To: Monsanto, President Donald Trump, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
Say No To GMO
These are the facts...
A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. Organisms that have been genetically modified include micro-organisms such as bacteria and yeast, insects, plants, fish, and mammals. GMOs are the source of genetically modified foods, and are also widely used in scientific research and to produce goods other than food. The term GMO is very close to the technical legal term, 'living modified organism' defined in the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which regulates international trade in living GMOs (specifically, "any living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology").
This article focuses on what organisms have been genetically engineered, and for what purposes. The article on genetic engineering focuses on the history and methods of genetic engineering, and on applications of genetic engineering and of GMOs. Both articles cover much of the same ground but with different organizations (sorted by organism in this article; sorted by application in the other). There are separate articles on genetically modified crops, genetically modified food, regulation of the release of genetic modified organisms, and controversies.
With regard to our North American food supply, approximately 93% of soy, 88% of field corn, 94% cotton, and over 90% of canola seed and sugar beets planted in the U.S. (2012 data) are genetically engineered.According to the Non-GMO Project, the following are considered High-Risk Crops (in commercial production; ingredients derived from these must be tested every time prior to use in Non-GMO Project Verified products (as of December 2011):
Alfalfa (first planting 2011)
Canola (approx. 90% of U.S. crop)
Corn (approx. 88% of U.S. crop in 2011)
Cotton (approx. 90% of U.S. crop in 2011)
Papaya (most of Hawaiian crop; approximately 988 acres)
Soy (approx. 94% of U.S. crop in 2011)
Sugar Beets (approx. 95% of U.S. crop in 2010)
Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash (approx. 25,000 acres)
Studies and research shows that soil microorganisms are very essential for soil fertility. Over 100 million microorganism and over 1000 species live in one gram of productive soil. Without these microorganisms that include fungi, bacteria, algae and insects, plants wouldn’t obtain the essential nutrition for growth. There was a huge change in US agriculture as the result of medical research on antibiotics, pesticides and synthetic chemicals during World War II. Use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides started killing fungi, weeds and useful insects in the soil. Excessive use of hormones and antibiotics also resulted in antibiotic resistant diseases in animals and people. Our soil and livestock were doing fine until genetic engineering was invented. In genetic engineering a number of different genes are inserted into the recipient organism. At the same time chemicals & pesticides are sprayed on GMO crops which that potentially results in destruction of most of insets and living microorganisms in the soil.
Do your part. Sign the petition to push for mandatory labeling of GMO products.
A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. Organisms that have been genetically modified include micro-organisms such as bacteria and yeast, insects, plants, fish, and mammals. GMOs are the source of genetically modified foods, and are also widely used in scientific research and to produce goods other than food. The term GMO is very close to the technical legal term, 'living modified organism' defined in the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which regulates international trade in living GMOs (specifically, "any living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology").
This article focuses on what organisms have been genetically engineered, and for what purposes. The article on genetic engineering focuses on the history and methods of genetic engineering, and on applications of genetic engineering and of GMOs. Both articles cover much of the same ground but with different organizations (sorted by organism in this article; sorted by application in the other). There are separate articles on genetically modified crops, genetically modified food, regulation of the release of genetic modified organisms, and controversies.
With regard to our North American food supply, approximately 93% of soy, 88% of field corn, 94% cotton, and over 90% of canola seed and sugar beets planted in the U.S. (2012 data) are genetically engineered.According to the Non-GMO Project, the following are considered High-Risk Crops (in commercial production; ingredients derived from these must be tested every time prior to use in Non-GMO Project Verified products (as of December 2011):
Alfalfa (first planting 2011)
Canola (approx. 90% of U.S. crop)
Corn (approx. 88% of U.S. crop in 2011)
Cotton (approx. 90% of U.S. crop in 2011)
Papaya (most of Hawaiian crop; approximately 988 acres)
Soy (approx. 94% of U.S. crop in 2011)
Sugar Beets (approx. 95% of U.S. crop in 2010)
Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash (approx. 25,000 acres)
Studies and research shows that soil microorganisms are very essential for soil fertility. Over 100 million microorganism and over 1000 species live in one gram of productive soil. Without these microorganisms that include fungi, bacteria, algae and insects, plants wouldn’t obtain the essential nutrition for growth. There was a huge change in US agriculture as the result of medical research on antibiotics, pesticides and synthetic chemicals during World War II. Use of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides started killing fungi, weeds and useful insects in the soil. Excessive use of hormones and antibiotics also resulted in antibiotic resistant diseases in animals and people. Our soil and livestock were doing fine until genetic engineering was invented. In genetic engineering a number of different genes are inserted into the recipient organism. At the same time chemicals & pesticides are sprayed on GMO crops which that potentially results in destruction of most of insets and living microorganisms in the soil.
Do your part. Sign the petition to push for mandatory labeling of GMO products.
Why is this important?
Read the facts about GMO. Then you decide if it is right or not for there NOT to be labeling of food containing GMO. If the government will not do anything to stop the utilization they should at least let people know if GMO is in a product you are considering buying.