Genetically modified organisms have been the talk of the town for quite some time. People go on strikes and write letters to Congress about them; but are they really that bad. Should they be illegal? Research has shown that GMOs are found in almost every aisle of any American grocery store. The average American would not be able to see that the food they buy contains GMOs because they are not labeled as such. GMOs non-labeled state allow many companies to use dangerous amounts of them in their product in order to keep the price of the product cheap and gain more profit. GMO food should be illegal because its appearance has broken social and political systems by not being properly monitored by higher authorities like the USDA. GMOs are made …show more content…
If a person walks into any American fast food restaurant, the food will contain GMOs. This is because fast food chains like McDonalds, get their sources of food from industrial farmers who use Monsanto’s GMO seeds. In the documentary Super Size Me, Morgan Spurlock goes on a McDonald’s only diet for 1 month. We can guess that this crazy experiment he underwent is birthed from the idea of whether fast food is actually bad because it contains GMOs. Another fast food chain, Chipotle, states, “it would replace all GMO ingredients in its offerings” (“GMO Food” 2-2). Another interesting discovery made regarding the location of GMOs, and this time they are not found in food. Diapers, and many corn-based products are made from GMO corn (Food Inc.). So people drive around in cars that are filled with gas that comes from GMO corn and do not even notice it, but what about the hidden labels that people do not read that point to GMOs. Corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, sugar, and even soy are all ingredients that contain GMOs unless they are labeled as organic (Food Inc.). A lot of these ingredients are in gas station products. Hidden labeling is used by companies that have GMOs in their products, so people think that natural food is okay, when really they should be focused on if it is …show more content…
Ken’s Law is a regulation that allows the USDA to shut down GMO meat slaughterhouses that are contaminated and still selling the meat (Food Inc.). So what happened to this amazing regulation that saved many people from E-coli and other harmful germs? Well to be honest, many government officials are on the board for the Monsanto Company. So they pass laws that are in their favor, so they will gain profit. Michael Taylor is known to many as the Deputy Commissioner for Foods at the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), he also serves as the Vice President for Public Policy at Monsanto. Michael Taylor is the reason why GMO food is not labeled in America. Michael Taylor first advised Monsanto to label GMO products, but after he joined Monsanto, he oversaw the decision to make sure GMO food labeling is not required (Food Inc.). Clarence Thomas, a Supreme Court justice, also a Monsanto attorney, allowed a case to stop farmers from saving their seed (Food Inc.). The USDA’s lack of consistency has torn up America people’s health and made our food questionable (Del Gaudio, S., et al 2135-2142). GMOs non-labeled state makes the majority of American not only dangerous, but
Genetically modified? That alone should be a cause for alarm, and have you wondering, what exactly is in this that I am eating? Yet every day millions of American’s choose to load up on food filled with GMO’s, and not even know it. First we must understand what GMO’s are. GMO’s are any organism whose genetics has been altered using genetic engineering. We should not be tampering with nature, and should try to grow organically as much as possible. There has not been enough research on GMO’s to know the potential long term effects it can have on us, so this is why GMO’s should be banned.
A very valid point brought up by Clause (Say ‘no’), Hemphill, and Banerjee (both G.M.O. and the U.S.), is that consumers already have an easy and effective option to steer clear from GMOs: buying organic products. Through Hemphill’s and Banerjee’s article, we are informed that United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) “presently offers an organic certification for crops and processed food products, which by definition prohibits the use of GMO ingredients” (Page 455-466). This is certainly a label that has the ability to help concerned customers know exactly what they are eating. The co-authors call this solution the “Voluntary Labeling Strategy.” There is, however, one issue with this: not all products that don't contain GMOs qualify as organic. The resolution lies in an upcoming proposal from the U.S. Food and Drug administration (FDA). It's called “Voluntary Guidelines” and it allows, but doesn't force, GMO-free products to display a label of their own. I believe that this is a much smarter option than labeling every item containing GMOs because it is not binding by law, which would provide consumers with all of the benefits they need to choose the right foods for their preferences, while saving on all of the unnecessary extra costs discussed
A non-GMO label doesn’t necessarily mean “healthy”. White sugar, flour, and processed ingredients if not genetically modified are considered non GMO. Recently Cheerios made their ingredients GMO free. This label made Cheerios seems as a “healthy conscience choice” when in fact they are not healthy at all. The truth is that this breakfast cereal is highly processed and is best to be avoided despite the “healthy halo” of being approved by the National Heart Association and GMO free. The truth appears on the nutrition label and the ingredients (Wartman). “If you can’t pronounce it, don’t buy it” The voluntary labeling places a burden on the consumer. The average Americans are forced to navigate confusing and cluttered food landscape” (Wartman). A mandatory labeling law is vital to give clear and concise information to citizens.
