One of the many reasons I love what I do is it gives me an excuse to be a geeky fan and get my photo taken with rock stars, nutrition authors, super food heroes and most recently, two living legends. Michael Schmidt (far right), was recently acquitted of all charges relating to selling and distributing raw milk and raw milk products. The dapper gentleman on the left is Percy Schmeiser, who was sued by Monsanto when his canola crops were contaminated with Monsanto’s GMO seeds. There next to me is, author, journalist and my bestest Vanessa Farquharson. I’ll admit that I got a little star struck when I met them last weekend at the Your Food, Your Choice: Grounds For Change conference put on by the Canadian Organic Growers where the theme of the day was simply to say no to GMO.
I already say no to GMO (genetically modified organisms), but I have felt that I didn’t have a clear way of explaining my views to others. The question that forever came up in conversations and which I could not answer appropriately was around the need for GMO technology to feed the hungry. The argument I always want to come back with is that GMOs for the starving simply offer a slower death. This, of course is not appropriate and all I could ever muster up the courage to say was that this is not a long-term solution.
Invariably it always came back to, “but what about the people who are hungry right now?”
I went to this conference wanting to have this question answered. Keep on with me as I break this GMO issue down for you.
GMO promised the farmers many things. It promised them higher yields, less pesticides and to be completely safe for human consumption. So far, none of these have been proven true. The yields have been lower and pesticides use has increase. Whether it is safe for human consumption would be very hard to say. There are very few countries who fight to have GMO crops grown and consumed, US and Canada seemingly leading that charge. Curiously, I might like to ask why, if they are so safe, are the other countries not only refusing to grow it, but doing their darndest to keep GMO contamination out of their fields, and food supply. If it is so perfectly safe, why isn’t it accepted globally?
Something else to consider is the type of GMO crops being grown. We know that our flax crops have recently been contaminated but outside of that, 99% of the GMO crops are corn, soya, cotton, and canola. These crops, my sweet natural food eaters, are not food. These are crops that go to feed the massive amounts of animals we eat, get processed into our cheap ‘vegetable oil’, and get turned into the bulk of our processed diets. GMO crops currently being grown are limited to four industrial crops, none of which are for direct human consumption, let alone, feeding the hungry. These crops are going towards feeding us, the people of North America who are vastly overfed and sadly, severely undernourished.
If we want to look at feeding the world with GMOs, shouldn’t we start looking at breeding crops that are focussed on nutrient density rather than breeding in traits for herbicide tolerance? And wouldn’t it make more sense to feed the world with seeds that farmers have been saving for their own use over years and generations? Doesn’t that enable growth of plants without relying on the purchase of new seeds, pesticides and licenses every year? Most of the food being consumed around the world is derived from farmer saved seeds, not from Wal Mart’s GMO containing processed foods.
The question then becomes whether we are looking to ‘feed the world’ or whether we want to actually reduce hunger. Feeding the world has nothing to do with reducing hunger or ending poverty. Feeding the world with foods made from processed GMO corn, rice and soy may feed the people in need, but it will not end world hunger. Simply put, people are hungry because they are poor in the economic sense and, as with most industry, creating a structure based on reliance on GMOs further enables the few to extract much from the many in need.
What about the people starving right now? I asked the panel this question directly. What was pointed out to me was that genetic modification of food was released prematurely into the market place. It has been around for ten years already but has yet to increase yields or go towards feeding the hungry. A single gene trait in a plant is not going to solve the problem. The solutions have to happen locally in order to be immediate and sustainable. Will GMO ever serve to feed the hungry and do so in a more sustainable way, making seeds tolerant to dry soil and other such challenging growing conditions? Perhaps. One day.
Right now, however, they don’t do this.
My personal concern of course is, given that no other countries want the GMO hazardous foods that we are growing, what if these mighty countries that are growing them force their way into more desperate countries and communities? The companies that dominate the GMO industry are crazy mighty, all powerful and completely and totally in control. That is scary. They essentially have the power to contaminate the world’s food supply.
