Back by Popular Demand, Non-GMO Options Hit Shelves

Dear Reader,

A science journalist — such as yours truly — can get a little discouraged when it comes to the GMO story. The forces aligned to promote genetically modified foods are so deep-pocketed and relentless that pointing out the hazards can seem… well… pointless.

The fact is genetically modified crops, introduced to American farms a mere 20 years ago, have taken over the heartland. Bred to resist drenching with a potent herbicide called glyphosate — or make their own pesticides internally — GMO corn and soy now account for about 90 percent of U.S. production.

Many informed observers, including plant scientists formerly engaged in GMO development, have expressed grave concern about GMOs¹. They quite correctly say that no one has done long-term tests on the health effects of eating these foods. They also point out that herbicide-resistant “superweeds” are on the rise.

I expressed these and other concerns here.

But as it turns out, there is hope after all.

The Des Moines, Iowa, newspaper the Register reports that non-GMO corn and soy are making a comeback.

Products that are certified GMO-free by the Non-GMO Project hit $8.5 billion in sales in 2014, the last year for which figures are available.

That’s up from $1.2 billion in 2011, a 600 percent increase.

Sure, it’s just a tiny fraction of the $630 billion Americans spend annually on groceries, but it’s enough to get the attention of more and more farmers.

The article quotes Justin Dammann, a farmer near Clarinda, Iowa, saying “We never really thought we would go back” to growing non-GMO crops. “But the consumer, in my opinion, has sent a clear message that a certain percentage of our customers are willing to pay more for the non-GMO lines.”

A few months ago, I had the privilege of interviewing Jeffrey Smith, founder of the Institute for Responsible Technology. He’s perhaps the world’s most prominent advocate for a GMO-free food supply.

I was surprised to find Smith upbeat about the real possibility that GMOs in the U.S. could simply go away, beat back by market forces.

“That’s what happened in Europe,” he said. When, in 1999, both Unilever and Nestle announced they would no longer accept GMO foods, the European balanced tipped.

Today, virtually all of Europe is GMO-free.

In the U.S., we are still far from such a watershed moment. Via the so-called DARK Act, deep-pocketed, powerful forces are fighting to make GMOs ubiquitous in the food supply and impossible for consumers to avoid.

But — again — the situation is far from hopeless. If current trends continue, we have a real chance of making the U.S. food supply safe and sane once again.

Bottom line: For both your family’s and the nation’s health, be absolutely vigilant about “feeding the good shoots” of American agriculture and avoiding GMOs. Every nickel you spend on food is a vote for or against GMOs, so cast those votes carefully.

Homegrown or farmers market food is best. Certified organic is next on that list.

For more of my advice on how to avoid GMO foods, go here.

Brad Lemley
Editor, Natural Health Solutions

Citations

1. GMOs and Pesticides – What Concerns Scientists. Accessed November 15, 2015.