How do you like your food -- as nature intended it or manufactured in a lab?
Genetically modified organisms or genetically engineered organisms appear to be the future of the United States’ food supply. A GMO is an organism whose genetic material, or DNA, has been altered.
In order to create a GMO, scientists combine DNA molecules from different sources to create new genes.
According to an article printed in The Washington Post last month, the “USDA has approved 81 GE crops -- it has never denied a proposal -- and 22 applications are pending.”
In terms of food, this means vegetables and some meats are being manipulated to meet increased production needs and create more gene resistant organisms.
While this may sound harmless, some farmers and informed consumers are not happy about it. The use of GMO is very controversial because it’s not natural in the sense that scientists are manipulating DNA to get a desired outcome. And in animals, it goes against the way they naturally evolve.
Currently, one of the United States’ largest cash crops is soy beans. According to the USDA, the US produced the largest soybean crops on record in 2009 and in 2010, was forecast to produce at record-high levels.
More than 25 states contribute to soybean production.
So what’s the connection between soybeans and GMO?
As I’ve shown you with the information above, we are producing a lot of soybeans in order to maintain production as domestic and foreign demand increases.
In comes GMO. By far the most infamous GMO soybean is patented by a company called Monsanto.
The patented soybean yields a larger crop than a traditional soybean, but according to Monsanto soybean opponents, the beans require too many pesticides.
Monsanto currently is awaiting FDA approval for its GMO soybean with fish oil. That’s right, if approved, farmers will be growing fish oil. What a dichotomy -- growing something in the dirt that is naturally occurring in an organism that comes from water?
Farmers are fighting back. There was a drop in GMO soybean planting in 2009 and more farmers are expressing interest in growing non-GMO soybeans, returning to the way they used to grow the crop.
The bottom line is become an informed consumer. Know what you are eating and feeding your family. Read labels to see if a product contains GMO derived ingredients.
I’ve included a lot of reading material for you to educate yourself. I can talk for days about this as I have a strong, definitive opinion on the subject. However, if you don’t know much about it, it’s okay, but now is your time to learn.
I hold a B.A. in communication studies from UNC Chapel-Hill and have worked in the field of journalism for more than ten years. Currently, I am a B.S. dietetics candidate for R.D. and LDN. I am a certified Crossfit Kettlebell instructor, triathlete and former trained dancer. I am not a nutritionist or a doctor. Information I share is based on my own research and experience. Before beginning a diet or fitness routine you should consult your physician or a health professional.
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