GMO Issues

I just thought you would like to know what is going on in the agricultural world. For years, I had heard the term GMO, which stands for Genetically Modified Organism, but I failed to understand what the issue was about that seemed so distressful to many people, particularly gardeners. 

   With the ability to alter the nature of seeds by use of genetic engineering, plants can be developed that have special capabilities, like resisting certain bugs or diseases. So good, so far, right? Nope. Here's why; There is a large food company that owns many, if not most of the other smaller food companies. The name of this food/agriculture company is called 'Monsanto'. Many meat companies and produce are ultimately owned by Monsanto. Monsanto is continually coming up with ways to patent their food products. For example, they have a soy bean that is patented. The soy bean has been genetically modified to be protected from certain things like diseases and certain pests. All the other soy bean plants in the world do not have this resistance (because they are not genetically modified). So, let's say that people use Round-up in their gardens (which is also put out by Monsanto). It will have an effect on the plants that haven't been genetically engineered like the Monsanto ones. But the Monsanto ones will stand strong. And if someone is caught growing one of Monsanto's plants, that farmer or gardener could get in trouble with the law because there is a patent on the Monsanto plants. You would have to have special permission to use a soy bean as a plant if it is one that Monsanto produced. If you want to grow your own soybeans that are not from Monsanto, the soybean might not grow as well as the Monsanto ones. Little by little, Monsanto is taking over the entire food industry by doing this. It will come to the point where people won't even be able to do their own gardening anymore! There are people who have gotten into trouble legally for using Monsanto soy beans, as well as just having too much produce in their gardens!

   Having said all this, there are quite a few garden seed companies that sell 'heirloom' seeds. Some sell organic seeds as well. These seeds have not been tampered with and are good to use in the gardens. We need to be supporting the companies that sell these seeds. What we don't want to have happen is for Monsanto to end up having complete control over all food/agriculture decisions in the future. 

   Also, I find it ironic that a man named Mike Taylor has been a lawyer for Monsanto, and also has played a part in being president of the FDA. I'm sure he has a hand in all this as well!

   Here is a link to an article from Dr. Mercola's web site on GMOs:

The researchers are calling on farmers in some parts of the country to stop planting corn with anti-rootworm genes altogether, or to plant such corn only intermittently ...  Mercola on Corn GMO