GMO foods are becoming more prevalent even as the majority of consumers don’t want them or at the least demand that GMO foods are labeled accurately. While consumers cannot get their politicians to listen to them, they should at least label the food accurately.
A majority of consumers in developed countries do not want to eat GMO foods and a larger majority of consumers want these genetically modified foods to be labeled properly.
Are GMO Foods Falling Out of Favor
Opposition in the European Union to GMO foods increased to 66 percent while 87 percent of Americans said that they want labels on foods with GMO ingredients. The area of GMO crops planted in Europe has declined by 23% since 2008. Yet certain governments continue to push for these GMO seeds, crops, and foods [1].
- Spain had a 15% drop in hectares of GMO crops planted
- Romania was down 87%
- Germany had 99% fewer hectares of GMO crops planted
- The Czech Republic had 42% less planted
- Slovakia was down 55% hectares planted
Numerous European countries have put a ban on the GMO maize MON810. Brazil has initiated a GMO-free zone for certain crops as are other South American, European, Asian and African countries.
Opposition to GMO foods in the US is 55% and a recent Washington Post poll found that 63% would not eat the soon to be approved GMO salmon in the US at least without further testing [2].
Opposition to GMO foods around the world is growing. A Pew Global Attitude survey found the following percentages of people opposed to GMO food. In the United States, more than half the people believe GMO foods worse for our health than non-GMO foods are. [3]
- Canada 63% opposed to GMO food
- Great Britain 65%
- Japan 76%
- Germany 81%
- France 89%
GMO Label Laws in the United States
Approximately 35 countries have some form of label laws that require GMO food to be labeled, the United States is not one of them.
Consumers overwhelmingly want GMO food products to be labeled honestly, but the government continues to deny US consumers this. The main argument for not having an honest labeling law in the US that is given at congressional hearings is that having a label on any food that says it contains GMO food will scare the consumer from buying it.
GMO Food Label Laws in Canada
There are no laws in Canada that require foods that contain GMO ingredient be labeled. The same excuse is used in Canada as in the US, that consumer will not buy GMO labeled foods out of fear. In 2003, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture said the industry will face huge losses if mandatory labeling is required [4].
GMO Label Laws in the UK and European Union
The Food Safety Standards Agency governs food labels in the UK. In April 2004, the European Union set their GMO labeling laws which can still be confusing, but at least they require GMO food to be labeled as such. This law is The GM Food and Feed Regulation EC number 1829/2003 and was updated in 2008. [5]
GMO Type
|
Example
|
Label Required
|
GMO plant
|
Chicory
|
Yes
|
GMO seed
|
Maize seed
|
Yes
|
GMO food
|
Corn, tomato, soybean
|
Yes
|
Food produced with GMO products
|
Corn flour, high fructose corn syrup, corn starch
|
Yes
|
Food from animals fed GMO feed
|
Meat, eggs and milk
|
No
|
Food additives or flavoring from GMO products
|
Lecithin from soybeans for chocolate
|
Yes
|
Alcohol
|
Wine made from GMO grapes
|
Yes
|
GMO feed for animals
|
Corn and soybeans
|
Yes
|
Food with GMO ingredients sold in catering businesses
|
Yes
|
Source: UK Food Standards Agency
GMO Food Labels in Australia and New Zealand
The Food Standards of Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) is the agency that governs food labels in these two countries. GMO foods and ingredients in Australia and New Zealand have to be labeled as such. In 2011, the FSANZ reviewed and set new labeling standards for genetically modified foods [7, 8].
Seed Patents
Seeds for our food are basically seeds of life and Monsanto has been able to patent their seeds. This has put farmers in a terrible position around the world.
For centuries farmers around the world would save their seeds from one crop and use them again the next year. If a farmer should decide he wants to use Monsanto genetically modified seeds, the farmer can no longer save the seeds. If they do, they will be sued by Monsanto for patent infringement and Monsanto has the right to do so.
A far worse situation is when a farmer is not using Monsanto genetically modified seeds and is trying to grow non-GMO crops. If cross-pollination occurs and some of these GMO seeds start growing in his field, Monsanto will sue this farmer for patent infringement.
This is becoming a common occurrence in the US and Canada [9].
Monsanto has even started to sue seed cleaners on the premise of encouraging farmers not to use Monsanto GMO seeds. Right or wrong, who can afford to confront such a huge corporation in court. Not many farmers can [9].
I have never been overly interested in conspiracy theories, but it doesn’t take much of an imagination to see that Monsanto could eventually control the entire planet’s seed and food supply.
I have never been overly interested in conspiracy theories, but it doesn’t take much of an imagination to see that Monsanto could eventually control the entire planet’s seed and food supply.
Buy Our GMO Food or Else!
If genetically modified crops and foods are so wonderful and safe, than why does the United States government have to resort to threatening other countries into taking their GMO food and Monsanto’s genetically modified seeds?
Released cables have shown that the US has threatened other countries into using Monsanto’s GMO seeds even as consumers in these countries do not want these seeds or food. According to the UK Guardian, the United States even threatened the Vatican into accepting genetically modified crops [10].
GMO Food and Consumers
There is a group called the Non-GMO Project that requires testing of foods and ingredients before a company can put their seal on the package in the US and Canada. This seal and their non-GMO buying guide can help consumers have a choice in what they eat.
2018 GMO Label Law
The USDA has finally posted their long awaited GMO labeling law which will require food companies to label foods that have been genetically modified, or bioengineered by the year 2022.
This law will affect many types of foods that include snacks, cereals, frozen and processed foods made with GMO crops like soybeans, corn, and sugar beets.
This new GMO label law will also apply to new genetically modified fruits, vegetables and seafood that will be sold directly to consumers like the rose pineapple, Arctic apple, non-browning potato and the recently allowed AquAdvantage genetically engineered salmon.
Conclusion
GMO foods could be a way to feed people in starving countries, but so far this hasn’t proven to be the case.
Many consumers believe there are health dangers with GMO foods and just want to be able to make an informed choice with GMO foods labeled accurately.
About the Author
Sam Montana is a certified Food Over Medicine instructor from the Wellness Forum Health Center and certified in optimal nutrition from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Copyright © March 2011-2019 Sam Montana
Resources:
[1] Friend of Earth Europe
[2] Washington Post Poll
[3] Pew-Press Organization
[4] CBC News ( Removed from the internet )
[5] UK Food Standards Agency
[6] Independent/UK
[7] FSANZ Food Standards of Australia and New Zealand
[8] FSANZ updated review
[9] CBS News (Removed)
[10] Guardian UK: US targets EU over GM crops
About the Author
Sam Montana is a certified Food Over Medicine instructor from the Wellness Forum Health Center and certified in optimal nutrition from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Copyright © March 2011-2019 Sam Montana
Resources:
[2] Washington Post Poll
[3] Pew-Press Organization
[4] CBC News ( Removed from the internet )
[5] UK Food Standards Agency
[6] Independent/UK
[7] FSANZ Food Standards of Australia and New Zealand
[8] FSANZ updated review
[9] CBS News (Removed)
[10] Guardian UK: US targets EU over GM crops
