CAN GMO AND ORGANIC EXIST SIDE BY SIDE?

Are you following the latest news about Monsanto?  It’s the latest in the battle.

The good folks at Monsanto are making headway in convincing our USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) to o.k. the planting of Roundup Ready (RR) alfalfa, despite complaints from scientists and organic farmers.  In fact, there scientists who work in the USDA object to the approval.

What is “Roundup Ready” alfalfa?  And, why should we care?

RR (Roundup Ready) alfalfa is alfalfa seed that has been genetically modified; we call it a GMO (genetically modified organism).  The genes of alfalfa seeds have been changed to accept the herbicide that’s in RoundUp weed killer.  That’s great for Monsanto, since they happen to sell RoundUp herbicide, and they want to sell lots of it.

FARMER SPRAYS HEAVILY, IF HE USES GMO SEED

The farmer growing alfalfa for cattle feed will spray his entire field heavily with RoundUp to stop all weeds that would compete with his alfalfa crop.  The spray will not bother the alfalfa because it’s been changed so RoundUp doesn’t kill it.  Genetically modified Roundup alfalfa will be sprayed with toxic weed killer, Roundup; more heavily by the farmer so he can eradicate all weeds that might compete.  He knows heavy spraying will not harm his alfalfa crop.

GMOs  SINGLE GREATEST THREAT TO ORGANICS

Since there’s no way to prevent genetically modified alfalfa seed from drifting into and contaminating other alfalfa fields, it does just that.  It drifts to other fields, producing seed different from natural strains of alfalfa. Alfalfa that grows from this seed will be genetically modified and will produce seed who genes are changed.

These crops, therefore, threaten the livelihood of organic farmers many of whom save seed from year to year, developing strains hardy for their ecological area.  There is no way to keep genetically modified alfalfa from contaminating organic alfalfa.

Genetic engineering, therefore, according to many, is the single greatest danger to organics.

NO ORGANIC ALFALFA, NO ORGANIC DAIRIES

If organic dairies can’t get a “clean” source of organic alfalfa for feed, organic food and dairies are out of business.  This threatens organic farmers and dairy people in our country, and further limits consumer
food choice.

QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT GENETICALLY MODIFIED

• Will GMO alfalfa put an end to the organic industry?

• With modified genes in the alfalfa gene pool develop super weeds that nothing will be able to control?

• When genes are changed to accept weed killer, RoundUp, will this develop dangerous allergens for humans and animals?

• When genes are spliced, for example, fish genes, into strawberries, will eating strawberries aggravate serious health conditions in people with fish allergies?

U.S. FDA HAS REQUIRED NO GMO STUDIES

Before allowing Monsanto to plant genetically modified alfalfa seed the Food and Drug Administration required

1. no tests by the biotech industry
2. no studies of potential toxicity
3. no studies of nutritional value of GMO foods.

U.S. ONLY DEVELOPED NATION THAT DOESN’T LABEL GMO

Amazingly, the U.S. is one of the only “developed” countries on the globe that doesn’t label GMO foods, even though a high percentage of soy, corn, cotton and canola planted in the U.S. in 2010 were genetically modified.

• 93 percent of soy
• 86 percent of corn
• 93 percent of cotton
• 93 percent of canola

Perhaps that’s a good reason to avoid Soy, Corn, and Canola products in the grocery unless they’re clearly labeled “GMO free.”

Most Americans want these foods identified in the grocery.  We don’t know what genetically engineered material is in our food or what those foods are doing to us, or might do to us, and to our families.

This is a big big topic that we’ll be talking on for a while.

If you intend to remain Healthy Beyond 50 you must know what you’re eating and where it comes from.

What do you think?  Let me know in the “Comments” section below.

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