolina that bans all unlabeled GMOs. This law was not favored in the Congress as this new law “compromises the economy”. Even then, companies are determined to hide the facts.

An interest statement: I think this topic will keep me engaged because I did my last essay on the use of GMOs and now I am curious to see why people are opposed to the labeling of them and how they will impact the farmers if the labeling laws pass in certain states. I know families typically prefer organic food, however, it appears that this is the case because the word “organic” sounds pleasing. Most people seem very uneducated on what GMOs really are and just assume from the media that they are horrible technological advances. This topic seems like a very current issue which will allow me to find an abundance of useful information.

The FDA and Regulation of GMOs have defined GMOs as “Those in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in such a way that does not naturally occur.” My audience, people in the legislative branch of the government, hold varying viewpoints on the topic of GMO labeling. Some believe that the American people have the right to know what composes their food. Conversely, others believe that there exists such an overwhelming quantity of genetically modified foods that labeling would be impractical and expensive. However, considering that a person can, if they so desire, study the back of a cereal box in order to learn about its ingredients, they should also have the right to understand what makes up the ingredients going into a product.

As I mentioned some people prefer to not purchase GMO’s food products, maybe because GMO’s are not trustworthy enough and are relatively new, or maybe because of religion concerns. GMOs can have ingredients such as pork that people who practice Jewish, and Muslims religious can’t eat, or fish that Buddhists can’t eat for religious reasons (Global, 39). Therefore, labeling those GMO’s products is a crucial thing for a lot of citizens in the US, and consumers demand to label for all GMO’s foods (Sax, 631). However, the US government once again treats GMOs as natural, organic food. The US government uses the ‘substantial equivalence’ principle which says that GMOs food should be treated equally because GMOs have the same characteristics and composition

Non mandatory labeling of food containing GMOs allows GMOs marketers to engage in misleading food advertisement. Buyers often rely on labels to get a description of what they are buying. Leaving out the fact that a product contains GMOs is misleading. It is almost the same as avoiding to mention a specific ingredient in the food. For instance, many foods sold as “all natural” have indeed great amounts of GMOs. Consumers have no way of knowing that because GMOs are not labeled on the package. Many people assume that foods labeled as “all natural” are minimally processed, are healthier and contain no modified organisms. In other words, when buyers read the “all natural” statement, they usually think that natural means the product of mother earth. However, GMOs are not natural in any sense of the word. Therefore, selling a product that is “all natural” without mentioning that it contains GM ingredients is completely contradictory and misleading. Nevertheless, biotech food corporations suggests otherwise and argue that labeling GMOs is what will lead consumers to deceptive marketing practices. Indeed, the Monsanto Company, a pioneer of

The secretary of Agriculture, Dan Glickman, once said “The organic label is a marketing tool it is not a statement about food safety. Nor is ‘organic’ a value judgment about nutrition or quality.” While the greatest feature for stores is to have their very own marketing gimmick, the gimmick being their products are non-genetically modified. Many experiments and tests have been conducted over genetically modified organisms and the answer they keep coming up with is “there is no good evidence that genetic modified itself causes foods to become unhealthy or toxic”, according to Authority of Nutrition. This statement alone takes the marketing gimmicks used against GMO foods down a peg. For years humans have eaten genetically modified foods and have