Towards the end of the day, someone posed a question to Percy Schmeiser as to how long it would take, if GMO crops stopped being planted today, to convert a GM farm back into an organic one. The response was scary. Percy estimated, for Canola, that it could be upwards of 16 generations of the plants. What no one knows however, is how long these mutant seeds can lay dormant in the ground. When will we learn to stop effing with mother nature? She always knows best.
Of course there can be arguments in every-which-way-direction the wind blows. For this reason I would like to leave you with two simple questions:
1. Would you knowingly prefer to eat a genetically modified food over an organic? Or perhaps, what would you prefer to feed your children?
2. If GMOs and the direction our food and health care industry are going (dominated and controlled by government and a few massive corporations) is in our best interest, why, as a population, are we continuing down the path of chronic and preventable disease?
When you have a moment, please take some time to have a look and share these helpful resources:
Very good post. I often think about this topic. First off, I don’t think GMO foods will feed the hungry. There’s plenty of food in this world that’s just not getting shared. That’s a whole other topic. Messing around with food in a lab doesn’t sound like a great idea and it’s unfortunate that people just don’t get that. If I knew a a food was GMO then I wouldn’t eat it. Wasn’t there discussion at one point to label GMO food? You pointed out the obvious but are we safer eating the organic alternatives?
North American government still refuses to do it. Apparently the approximation is that anywhere from 80 – 90% of processed foods at the supermarket contain GMOs. What would happen to Kraft, General Mills, Nabisco and Kellogs if that law were to change? Other countries enforce GMO labelling and even go so far as to hold farmers accountable for any cross contamination.
You were so cute when you went up for that photo, showing your inner geeky fan.
And no mention of the guy playing Neil Young tunes?
What a crazy percentage! The alternative (organic) could be cross contaminated and I always wonder about that. Our country’s laws are so far behind when it comes to health and nutrition compared to many other countries.
As a side note, McCain is now advertising that their products have been revamped, using simple ingredients and very few. Marketing tactic or do they truly care?
Thanks for putting this article together Meghan. These are important facts that everyone needs to know about! I have shared it with all of my friends. I hope more people become aware of the harm we are doing to ourselves and the earth.
thank you for posting. GMOs are something that scare me a lot and I am always happy to have more information.
Thank you so much for this post! The truth is that I’ve waffled about this issue. I have vehemently opposed GMO in the past, but I had no concrete evidence I could give to convince skeptics – only my intuition that said “don’t eff with mother nature, it’s already perfect”. It’s hubris of humankind to think we can always improve things for our needs.
GMO is disturbing because while I want to say “fine, let them eat GMO” while I keep eating nature’s variety, it’s not that simple – their strains are inevitably going to push and shove their way into pure ones naturally. Plus, companies like Monsanto “OWN” almost all seed varieties. (Excuse me, that’s ridiculous) Will they just try to patent and buy most seeds so farmers can hardly even get their hands on anything but GMO in the future? I’d like to know more about this, it’s frightening.
Yep- that’s pretty much what they’re aiming to do and have successfully done- putting patents on life.
I go out of my way to avoid genetically modified foods, but more than that. Because the issue is worldwide contamination as much as it is the danger of these organisms once they are ingested, I also try to avoid any products made from genetically modified crops. It is not an easy road by any means, and includes finding alternatives to ethanol fuel, corn-based packaging and even non-organic white vinegar for cleaning purposes!
The evidence of physical damage caused by consuming GM food is beginning to come out. I highly recommend Jeffrey M. Smith’s books which detail suppressed evidence of harm and scientific and industrial collusion.
(By the way, poised in the wings, ready to float in on GM’s coattails is nanotechnology. It’s already in the food supply and food scientists are gearing up for an increase in its use. Nanotech companies are watching the GM fight very closely to see what their opposition looks like.)
Excellent post. People who are starving can’t afford to purchase GMO seed, and they are not allowed to save seed either, they must purchase new seeds each year. GMO has never been about feeding the hungry.
