The scientific consensus supporting GMO food production is overwhelming. It shows no signs of flagging. So it’s more than a head scratcher when we read some people want to require special labels for food that includes ingredients from GMO crops. With next to no scientific support to back them up, critics suggest there is a real need for this scaremongering. We could not disagree more. GMO foods are safe.
My association, the American Farm Bureau Federation, is the largest farming organization in North America. Members include a large majority of the family farms in the United States. We are joined by every other major farming organization in the U.S. – more than 25 in all – that oppose mandatory GMO labeling. So, yes, the support for GMOs is nearly universal in farming.
Farmers raise and eat GMO products the same as anyone else. We know they are safe. We also know that GMOs offer protection against harmful pests that would otherwise have to be sprayed with pesticides. GMOs use soil and water more efficiently, and that protects water quality. They disturb the soil less and need fewer passes with farm machinery, each of which greatly reduces energy use and carbon emissions.
A common-sense legislative alternative is in the works to inform consumers who still seek out organic or “non GMO” food. The bipartisan Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 would clarify the FDA as the nation’s foremost authority on food safety and create a voluntary labeling program run by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.
Read full original article: Food not fear: Why GMOs deserve our trust
