Let’s be honest, there’s no avoiding the dreaded GMO discussion! With so many opinions, it’s hard to know where to stand, but FEAR NO MORE we are going to unpack the gory details of what GMO actually means and when you should care about it.
DEFINITION:
First of all, GMO is a much broader concept than most people give it credit for. A “genetically modified organism” includes ANY organism (plant, animal or otherwise) with ANY genetic modification including: cross breeding, selective seed collection, environmental manipulation for specific traits, the introduction of inter-familial genes (i.e. genes from the same species of plants/animal) and introduction of extra-familial genes (genes from a different species of plant/animal). The heart of the GMO debate revolves around these last two categories; let’s break it open.
WHAT IS MODIFIED:
Within these categories of genetic modification of plants are really two concepts: 1. Fruit enhancement and 2. Plant enhancement.
For fruit enhancement, the plant is usually modified for insect or pathogen resistance or longer shelf life and the modification shows up in the edible portion of the plant.
For example, in BT corn, genes from a soil born bacteria (bacillus thuringiensis) are inserted into the ear of corn, the insect bites the corn, ingests BT, and dies. You also ingest BT when you eat the corn- though you obviously do not die.
With plant enhancement, the plant is typically engineered for drought resistance, blight resistance, disease resistance, or herbicide resistance in the non-edible portions.
For example, corn modified with glyphosate resistance (Round-up Ready corn) will be modified in the leafy portions, stem, and sometimes roots of the plant; the modification is not ingested when corn is eaten.
Go here for a list of USDA approved GMO crops in the US: https://gmoanswers.com/current-gmo-crops?gclid=Cj0KCQiA68bhBRCKARIsABYUGidaym7tVZQIPmsjZ_i9imgs5VTKqHyQuFBrOAxsxjMypcKlnWBYPlgaAtnkEALw_wcB
WHAT TO WORRY ABOUT:
In my humble opinion, the most concerning GMO plants are the fruit-enhanced crops like corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and apples, and the herbicide-resistant crops like corn, soybean, and sugar beats.
With fruit-enhancment, the problem is that you ingest the inserted genes and there is little to no research on how it affects your gut biome (though major bodily functions are unhindered). It makes sense to me though, that putting stuff in your body it’s never processed before will negatively affect your gut; I personally would spend my extra dollar to avoid plants that have genetic modifications you directly eat.
Go here for more info on why your gut biome is important: http://www.nutritionnews.abbott/nutrition-as-medicine/the-role-of-the-microbiome-in-gut-health-.html https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4290017/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4566439/
For herbicide resistance, I don’t worry about the modification itself, but rather the glyphosate (Round-up) that can and is sprayed heavily on these types of plants. Glyphosate has been linked to a host of health problems including heart disease, birth defects, cellular mutagenesis (cancer) and other health issues and on these plants we end up eating a lot of Roundup! So, I would personally avoid GMO’s that allow glyphosate to be sprayed directly on them.
Go here to read more on glyphosate’s link to health problems: https://www.consumersafetywatch.com/non-hodgkin-lymphoma-roundup/?adwords&gclid=Cj0KCQiA68bhBRCKARIsABYUGieRPVh14TqMExF4F8IKqXHt3Hm1us0-qtXQBpBc4teTSfMBcbn8rdsaArw8EALw_wcB
THE OTHER SIDE:
That being said, genetic modification is NOT all bad! Particularly in developing countries, higher yields, good drought resistance, disease resistance, and even herbicide resistance is crucial to enhancing crop yields of rural communities. To these individuals, genetic modification can literally be the difference in life and death.
Go here for more on this and other benefits of GMO crops in third-world countries: https://allianceforscience.cornell.edu/blog/2018/06/developing-nations-lead-growth-gmo-crops/
In our own country, GMO crops can promote no-till practices which means fewer carbon emissions and greenhouse gasses. More practically, GMO’s can increase yields, providing cheaper and accessible produce to low-income families, I.E. someone may get potatoes tonight instead of fast-food because of a GMO!
OUR CALLING:
Wherever you fall in the GMO debate, remember that there are always two sides to the story. For every person who has sacrificed to buy organic and non-GMO, there is someone out there who has nothing to sacrifice and is just happy to put food on the table. Remember to be kind, and always remember that GMO or non-GMO is far less important than a person– Jesus died for everyone’s souls, not their strong oppinions. So keep it classy and loving my friends and remember:
Grow to live: Farm with a Purpose
The Wild Berry Farm 