Friday, September 30, 2016

Don’t we have the right to know what’s in our food?



Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMO’s are a topic that needs to be discussed more. GMO’s are food plant genes that have been genetically engineered by scientists that are inserted into a plant altering their genetic code. Certain risks and unsure results as well as health and environment risks can all come along with creating and planting these organisms.

If I had things my way, I would get rid of GMO’s all together, but seeing as how difficult that would be I think changing the the labeling system, or lack of labeling system on all food products containing Genetically Modified Organisms can be a start of getting rid of them all together.



 In the United States there are no mandatory food labeling systems of foods containing GMO’s required, but with all of these possible risks there should be. Many states have tried to take action and create laws stating that food company’s need to label GMO products. In Massachusetts we were very close to passing a mandatory GMO labeling bill, but then the safe and accurate food labeling act came into effect, stopping Massachusetts and every other state from passing mandatory food labeling acts.

Since the “Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015” has been put into effect all of these states efforts have been pushed to the side. This bill states that companies have a voluntary labeling system, but let’s face it, if you tell anyone something is voluntary they probably won’t do it. Opponents of the bill, who call it the Deny Americans the Right to Know Act, or the DARK Act are outraged by this bill because they have worked so hard and came so close to getting labeling into effect.

Scientists still aren’t sure the effects of GMO’s and so we should have the right to know what we’re eating. I’m not saying that right now we need to ban the use of Genetically modified organisms but we need to label any food with GMO’s in them, that way food companies are giving us the choice on whether we want to eat them or not.


3 comments:

  1. I relate to this problem too...only on a different level than yours I suspect. I work in a retail pharmacy, and one of my biggest pet peeves is someone coming in looking for the latest and greatest herbal product advertised by Dr. Oz in the last episode. They want my opinion on it ("Dr.Oz says to take it every day!"), and I have to tell them that I have no opinion on herbal supplements whatsoever. These sort of drugs are not obligated to be tested under DEA regulations; so Dr.Oz can say what he wants about Sundown Vitamins and not be required to provide actual statistics (and sorry to be cynical but as a side note the corporate sponsors are probably paying a ridiculous amount of $$$ for that plug).

    Like you Black Snow I just want people to be knowledgeable and aware about what it is they are actually ingesting. Do your research beyond watching daytime television.

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  2. I completely agree. A lot of people want to know what exactly they are ingesting for food and without the labels it is hard for us to find this out. there should be labels on everything because people can be allergic to certain things. They need to have a better label system and to let everyone know their knowledge on what they are selling for the customers.

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  3. Someone who agrees with the majority of scientists who say anthropogenic climate change is harmful but does not agree with the majority of scientists who say GMOs are *not* harmful, is not showing a great deal of consistency.

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