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4 Falsities About GMOs

Tractors, combines, harvesters… you can’t farm without fuel. GMO farming just lets me use less.
— Dan Lisco, Colorado Farmer.

We look at a label and the first thing we see is “non-GMO.” It’s posted everywhere! Is this really better for us or are we falling into the labeling trap?

“Non-GMO is healthier”

I was walking through Kroger a few weeks ago and went down the dairy aisle. As I was shopping, I noticed someone putting a container of butter in their cart that was twice the price of a regular container. What was the difference? One had “non-GMO” printed on the label with a pretty green leaf next to it. The other just had a normal label that said “butter.” I’m sure her motive, like many others, was to find the healthiest brand, when in reality, all she was buying was the most expensive. This is the case with so many other foods! We tend to gravitate toward the healthy green label that is more expensive instead of looking at what we are actually buying.

2. “GMO food is fake”

People often times think of genetically modified food as food that has grown its whole life in a lab. This is not true! In 2013 a company called arctic apples created an apple variety that never turns brown. The DNA from the apple did start out in a lab, but it finished on a tree in an orchard just like any regular apple. I bet if you tasted a basic apple and a non-browning apple you would taste no difference. The apple isn’t “fake food,” it just has a longer shelf life, which makes it even better!

3. “GMO foods are less nutritious”

This is the most common myth I hear about GMOs. When a crop is modified, scientists try to make a crop more resistant to pests and disease. This has no impact on the nutritional value of the crop. If anything, it makes them better because less chemicals are sprayed on them and less fuel is used. It has been proven in many cases that the nutritional value of the product is identical to one in original form.

4. “GMOs are in everything”

With the rise in the population, farmers are trying their best to keep up with the food security challenge. This is easier said than done. While more food does need to be produced, it does not mean GMOs have taken over everything! There are only ten modified crops in the United States that are approved and produced. Ten is not anywhere close to the number of crops farmers grow in our country. In 2022 you will be able to see on a label whether or not a food has been genetically engineered through a uniform logo. The USDA is in the process of making this a requirement.

5 Reasons GMOs Benefit the World

Reduces Greenhouse Gas Emissions

GMOs have the ability to tolerate diseases and and pests. As a result, farmers no longer have to spray as much herbicide and pesticide. Not only is this cheaper, it reduces the use of farm equipment. In 2015 this was equivalent to removing twelve million cars from the road!

2. Provides Food Security

So many consumers, myself included, do not realize how much food farmers have to produce to feed the world. Not only is this the case in the U.S., but in other countries too. GMOs allow farmers to grow more crops on less amount of land. This provides food and economic security to developing countries.

3. Creates allergy friendly food

One of the most common ingredients in food is gluten. This is also something many people are allergic to. Recently, scientists have been coming up with ways to grow a gluten free GMO wheat. It has not been successful yet, but it is definitely a step in the right direction. I have so many friends that are allergic to gluten and I know so many others would benefit from this innovation too!

4. Better for our health

It seems like in almost every point the reduction of chemicals gets brought up. It is such a huge benefit in so many ways! Not only is this better for the environment like I said earlier, but just think about how beneficial that is to our bodies.

5. Longer shelf life

GMOs have so many awesome capabilities. With a certain gene added, many vegetables can have a longer shelf life. This results in less food that is wasted and more that is bought. It is a win-win situation! In other countries, controlled environments, like coolers, are not very accessible. GMO veggies can be a major asset to the nutritional value of the food they consumer.

All About Me

Welcome to my page! My name is Kate McIndoo. I am an Agriculture Communications student at Auburn University. In other words, I am the middle man between the consumer and the farmer.

I’m a farm girl from a small town in Kentucky. I have grown up around tractors, farm animals, and dirt roads my whole life. This is where my passion for agriculture comes from. I want to show the public the truth about modern farming and tell how far it has come. It is pretty remarkable if you ask me! I hope you enjoy reading about the research I have done so far.