The Pros And Cons Of GMO Labeling

In America, over 70-80% of foods utilized by consumers are genetically modified which have been linked to cancer causing carcinogens and many other health complications; the alarming part is shoppers aren’t aware of which foods actually contain genetic modification. These foods are more often than not called GMOs, which stands for genetically modified organisms, and are most frequently found in processed foods. When a food is genetically modified the DNA from one organism is processed in a lab to extract it’s DNA and transfer it to another organism. This option is steadily becoming more and more suitable for farmers who prefer to use a more economical route for their agriculture since using genetic engineering can insure the growth of their

Despite the fact that many may presume that GMO labeling could impact the economy in a negative way by driving consumers away from certain foods and companies, it actually doesn’t. According to Michael Faber who has written multiple articles on GMO labeling and shown knowledge of extensive research on this topic, claims that a study has shown that the countries that have a GMO labeling law have not reported any decline in their economy since the law began, suggesting that GMO labeling has no negative impact economically on nations. In addition to the economy and how GMO labeling can affect the producers and consumers financially, many arguments against GMO labeling consist of the labeling process itself and its expenses. Yet many grocery store customers remain to ignore the fact that manufacturers are constantly changing their labels to promote the new modifications of their products with little to no increase in the price of the product itself. It is stated in Scott Faber’s article who is the Vice President for government affairs, and an environmental working group, that over the last decade food manufacturers have introduced over 20,000 new healthier product choices which included the process of the manufacturers changing their labels. Yet there have been no reported price changes within

The most prevalent concern of GMOs is whether they can cause life-threatening diseases such as cancer or other harmful damage to the human body. Ronnie Cummins who is the national director of the Organic Consumers Association, claims from a recent study that 84% of all GMO crops are sprayed with a toxic herbicide called glyphosate. Glyphosate has been linked to causing cancer and as of 2015 the International Agency for research on cancer of the World Health Organization said that the herbicide glyphosate is a probable carcinogen. Cummins also claimed with long term exposure to these chemicals they can cause kidney, reproductive, and human gut damage. In addition to these alarming facts, in the state of California glyphosate has been added to the list of cancer causing chemicals. Despite these statistics, America still does not have a law for labeling GM foods which is withholding imperative information from consumers and their families who could be exposing themselves to these carcinogenic chemicals without the knowledge that they are even consuming them. People who protest against GMO labeling claim that some genetically modified foods have such a minor change from the natural product that it would have no effect on the health of it’s consumer. While this may be true, there is no true way to measure how much a food is genetically