Our attitudes toward GMO foods range from hostility to indifference. GMO foods, like pesticide-resistant Roundup Ready soybeans and fast-growing salmon, seem to exist primarily to pad corporate pockets. Most people are not aware that they are eating GMO foods. The greater percentage of the population is just looking at the price tag instead of what is in the food product. This technology has the potential to provide sustainable nutrient rich food sources throughout the ages if the science is not abused for the food industry’s
GMO`s are starting to rapidly take over our food supply, but what exactly is a GMO? A GMO is a make up of DNA that is combined forcefully with a plant or animals DNA, and creates a new version of it. Seeing these products sold in stores for the first time people question what the change is from the natural, and organics, because when someone reads GMO they wonder if it is healthy and safe to consume.
When you eat a cheeseburger, you might know that you are eating a beef patty with cheese, lettuce, and ketchup on a sesame seed bun, but do you know what you are really eating? According to the documentary GMO OMG, “approximately 85% of all processed foods contain GMOs”, yet most consumers are unaware that this secret ingredient is included in most of their food. Although Monsanto believes their product is safely feeding the world, consumers should be aware of the hidden horrors of genetically modified food because research indicates that GMOs could drastically affect their health as well as cause environmental damage, all while violating the rights of consumers and farmers.
Until the government creates mandates for issuing labels on foods that contain genetically modified ingredients, there are measures that can be taken by common citizens and supporters of GMO labeling in order to keep Americans safe in the meantime. Since “study after study points to potential health risks” (“Whole Foods Market”), supporters need to raise awareness amongst the rest of society in order to generate a large group that can begin to press the government to create a law to handle the issue. It is in “the state’s interest [to] protect consumers from false or potentially misleading communication or prevent consumers from suffering unwitting harms” (Adler). Moreover, the government must be the one to put an official end to the lack of
Bronner’s raised in 1.15 million dollars to support food labeling. Unfortunately, supporters of the cause are greatly outnumbered by their opponents. Monsanto raised four million dollars in opposition to mandate labeling. In spite of the supporters passionate efforts, GMO labeling most likely would not be the solution that activists and consumers are looking for. “Approximately ⅔ of the foods and beverages we buy and consume would be exempt. Meat and dairy products would be exempt even if they come from animals raised on GMO feed and grain. All alcoholic beverages, food for immediate consumption served in restaurants and other institutions would also be exempt, even if they contain GMO ingredients” (Review Of Proposition). With laws like these, information on GMOs that affect the majority of the people that care about taking these precautions will not be available. The facts that the labeling laws will mandate will be so vague that they will not provide anymore information than companies that label their product with non-GMO or organic. Any label mandated product under Proposition 105 would not have to inform the consumer of what percentage of the product was genetically modified and what ingredients in the food were genetically modified (Review of
In 2013, Anton Wohlers published a journal article about the pros and cons of GMOs and if the United States should be labeling our food products. Dr. Wohlers is currently a professor at Cameron University, the origin of the article, where he focuses on researching the implementation of biotechnology policies. He has a doctorate and two MAs in political science and has taught a range of classes including US and European Politics, Public Policy, and Political Science. He previously taught at Northern Illinois University, Eastern Illinois University, and Dominican University. In 2010, Dr. Wohlers was named the Oklahoma Political scientist of the year. His 20 plus years of practicing political science provides him with valuable insight into government
Food is an essential part of everyday life without it one could not survive. Every day we make choices on what we put in to our bodies. There are countless varieties of food to choose from to meet the diverse tastes of the increasing population. Almost all food requires a label explaining the ingredients and the nutritional value allowing consumers to make informed decisions on what they are consuming. However, many may not be considering where that food is coming from or how it has been produced. Unfortunately, there is more to food than meets the eye. Since 1992, “ the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ruled, based on woefully limited data, that genetically modified foods were ‘substantially equivalent’ to their non-GM counterparts” (Why to Support Labeling). GM food advocates have promised to create more nutritious food that will be able to grow in harsh climate conditions and eventually put an end to world hunger in anticipation of the growing population. There is very little evidence to support these claims and study after study has proven just the opposite. GM crops are not only unsafe to consume, but their growing practices are harmful to the environment, and multinational corporations are putting farmers out of business.