Meghan, thanks so much for this post. I have often heard how bad GMO’s are for people and the environment, but I really had no idea why or how this was. I am now super-intrigued by this topic, and plan to research this and educate myself. While we are on the topic of inspiring us to learn more about what we’re ingesting, I was wondering if you could do a post on plastic vs. glass storage containers…I have been forcing the issue of switching to glass from plastic at my house, but my husband just doesn’t understand why, and I would love it if you could provide us with some resources on this topic! Just some food for thought for a future post.
Adding to the ever growing list!
AWESOME POST!!! So great, Meghan! I love that you are so passionate about this.
Wow, so much misinformation in one article. If people want to understand the real science of GM crops and food please have a look at my website where there are a series of articles for the general public (jargon free) that explain the science.
Cheers
[...] Here is a great post all about GMOs. I love [...]
Bad GMO food, bad! It’s amazing how much corn is GMO. How can people think it’s okay to eat GMO food. And like you mentioned GMO seeds spread and can wipe out other non GMO crops. It’s awful. We need to stand up and stop buying these products to show these people that it’s not okay!
Interesting post.
In response to questions 2, I think the we (mainly North America) are “continuing down a path of chronic and preventable disease” because of the convenience and cost of foods that are full of GMOs (think $4 for an entire meal at a fast food joint, quite attractive to someone who has little time, money and knowledge of nutritious/healthful eating). I often discuss these issues with friends and found myself always saying “but how could someone knowingly choose to eat crap, aren’t they just too lazy to do some research?” and, after many heated discussions, I think I was unfairly judging the many people who, by no fault of their own, don’t have the resources (that many might take for granted) to be able to seek out nutrition info, have time to prepare the food, and even to be familiar with many nutrient-dense, affordable foods.
I think it really starts by making nutrition part of the elementary school carriculum so that the next generation of eaters choose not to buy processed foods and the industry is forced to change. If eating cheap processed foods its all you’ve ever known, and you have the misconception that eating fresh organic food is only for “holy than though” well-off individuals, then it may be more difficult than some think to stop buying these foods. And so, the reign of GMO crops in NA continues.
I am so with you on nutrition in schools. Basic natural nutrition, botany, yoga and meditation… these basic skills, lessons, wisdom, and practices brought into the lives of children could have serious impact on their futures and the communities they live in.
Genetic modification is not good or bad; it is simply a scientific tool. If you are opposed to patent laws and not being able to save seed, don’t be upset at Monsanto, be upset at your government that allowed the patenting of life. The private industry dominates GM products because GM products are expensive to develop. It takes lots of extremely talented scientists and breeders, not to mention expensive equipment, to create a suitable and improved seed. Many public institutions, especially governmental ones, simply don’t have the resources to dedicate to this long-term research… plus agriculture and food security aren’t exactly sexy political issues. However, things are starting to change. There are several public-private collaborations to develop improved seed for farmers in developing countries, which bring us to the statement that corn is not for direct consumption…this true for the US, but completely off-base when you start looking at countries in Africa, where corn is indeed one of the most important staple food crops. This article states that poor farmers couldn’t afford GMO products, well, the GMO products that are being developed for the soils and conditions of these countries will be publicly available to small seed companies in the regions, meaning they will be priced similarly to other seeds. Of course, farmers who save their seed instead of buying hybrids save money in the beginning of the season, but they lose it at the end by having poor, uneven crop yields. Most farmers prefer to invest in quality seed in order to reap a quality product. Also, the whole world has been eating GMO soybeans for a decade… haven’t heard of anyone growing a third eye yet!
Maybe not a third eye- but when you have a moment, you might want to review the studies that have published the following (http://www.bangmfood.org/publications/4-short-leaflets/1-genetically-modified-gm-foods-renewed-threat-to-europe):
Studies show harmful effects of GM foods on animals
Farm animals have been raised on GM feed for many years. Does this mean that GM feed is safe for animals and humans? Certainly it means that ill effects may not show up immediately. But laboratory studies designed to assess longer-term and more subtle health effects of GM feed on animals do show harmful health effects.
