Read and weep


> > SOAPBOX
> > By
> > Don Mayer CEO Small Dog Electronics
> >
> > I ordered seeds for my garden last weekend while I watched the snow pile
> > up on the garden. I was amazed at the lack of heirloom and/or untreated
> > seeds. Hybrid and treated seeds used to be the exception, not the rule.
> >
> > Start Soapbox
> >
> > With the big food companies buying heavily into genetically modified
(GM)
> > foods, our food supply is being compromised. The discovery of GM corn
that
> > was not approved by the FDA for human consumption in products ranging
from
> > corn chips to corn dogs should get you thinking about what you are
> > eating. The impact of GM foods and the extensive use of pesticides and
> > herbicides for crops and antibiotics in meat production may not be fully
> > understood or felt for generations.
> >
> > I looked at a list of common foods that contain genetically modified
> > organisms (GMO) and was shocked at the number of mainstream foods that
> > contain them.  Here's just a sample:
> >
> > Enfamil, Isomil and Similac baby formulas
> > Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix
> > Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
> > Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
> > Pepperidge Farms breads
> > Thomas' English Muffins
> > Wonder White Sandwich Bread (big surprise here!)
> > Kellogg's Pop Tarts
> > Nature Valley Oats & Honey Granola Bars
> > Aunt Jemima Frozen Waffles
> > General Foods:
> >      Cheerios
> >      Wheaties
> >      Total
> >      Corn Chex
> >      Lucky Charms
> >      Kix
> > Kellogg's:
> >      Frosted Flakes
> >      Corn Flakes
> >      Special K
> >      Raisin Bran
> >      Rice Krispies
> > Mounds
> > Almond Joy
> > York Peppermint Patty
> > Kit-Kat
> > Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
> > Mr. Goodbar
> > M&Ms
> > Snickers
> > Three Musketeers
> > Milky Way
> > Carnation Hot Cocoa Mixes
> > Heinz & Del Monte Ketchup
> > Hellman's Real Mayonnaise
> > Open Pit BBQ sauces
> > Oreos
> > Pepperidge Farm Milano Cookies
> > Ritz Crackers
> > Triscuits
> > Wheat Thins
> > Stoned Wheat Thins
> > Coca Cola
> > Sprite
> > Pepsi
> > 7-Up
> > Dr. Pepper
> > Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail
> > V8 Tomato Juices
> > Campbell's, Healthy Choice, and Progresso Chicken Noodle Soup
> >
> > This is just a small sample of the list. There is also a list of foods
> that
> > do not contain GMOs and of companies that have active programs to
> > make their foods GMO-free. You can view the entire list at:
> >
> >      http://www.truefoodnow.org/shoppersguide/
> >
> > What is particularly irritating about this situation is that the FDA
> > declined to require food companies to clearly label foods containing
GMOs.
> > A GMO is a plant, animal, or microorganism that is created by means that
> > overcome natural boundaries. Genetic engineering involves crossing
species
> > which could not cross in nature. For example, fish genes have been
> inserted
> > into strawberries and tomatoes. While the FDA insists that foods
produced
> by
> > genetic engineering are the same as foods from traditional breeding,
their
> > own scientists reported that, "the processes of genetic engineering and
> > traditional breeding are different and...they lead to different risks."
> >
> > The most widely grown GMO crops are soybeans, corn, canola (rapeseed),
and
> > cotton. Almost all GMOs grown today are in one of two varieties: "insect
> > resistant" and "herbicide tolerant" crops. The insect resistant crops
are
> > also known as "plant pesticides" because the crop is considered (and
> > regulated as) a new insecticide. The crop produces an insect toxin as it
> > grows - in every cell of the plant, throughout the entire growing
season.
> > When you eat GMO insect-resistant corn, for example, you are eating a
> > pesticide.
> >
> > Not only do these plant pesticides protect themselves from harmful
insects
> > by the poison in their modified genetics, but they also have a negative
> > impact upon beneficial insects, such as honeybees, that are essential
for
> > crop pollination.
> >
> > About 70% of the acreage of GMOs in the U.S. is in "herbicide tolerant"
> > varieties. These crops are engineered to withstand direct application of
> > toxic weed killers. Previously, a farmer had to be cautious when using
> > herbicides because the plant poisons could kill the crop. Now the crop
is
> > genetically altered so that it will not be harmed by the chemical. This
> > means farmers can spray weed killers right on the crop - and it means
more
> > chemicals on our food.
> >
> > Monsanto's GM soybean could spread it's herbicide resistance to related
> > weeds through normal pollination and cross-breeding, or become a weed
> > itself. In both cases, greater use of chemicals would be needed to
control
> > the resulting "super weeds." Novartis' GM corn carries a built-in
> > insecticide. Not only can this kill insects indiscriminately, including
> > insects beneficial to crop pest management, it could eventually cause a
> > resistance among pests. As weeds and insects are repeatedly exposed to a
> > pesticide, they gradually become tolerant to the toxin, leading to pests
> > that require heavier doses of pesticide to kill. This only leads to a
> > perpetuation of the crop chemical treadmill, where farmers must use more
> and
> > stronger chemicals to control pests. This means more chemicals in the
> > environment, and more damage to nearby plant varieties and to soil
> > fertility.
> >
> > None of the GMO crops on the market today have been engineered for
higher
> > yield. In fact, a two-year study at the University of Nebraska showed
that
> > the most widely grown engineered crop, Monsanto's GMO soybean, actually
> > yields less than natural soy varieties. Biotech companies like to use
the
> > argument of feeding more people in their PR. But this subject requires a
> > closer look at the causes of hunger. The world currently produces enough
> > food to provide every person on the planet with over four pounds of food
a
> > day. Hunger is the result of poverty and unequal access to food, not a
> lack
> > of food.
> >
> > Some people say that genetic engineering is merely an extension of
> > traditional breeding and hybrid crop development. This is simply not
true.
> > Genetic engineering is a new technology that has been developed to
> overcome
> > the limitations of traditional breeding. Traditional breeders have never
> > been capable of crossing fish with strawberries. But
> genetically-engineered
> > "fishberries" are already in the field. With genetic engineering, these
> > types of new organisms can be created and released into the environment.
> >
> > The awareness of the potential dangers of GM foods has seen a strong
> > resurgence in organic farming. It used to be that you had to know a
farmer
> > or a good health food store to buy organic produce, but now we are
seeing
> > organic produce sections in major supermarkets, too. Organic produce
does
> > command a price premium, but farmers producing organic produce are
finding
> > that there is a willing market for their products. That is translating
> into
> > more and more acreage being converted to organic sustainable farming
> > methods.
> >
> > I do not think that we are going to stop agribusiness from using GMOs,
but
> I
> > think that our government should, through the FDA, require explicit
> labeling
> > of foods that contain genetically modified organisms.
> >
> > What do you think about the growing predominance of genetically modified
> > foods? Share them at the Small Dog Soapbox:
> >
> >      http://smalldog.com/go.lasso?go=http://smalldog.com/soapbox.html
> >
> > End soapbox
> >