According to an article titled “Genetically Modified Foods Eaten” regularly by Linda A. Johnson today, essentially 40% of the foods we eat are genetically modified, unless you eat organic foods and/or you grow your own. Most products containing corn, soil, canola oil, or cottonseed oil contain genetic modification. One of the biggest genetic modification company is Monsanto (Johnson). She goes on to say many Americans don’t even know they are consuming genetically engineered foods. In “Genetically Modified Foods Confuse Consumers” by Mary Clare Jalonick writing in the Washington Times, has talked about how this is because the FDA does not require them to be labeled. Jalonick has said, “Genetically modified foods are plants or animals that have
“Genetically modified foods are a "Pandora's box" of known and unknown risks to humans and the environment. They have been forced onto the American public by multinational biotech and agribusiness corporations without adequate oversight and regulation by the United States government (Driscoll, SallyMorley, David C).”Genetically Modified Food is food which has been chemically altered by scientists during the production process to give the food more nutrients, better appearance, and a longer shelf-life (Rich, Alex K.Warhol, Tom). The importance of this issue is that these GMO’s can actually have a negative effect in our society in general. It could mutate in a negative way and cause cancer or other diseases. Genetically modified food should be strictly controlled due to its various detrimental effects on the environment, human health, and potentially insect/animal effects.
As human technological innovation proceeds into the twenty-first century, society is faced with many complex issues. Genetic engineering and cloning, encryption and information security, and advanced weapons technologies are all prominent examples of technological issues that have substantial moral and ethical implications. Genetic engineering in particular is currently a very volatile subject. One important aspect of this field is GMO or Genetically Modified Organisms, which has far-reaching potential to revolutionize modern agriculture. GMO crops are already being developed by many leading biotech companies, and have come under intense scrutiny by society. This is easily understood, however, because there is not much that is more important than how people get fed. Specifically, where their food comes from, and how it is produced. Thus, it is essential that we examine the ethical dilemmas as well as the practical benefits posed by such a powerful technology.
Give peas a chance! Genetically modified peas, that is. Genetically modified food (or GM for short) - it almost sounds otherworldly in a sense, but this is undoubtedly where the world is headed, especially with the world population rising faster than ever. Typically, genomes are spliced and DNA are ever so slightly modified by the intrusion of humans for the sake of a beefier tomato. In a sense, this is the layman term anyone can understand, more or less. The general population seems to agree that genetically modified foods are dangerous, or thought of as Frankenfoods. What people do not understand, though, are the benefits of producing GM food on such a grand scale. Perhaps one beefy tomato looks delicious in America where its appearance and
Genetically modified foods most commonly refers to the plants, which has been modified in the laboratory to enhance improved nutritional content and aimed traits created for human beings and animals. With progress in various types of technology, especially in genetic engineering, farmers and scientists have changed the way in which food is grown and made, raising questions about the methods, their risks and possible effects. It is not a secret that GMF-ed foods have spread out rapidly to the whole world. GMFs have raised concerns over their own beneficial in that they are resistant to diseases, produces greater yields, and it improves the nutrition of foods making the people unaware about their effects. Every time we go to any grocery stores or supermarkets, we would not know whether the vegetables, fruits or even meats being sold are genetically modified. To make this situation worse, most consumers do not pay much attention to what they are eating, when they are actually consuming modified foods.