GMOs: How Chemical Companies Alter our Environments and our Bodies

The technology of Genetic Engineering (GE) is the practice of altering or disrupting the genetic blueprints of living organisms-plants, trees, fish, animals, humans, and microorganisms. Large corporations such as DowAgrosciences, Monsanto and Syngenta intend to monopolize the global market for seeds, foods, fiber, and medical products.

With little or no regulatory restraints, labeling requirements, or scientific protocol, bio-engineers have begun creating hundreds of new GE "Frankenfoods" and crops. The research is done with little concern for the human and environmental hazards and the negative socioeconomic impacts on the world's several billion farmers and rural villagers.

Over 80 million acres of GE crops are presently under cultivation in the US. Most supermarket processed food items contain the presence of GE ingredients. In addition, several dozen more GE crops are in the final stages of development and will soon be released into the environment and sold in the marketplace. GE crops and food ingredients in the US include soybeans, soy oil, corn, potatoes, squash, canola oil, cottonseed oil, papaya, tomatoes, and dairy products.

Here are some environmental, human health and social problems regarding GE foods:

• Toxins and Poisons found in GE foods: can damage vital organs and immune systems, lead to death, increase natural plant toxins, create new toxins and increase allergens in food
• Increased Cancer Risks: Increases in breast, prostate and colon cancer
• Food Allergies: Increases in food allergies such as peanuts, milk, eggs and shellfish leading to increases in asthma, eczema and respiratory problem
• Damage to Food Quality and Nutrition
• Antibiotic Resistance: New strains of salmonella and e-coli that cannot be cured with traditional antibiotics
• Increased Pesticide Residues
• Genetic Pollution: Wind, animals, insects and rain carry genetically altered pollen to other areas polluting and altering crops that do not contain GE genes
• Superweeds and Superpests: Herbicide resistant plants and pests that require a higher degree of pesticide use, contaminating our environment and leading to a chemical arms race
• Socioeconomic Hazards: GE plants are forcing small farmers to become dependent on GE companies that produce GE plants for seeds and pesticides.
• Ethical Issues: Demoting living beings to manufactured products and genetic codes that can be altered and toyed with

Dow AgroSciences LLC, subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, manufactures genetically engineered corn and cotton and promotes use of its technologies that alter crops, insects and seed production and use. They increase the need of poor farmers to be dependent on their genetically modified crops and seeds and contaminate our environment and our health with their GM products.

Source: Ronnie Cummins, Organic Consumers Association

Read more at: http://www.purefood.org/GEFacts.htm