Monsanto isn’t the bad guy in GMO’s

This is a really good read. (http://beyerbeware.net/2013/05/what-you-need-to-know-about-monsanto-gmo-food.html)

Personally, I don’t have a problem with GMO foods, ESPECIALLY if the United States is supposed to feed the world. I do have some questions about GMOs but it is going to take time and research to answer those questions. Some people would argue that we (scientists) are trying to play God and that is not at all the truth. We are trying to adapt and feed a growing population. Only time and additional research will tell us everything we need to know about GMOs…which is what really frustrates me when I hear about extremist organizations breaking into private property and destroying GMO research plants (look at France for a couple examples). By destroying the research crops these people have wasted time, money, and a lot of resources, not to mention setting us back in the work which will potentially aid us in feeding the hungry.

The “scary” part:

• You are NOT going to grow an extra set of ears…chill out. This is how extremists and media play the story up to get your attention.
• Genetically Modified sounds scary. It isn’t. It is simple biology. You practice genetic modification by having babies. (Think about it … your genes + your spouse’s genes = a baby that looks, acts, and sounds a little like both of you.)

Think of it this way:

• Farmers benefit from having crops which can fight off pests and diseases without having to use pesticides and herbicides.
• The environment benefits because we have to use less pesticides and herbicides
• You benefit because you have choices in the supermarket because crops weren’t wiped out by bugs or diseases.
• Hungry people in other countries benefit because we can produce food for them AND may be we can develop modified crops to grow in severe droughts.

I am not saying that GMO’s are going to solve world hunger. Neither are politics, just in case you were wondering. What I am saying is that we have to look at new methods to produce food for ourselves and others. We have to give science and the public some time to understand GMOs. So, chill out. Find some good, reliable sources and do some reading about GMOs. Wikipedia and CNN are not good sources. Look at the Journal of Food Science, USDA, and EPA are good starting points.