Why The GMO Foods Debate Is All Wrong
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In the end, however, no matter what side you take on the GMO debate, one of the biggest problems is that the term “GMO” is fairly meaningless. It covers a vast array of foods and practices. As some pro-GMO organizations are quick to point out, selective breeding is technically a form of genetic modification.
This process has been around for thousands of years and involves choosing to specifically reproduce organisms with a naturally occurring gene to create an entire population with that gene. We can breed to make organisms immune to certain diseases, wipe out undesirable traits, or just make them generally more productive. As a result, corn, bananas, seedless fruit, and most livestock, to name a few, all have traits that have been genetically selected for and thus “modified.” However, those who advocate for the labeling of GMOs are quick to point out that selective breeding is not the issue that is up for debate, nor is it their concern.
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So then, what exactly are we debating?
First, maintaining different ideas of what constitutes a GMO unnecessarily complicates the controversy and should be solved with absolute definitions or new terminology so that the semantic issue can finally be pushed to the side.
Next, what does the percentage of GMO ingredients need to be to qualify something as “containing” GMOs? If the cow which produced the beef you’re eating was fed GMO corn feed, does that qualify the beef to be labeled as a GMO?
Even the US Department of Agriculture and the FDA, who have paved the path for GMOs in the marketplace, don’t provide a clear opinion on the topic. The USDA uses the umbrella term “agricultural biotechnology” instead of specifically confronting the issue. And, the FDA’s official statement is as follows:
“While FDA regulates foods and ingredients, including foods made from GE plants, the agency neither supports GE plants based on their perceived benefits nor opposes them based on their perceived risks. FDA’s priority is to ensure that all foods, including those derived from GE plants, are safe and otherwise in compliance with the FD&C Act and applicable regulations.”
This indecisive quote simply should not be their view when the majority of food contains GMOs. They are running away from the topic, suggesting the safety of the food made with GMO ingredients is not what is up for debate.
