Genetically Modified Food...Good or Bad?

By: Sandra Stoner

We’re used to seeing labels such as Organic or USDA Approved on our grocery products, but we have yet to see a product labeled as Genetically Modified. That must mean that so far we have been eating only natural fruits and veggies, right?

Wrong. Current official policy rules that our genetically modified foods do not have to be labeled for consumers in the American market. So you have probably eaten your fair share of genetically modified tomatoes, apples, and corn.

So are GMOs good, or are they bad? The debate has raged for almost a decade and still policy makers have not come to an agreement, but what about average people like us? Wouldn’t it be nice if we could decide at the grocery store whether or not we want to buy a natural potato or a genetically modified one?

Ah it would be nice…too bad even labeling of the products has erupted into its own debate, with organizations such as The Campaign (http://www.thecampaign.org/) and Food for Thought (http://www.saynotogmos.org/) crying for labels and the food industry arguing that labeling could mislead consumers to believe that GMOs are unhealthy.

Personally, I think that the food industry should attach those labels. Consumers already know that cheesecakes contain One Trillion calories (figure hugely exaggerated), and yet we buy them anyways. Of course, it is true that certain customers may decide not to purchase products that contain GMOs, but that is a decision that should be left to the consumer, not the food industry.

Just in case we are ever trusted to make our own decisions concerning GMOs, I thought I would provide a few websites and articles representing each side of the debate for those interested.

For GMOs: http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/home/
http://www.gmofoodforthought.com/2006/02/farming_organizations_and_othe.html
http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/focus/2003/gmo7.htm

Against GMOs: http://www.thecampaign.org/
http://www.saynotogmos.org/
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2007/706/36663