GMO labeling

Vermont became the first state to mandate GMO labels. In the NY Times just one week ago, a new article appeared in the blog The Consumer entitled "Information Not on the Label". Obviously, GMO's are a hot topic. But why?

A GMO or genetically modified organism, is an organism, typically a bacteria or plant, that has been altered to contain DNA (the genetic material that codes for all life) from another species of organism. For example, Bt corn is a variety of corn plant that contains a toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacteria. This toxin allows the corn to be insect resistant in order to reduce pesticide use. Other examples include papaya designed to be resistant to a virus that almost wiped out the plant in the 1990's, and E. coli altered to produce cotton for blue jeans. GMO's are also used to produce life saving medications, such as insulin for diabetics. 

But the issue at hand is not the safety of GMO's. Or why or where they are being used, though those issues certainly come up. The issue is whether GMO's in our foodstuffs should be labeled. The FDA has no opinion of GMO's being labeled, but supports companies that voluntarily label their food, "provided that such labeling is truthful and not misleading."

People want to know what they are eating. Whether the food is safe, nutritious, organic, heirloom, genetically engineered, whole, or processed. 

My question to you is this: What do you think? Do you have an opinion? Do you know enough about GMO's to form an opinion?

I strongly encourage each and every one of you in the ether to tap on your keyboards and research GMO's. You'll find a lot of opinions and very few facts. And that, my friends, is the problem. There is just not enough research on GE foods and organisms to know what the long term effects can be. Just to make it a little easier, look at the table below. I have put some pros and cons of GMO's and GE foods for you so that you can make an informed decision.

Pros and Cons of GMO’s

Pros:	Cons:
Food: (includes Golden rice, soy, corn, papaya, squash, etc) Drought tolerant crops Pest resistant Less pesticide use Higher nutritional value Higher yields	Food: Less variety No research on long term side effects Increases use of high fructose corn syrup Encourages processed foods
Medicine: (includes insulin, chemo, and antibiotics, and more) Higher yields Faster turnarounds Reduces costs Greater availability	Medicine: No known cons
Industry: (includes cotton, dyes, biofuels, etc) Higher yields Reduces costs Environmentally friendly	Industry: Rougher textures What if the plants cross-pollinate or the bacteria escape and grow in the wild?

What do you think?

~Suzanne~