There was a time when farming was romantic–when the clove of a season made the farmer’s mind turn in wonder, excited about the new cycle of crops to come-when days spent tending fields made the hazy weariness of an evening a right. There was a time when farming was honest–when natural alternatives made the use of things like pesticides unnecessary, and seeds were sown with great integrity. But here we are today in this tumultuous technology era where aircrafts navigate themselves, children are raised by video games and our food has itself a rewritten heritage.
With the help of political power, biotech corporations such as Syngenta, DuPont, Bayer and Monsanto have debauched not only the concept of farming but also what comes out of it. We here in the U.S. have been consuming genetically modified (GM) crops, in one form or another, for more than a decade now.
There is great consumer upset surrounding this because there was no way for them to know. The world’s leading producer of GM products, Monsanto, claims there is no difference between conventionally farmed crops and GM crops. As seen on the FAQ section of their website, they mean to address safety concerns by stating it is only logical to assume GM crops are no different than their conventional cousins. How are we to understand the word ‘modified’ then? And if there were no difference, why was Japan in such a tizzy this past May with the Oregon GM wheat field finding? The Japanese people and their government have worked together in earnest to ensure GM crops are not cultivated on their land or sold in their markets.
It could simply be a matter of preference considering their history of all-natural farming methods; however, we should all take note that GM crops could pose serious risks to human health. In the documentary “Seeds of Death,” Dr. Jeffery Smith, executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology shared some startling news. Studies performed by government and independent scientists found, in relation to control groups, lab rats fed a diet supplemented with GM crops had exponentially higher death rates. Babies were born sterile. Tumors began to form on reproductive organs. Disruption of endocrine systems began to surface alongside severe allergies.
In addition to these negative health findings, GM crops and their companion pesticides deplete the minerals and microorganisms that should be present in our soil. Without their presence, our produce is actually less nutrient rich. GM crops also upset sensitive ecosystems by their monoculture layouts-acres upon acres of a signal corn, soy or cotton crop, in essentially barren soil, with hardly a bird or bug in sight. Growth patterns such as these do not exist in nature, and if they do, nature destroys them. However, in all the artificiality perhaps there lies a greater goal. Perhaps Monsanto has their sight set on the selfless act of feeding our starving associates of humanity. Well, probably not. Executive Director of Green Peace International Kumi Naidoo explains there is a “false assumption” that world hunger is due to a lull in food supply. According to Naidoo, there is more than enough food to go around, and world hunger has its basis in more relevant “social, economic and environmental issues.” So, it is like futile attempts of ripping crab grass out of your lawn. Many forget the roots grow deep, and in a few days there is double the crabgrass and double the work. Purporting world hunger will be solved through the creation of higher yielding crops is an oversimplification of the more serious problems we are facing.
So, if GM crops are not the solution for world hunger and are potentially dangerous to our health and environment, what is their purpose?
Why not transition to local organic farming? It does not damage the environment and it does not cause a laundry list of diseases. In fact, organic farming methods are just as efficient as GM and conventional methods. The International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development reported in 2007 that organic and sustainable agriculture had the same and higher yields than GM and conventionally farmed crops. With this revelation, things shift into focus. If all GM products were kicked to the curb and replaced by organic sustainable farming methods, two key things would happen: A lot of suits would not be as rich as they are right now, and people worldwide would see an increase in their health.
Danielle Alvarez, Junior Political Science Major