Mouse and rat feeding studies:
* Rats fed GM tomatoes developed stomach ulcerations [12]
* Offspring of rats fed GM soya had 4 times the death rate of rats fed non-GM soya [13]
* Liver, pancreas and testes function was disturbed in mice fed GM soya [14, 15, 16]
* GM peas caused allergic reactions in mice [17]
* Rats fed GM oilseed rape developed enlarged livers, often a sign of toxicity [18]
* GM potatoes fed to rats caused excessive growth of the lining of the gut similar to a pre-cancerous condition [8, 19]
* Rats fed insecticide-producing GM maize grew more slowly, suffered problems with liver and kidney function, and showed higher levels of certain fats in their blood [20]
* Rats fed GM insecticide-producing maize over three generations suffered damage to liver and kidneys and showed alterations in blood biochemistry [21]
* Old and young mice fed with GM insecticide-producing maize showed a marked disturbance in immune system cell populations and in biochemical activity [22]
* Mice fed GM insecticide-producing maize over four generations showed a buildup of abnormal structural changes in various organs (liver, spleen, pancreas), major changes in the pattern of gene function in the gut, reflecting disturbances in the chemistry of this organ system (e.g. in cholesterol production, protein production and breakdown) and, most significantly, reduced fertility [23]
* Mice fed GM soya over their entire lifetime (24 months) showed more acute signs of ageing in their liver [24]
* Rabbits fed GM soya showed enzyme function disturbances in kidney and heart [25].
* Feeding studies with farm animals:
* There are very few studies of this type that have looked directly at the long-term effects on farm animals. However, even these have shown problems:
* GM DNA can survive processing and is detectable in the digestive tract of sheep. This raises the possibility that antibiotic resistance and Bt insecticide genes can move into gut bacteria [26], a process known as horizontal gene transfer. Horizontal gene transfer can lead to antibiotic resistant disease-causing bacteria (“superbugs”) and may lead to Bt insecticide being produced in the gut with potentially harmful consequences. For years, regulators and the biotech industry claimed that horizontal gene transfer would not occur with GM DNA, but this research challenges this claim
* Sheep fed Bt insecticide-producing GM maize over three generations showed disturbances in the functioning of the digestive system of ewes and in the liver and pancreas of their lambs [27].
Maybe this is why there are no BEES……….
They cant even feed themselves………………..with all this bad food stock.
Wow, this is scary. Frankenfood indeed. So is organic food safe from all this?
Meghan,
While I’m not at all in favour of the way that some agribusiness corporations have behaved, such as in the case of Mr. Schmeiser, I don’t think the case against GMO-foods is as cut-and-dry as you make it out to be.
I encourage you to seek out some views to balance your own on this debate–the Frankenfood chapter of James MacWilliams’s Just Food is a good place to start.
The evidence can be conflicting and I don’t pretend to have a definite answer on the desirability of developing GMO seeds but I’ll offer a few points that I think are fairly indisputable:
-Their is clear evidence that famine in India and China has been drastically reduced over the past 30-40 years due to increased domestic food production that has been helped by technology (including GMO seeds).
-Farmers, companies, and governments, have been changing the genetics of the plants we eat for millennia through selection. Doing so in a laboratory is just a matter of degrees.
-To use your words, farming–whether small-scale and organic or conventional and corporate–is “effing with mother nature”. There is no wild environment that naturally clears itself of trees and other plants so that select varieties of food plants can grow for human consumption. Again it is a matter of degrees.
Nine billion humans cannot live on foraged berries, sea kelp, and humanely-killed grubs. I worry that the more politicised and emotional we in the developed world make food production to satisfy our desire for luxury and ethics the less quickly technology will be available to those who need it for subsistence.
9 Billions humans most certainly can not live on berries. GMO technology has only been around since 1996 so I am not sure where you get your 30-40 year reference from. And if it had been around for 40 years, I would say it has been rather inefficient in helping feed the planet. We have a massive surplus of food being grown on the planet and a massive majority goes to feed animals that in turn feed a minority. Had you listened completely to the podcast with Jeffrey Smith, you also would have heard him speak of the disastrous suicide situation in India where farmers become in dramatic debt to these industries.