OMG - GMO WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?

Many people ignore all of the hype around Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)

Others have fallen into the hype and are spreading "half-truths" and misleading information related to it...thereby harming the real effort!

Few have dug deep enough into the issue to see the real impact that our current state of GMO use and understand act responsibly.

Let's cut through all of the "hype" and conspiracy and look at the simple issues at hand and also at the proper responses to this VERY IMPORTANT issue.


GMO History Lesson

Believe it or not...Genetic Modification is a natural part of nature!  If this were not true...everyone would look exactly the same!  Plants and animals would not have adapted to the environment.

Eons ago people saw that they could by control a natural aspect of nature and  bred wild animals in ways that they ended up with domestic animals that met certain preferred characteristics.

Docile Cows...
Loyal Dogs...

and on and on...

Others saw that the same could be done with plants...

Grass that provided grain...
A plant to produce large ears grain...
Beautiful plants like orchids...

This was Genetic Modification of Organisms through breeding and pollinating and was focused on providing benefits to mankind.

Every offspring....and every generation of plants and animals IS a genetic modification!

GMO Today

Human nature is interesting!  We are inherent efficiency experts!  We are always looking for easier ways to do things...to get what we want!

Genetics was no exception...Scientists learned the "secrets" of DNA and how to modify it!  Rather than taking years of breeding and cross-pollination, changes could be made in "one fell swoop!"

They also learned that some genetic changes could be added to living organisms that would never appear!

This is where that problem arises.

Imagine a plant that produces a sweet fruit that contains every nutrient that a human needs.  Genetic modification can do that!

Imagine producing a disease that is completely resistant to every antibiotic and one hundred percent deadly.  Genetic modification can do that!

Imagine producing a plant that is immune to weed killers and that this plant produces a food that we can eat!  Genetic modification HAS done that!

GMO Recap

Genetic Modification is a natural thing...
Man has learned how to use genetic modification to his/her advantage...
Man made genetic modification more efficient through gene splicing...

GMO - The Good the Bad and the Ugly

GMO's can be a asset and benefit to mankind.  Corn, wheat and many other plants and animals have gone through many modifications to the advantage of mankind.  Corn produces more bushels per acre.  Wheat is resistant to many diseases.  Animals grow faster and larger.

Mankind has been served well through well intentions.

Negative things have resulted from genetic modification.  Dogs have been bred for fighting.  Diseases have been created for biological weapons.  There are many reasons for these modifications, It is hard to rationalize them as good.

These modification have to be questioned as to how they serve mankind.

Over the past decade, genetic modification of plants and animals has become a focus of science and industry.  Sadly when science is funded...it can lose its focus on altruistic service to mankind.  When a "for profit" organization is involved, genetic modification becomes purely self serving.

You are what you eat!

Genetic modification is a relatively "new science."  The downstream impact of eating genetically engineered food is yet to be understood.  We know that we metabolize the foods that we eat at a molecular level...it goes without saying that if a food stuff contains bad things it will become part of us...  Yet the "jury is still out" on this...in terms of scientific fact.  The wise individuals are choosing not to eat genetically modified plants and animals until more is known.  This is probably a good choice.

Most of the focus of current science in genetic engineering is focused on making the production of crops more efficient.  This sounds great...but most of it is "profit oriented."  Case in point is the genetic modification of plants such as corn and soy that is resistant to the weedkiller "Round-up."

"Round-up" resistant corn is appealing to farmers because they can plant their corn, then simply apply "Round-up" directly across their fields and only the weeds will die.  This sounds great, but the weed killer is also absorbed by corn and when we eat it or eat something that eats it...this chemical becomes part of us!

The true issue is not that consuming a GMO is detrimental for one's health and well-being.  That is "hype" until science confirms it.  The true issue is related to what genetic modification is currently allowing!  At this point, We should ask...

Are we comfortable consuming "Round-up"?

Without going into the vicious and boring details, "Round-up" is a known to cause major issues in humans exposed to it.  The list is huge.  At least two countries have banned its use, while others are considering it.

"Round-up" resistant plants produce food that we eat!  These plants have "Round-up" sprayed liberally on and around them.  They absorb "Round-up" and we eat it...little by little.  To make matters worse, grains with an excessive amount (not fit for human consumption) is fed to feed animals (e.g. Beef, hogs and poultry) and the "Round-up" is concentrated in their flesh and fat.  We may eat it directly or indirectly.

Moreover the indiscriminate application of "Round-up" has caused other issues...it has leeched into our ground water and we are drinking it.  It is killing wild flowers and weeds that are important to beneficial insect life such as bees and monarch butterflies.  Did you know that more that 80% of the fruits and vegetables that we eat are pollinated by these insects and the die-off is substantial?

Why?

The corporations that are currently supporting GMO research are not doing it to the benefit of mankind...they have modified plants so that they can sell more herbicide!

AND this herbicide is a known killer of humanity...and a downstream killer of other types of life that we depend upon for our existence!

At this point in time...the issue is "Round-up"...NOT GMO...

DO NOT be distracted by hype or misinformation!

We can change the course of inevitable destruction with our ability to vote...not with ballots...but with our dollars.

If we all immediately stopped purchasing "Round-up" for commercial or residential use...the message would be heard loud and clear.

Purchase only those foods that are not modified to resist "Round-up" or genetically has a pesticide or is herbicide resistant!  Not because they are bad...but because they exist for self serving reasons...and because we do not know if those foods are OK to eat!

Eat Organic!  You can not lose!

Make not worth a corporation's money to invest in engineering sales into nature...but to invest their efforts in making humanity better!