GMO STANDS FOR GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS.
A GMO is a plant developed through a process in which a copy of a desired gene or section of genetic material from one plant is placed in another plant. The only GMO’s commercially available in the U.S. are the following eight crops: soybeans, corn, papaya, canola, cotton, alfalfa, sugar beets and summer squash.
GMO IS NOT AN INGREDIENT
Why GMO’s
GMO’s are created to achieve a desired trait, such as resistance to an insect or improvement to the ripening process in order to better meet a customer’s market need.
The 8 commercially GM crops were created for
- Insect resistance
- Drought resistance
- Herbicide tolerance (weed fighting)
- Disease resistance (potential viruses)
- Increased/ enhanced nutritional content
*Future GMO crops have the potential to help – reduce food waste, provide essential vitamins and reduce food allergies.
Note: Farmers do not use genetic modification to increase crop size , create seedless varieties etc. These crops are created through good farming practices, cross breeding and hybridization.
Misconceptions
GMO’s are untested and unregulated.
NOT TRUE , GMO’s are the most regulated and tested product in agriculture history.
GMO’s cause cancer, autism, gluten issues or other illnesses in animals and humans.
BLATANLY FALSE, while this makes for good news it is blatantly false. GMO’s have not caused or contributed to a single death or illness.
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