GMO or genetically modified organisms have been a huge problem in the past years. The major industries and organizations that are behind such a mess are Monsanto and similar type organizations. Are they being stopped? Or are they proceeding their ill agenda to the public by buying off the laws? How much do you feel you actually know about this issue that has created so much controversy and continues to do so?
Facts are Monsanto and such organizations are so large and powerful in this country that they can buy their way to anything that they desire! Is that fair to the rest of the world and America? As long as US law allows corporations to spend unlimited sums to influence policy, they can often buy the laws they want. Last year, Monsanto and biotech giants spent a whopping $45m to kill a ballot initiative that would have labeled GMO products just in California, despite 82 percent of Americans wanting to know if they are buying GM. And just this month, the company helped ram through the "Monsanto Protection Act," that blocks courts from stopping the sale of a product even if they've been wrongly approved by the government.
Monsanto's power in the US gives them an enourmous power to dominate across the world. But brave farmers and activists from the EU, to Brazil, to India and Canada are resisting to accept GM products, their ways and have started to accomplish winning. This alone says a lot about how much other countries do care about their people and wellbeing. They, at the least, are trying to do something about Monsanto's disruption.
This shows the care and strength of which certain other countries hold for the well being of their people-- One group in India has helped win three patent battles against the corporations, and in Brazil five million farmers sued Monsanto for unfair collection of royalties, and won a $2 billion payout. Scientists are standing strong yet campaigning for sustainable agriculture models, and just last week 1.5 million joined the fight against conventional patents in the EU.
What to do about it?
As a culture in US, the majority of people tend to just follow whatever comes along their path. Being an activist in certain areas may take effort, but a little bit could go a long way too. We must stand strong together and try to make a difference for each other and our country--which in turn will, of course, help the world as well.
- Become more aware of what we are eating
- Choose not to eat or buy GMO products and food
- Join in organizations which support to assist with protecting our rights and working towards getting positive results for GM products.
- Continue to educate yourself in regards to what foods are GMO so you could make more appropriate choices. Remember as they say "don't really know how GMO products could affect health" which by the way is not accurate. Of course they know--they just don't want to say--because they are profiting from this. So, be wise about where and how you obtain your information.
- Know that those products that are not marked Organic could for sure (most likely, be GMO).
The foods that are most likely in the GMO list as of now are:
- Soy (and any relating foods which would contain soy)
- Corn (and any relating foods which would contain soy)
- Cotton seed
- Canola oil
- Corn oil
- Soy oil
- Rape seed oil
- Lecithin
- Corn starch
- Corn meal or soy meal and related products
Keep in mind that anything that is not labeled organic or non-GMO may very well be considered to be GMO. The majority of the above mentioned food products are being processed from GM plants and they are on the rise. Please be aware and pay particular attention to this matter.