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Organic Foods

GMO crops can sound a little unnatural. Consider strawberries modified with fish DNA to keep the fruit from freezing, or goats given spider genes to increase the protein content of their milk. A common GMO crop is corn modified with genes from soil bacteria that make it resistant to the herbicide Roundup. This means that farmers can spray the herbicide and kill weeds around the corn without damaging the corn plants themselves. Some corn is also modified to produce its own pesticide called Bt toxin. Supporters of GMOs say they help farmers increase crop yields and even improve nutrition. They are also a valuable tool for improving food security as the global population continues to explode. Detractors point to studies in animals that show GMOs result in tumors, organ damage, slowed brain growth, birth defects, and a host of other problems. GMOs have been linked to food allergies and digestive problems in humans. However, some researchers have disputed these claims, saying that GMOs undergo extensive health and safety testing before being allowed into the food chain and that the studies showing links between GMOs and health issues used methods that are not dependable. Many of our crops are genetically modified, including 93 percent of soy and 88 percent of corn, as well as significant amounts of canola, papaya, beets, and squash. Since ingredients like soy protein and high fructose corn syrup are found in lots of prepackaged foods (think of your morning cereal or favorite cookies), GMOs are becoming harder and harder to escape in our daily diets. In fact, it’s estimated that approximately 75 percent of processed foods in your local supermarket contain GMOs. One concern about GMOs is increased pesticide and herbicide use. Since crops are modified to resist herbicides like Roundup, farmers can spray large amounts to keep weeds out of their fields. The problem is that over time, the weeds begin resisting the Roundup, forcing the farmers into a vicious cycle where they have to keep increasing the amounts (and strengths) of herbicides they use. These herbicides end up as residue in our food and seep into our water supply. They are highly toxic, and some researchers have theorized that they may contribute to the risk of cancer and other health problems. Since Roundup-resistant crops let farmers spray weed killers indiscriminately, they end up killing weeds that other species depend on—like milkweed, which is the one thing

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