So GMO? What does that mean?
If you had asked me 3 years ago I probably couldn't tell you. Even though I had been living on the farm for a few years. These terms are second nature around here and just understood. Big C and I were chosen to represent KY in a nationwide program for young farm leaders. While we were in the program we visited a seed breeding facility in Iowa. The tour guide showed us a visual of how they add traits to the seed to produce the plant they need for certain growing conditions. A gene can be inserted to help a corn plant grow in a drought conditions. Or a gene can be inserted to fight a certain bug. We saw the testing room where they looked at each corn plant each day and took a picture to record the growing process. This was a very eye opening experience for me. It was not a careless process but a well thought out and researched process.
So what is GMO? It is a Genetically Modified Organism.
I'm not sure I even realized I had witnessed this process until sometime later. I just thought it was neat how science came alive on the tour. I have never enjoyed science.
It's not until recently I've become aware of how much of a hot topic this actually is. Due to social media and food marketing there is so much info out there, but who is right? Thanks to social media and the internet this has become a big topic when farmers have been planting genetically modified crops for about 20 years.
So why do we grow GMO corn and soybeans?
We grow genetically engineered crops to help us produce a better crop and be more efficient with the land we farm. Genetically engineered crops help us produce more food with less acres for a growing world. Let's face it; the world isn't getting any bigger but babies are still being born. Having a genetically engineered crop we use less chemicals in the growing process.
Are genetically engineered foods safe?
Yes, there has not been a case reported where genetically engineered foods cause a negative health problem. These seeds go through 10-13 years of testing in various facilities before they are on the market for farmers to plant. It's also expensive for all this testing about 130 million dollars. (Joe Blow off the street isn't creating our food.) The seeds are also tested with Food and Drug Administration (FDA), The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Seed research is a continuous process.
I'll give an example of this process in a not so scientific terminology for those non-science people like me. The iPhone is a phone but add apps to it and it becomes a better device. The iPhone doesn't change you just improved it. People have been mixing and crossing plants for many years this process is safer and more reliable. The strawberry is a result of this process because it did not exist in nature before modifying plants. I'm glad they created this fruit which is one of my personal favorites.
One final note; I believe God gave us great minds to have the abilities to help the create ideas. I'm glad people aren't wasting these great gifts. Whether that's a doctor curing a disease or a plant breeder making a better plant. I know I'm not the science one; but I can trust the scientists are doing a good job.
I, as a mom of young boys, and a farmer's wife can feed my family GMO's and plant them on our farm with a clear conscience. I know enough farmers throughout the country to say that farmers are good people and we wouldn't be doing what we are doing if we didn't believe in what we do. I wouldn't feed my family what we grow if I had doubts.
If you want to explore more on this topic check out www.factsaboutgmos.org
Or ask a farmer.
So what is GMO? It is a Genetically Modified Organism.
I'm not sure I even realized I had witnessed this process until sometime later. I just thought it was neat how science came alive on the tour. I have never enjoyed science.
It's not until recently I've become aware of how much of a hot topic this actually is. Due to social media and food marketing there is so much info out there, but who is right? Thanks to social media and the internet this has become a big topic when farmers have been planting genetically modified crops for about 20 years.
So why do we grow GMO corn and soybeans?
We grow genetically engineered crops to help us produce a better crop and be more efficient with the land we farm. Genetically engineered crops help us produce more food with less acres for a growing world. Let's face it; the world isn't getting any bigger but babies are still being born. Having a genetically engineered crop we use less chemicals in the growing process.
Are genetically engineered foods safe?
Yes, there has not been a case reported where genetically engineered foods cause a negative health problem. These seeds go through 10-13 years of testing in various facilities before they are on the market for farmers to plant. It's also expensive for all this testing about 130 million dollars. (Joe Blow off the street isn't creating our food.) The seeds are also tested with Food and Drug Administration (FDA), The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Seed research is a continuous process.
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| This picture is from the University of Georgia. The top ear of corn was grown from a genetically modified seed to keep Asian corn borer worm away. The bottom was not. I know which one I want to feed my pigs or cows. |
I'll give an example of this process in a not so scientific terminology for those non-science people like me. The iPhone is a phone but add apps to it and it becomes a better device. The iPhone doesn't change you just improved it. People have been mixing and crossing plants for many years this process is safer and more reliable. The strawberry is a result of this process because it did not exist in nature before modifying plants. I'm glad they created this fruit which is one of my personal favorites.
One final note; I believe God gave us great minds to have the abilities to help the create ideas. I'm glad people aren't wasting these great gifts. Whether that's a doctor curing a disease or a plant breeder making a better plant. I know I'm not the science one; but I can trust the scientists are doing a good job.
I, as a mom of young boys, and a farmer's wife can feed my family GMO's and plant them on our farm with a clear conscience. I know enough farmers throughout the country to say that farmers are good people and we wouldn't be doing what we are doing if we didn't believe in what we do. I wouldn't feed my family what we grow if I had doubts.
If you want to explore more on this topic check out www.factsaboutgmos.org
Or ask a farmer.
Great Post, That thing about adding an app to your phone and it's still a phone (just improved) is a great way of explaining things. I think a lot of people who say they are against GMOs are really just people who don't know what GMOs are, why the companies develop them, or why farmers grow them. The yield numbers on GMO crops are higher because of the drought-resistance and pest-resistance you mentioned... the increasing population is scary to me... I'm glad we have GMO technology and people smart enough to understand it and formulate varieties that enable farmers to grow more food on the same or fewer acres. Great job explaining, and I think the fact that you and your husband feed your sweet baby Cs GMO foods is the best testimony to the safety of these crops that any mom could give.
ReplyDeleteGo to mercola.com and search articles about GMOs. You'll find a much different story there! Monsanto has been deceiving you!
ReplyDeleteThere are 2 sides to every story and I choose to believe this side for my farm and family. Check out findourcommonground.com and bestfoodfacts.org if you want more info.
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