Some organic foods may contain tiny amounts of GMO material due to drift and other unavoidable cross-pollination and contamination issues. Can you still call this food organic? Technically, organic food is not allowed to contain any GMO material, however, some say it's almost unavoidable at this point. This in turn leads others to point out that this is one of the reasons why the USDA should never have conceded to Monsanto and GMO crops. An NPR article about the debate notes that 77% of consumers surveyed will quit buying organics if they contain GMOs, The debate dives in deeper, looking at advocates on both sides - i.e. those who say small amounts of GMOs are okay, and those who say GMOs and organics don't ever mix.
Personally, I believe organics are more than simply GMO-free. For example, organic farming methods hold major benefits for the planet, even if GMOs are involved. Plus I don't like the fact that a tiny amount of GMO substance could contaminate an organic farmer's crops or animals, which in turn could hurt said farmer's bottom line when organic sales then become impossible. On the other hand, I also don't think those "little bits" of GMO materials should be allowed, because that's a slippery slope. Will we then allow "tiny" amounts of artificial colors, pesticides and other previously disallowed substances in organic food? Also, I don't love the fact that this all goes back to big bully Monsanto - sure, let's just let them have their way.
Do you think a little GMO in organics is okay or none at all?
Read the whole piece - A Growing Debate: How To Define 'Organic' Food.
Comments
I believe there should be NO GMO’s in organic food.
Human beings are not lab rats and should not be used as such by the biotech industry, whose only goal is to sell more herbicide (which is why they put GMOs in crops in the first place, so that the herbicide will not kill the crops).
Organic needs to have a higher standard and people need to have a choice whether or not to put GMOs in their bodies. This is the biggest problem of our time and Monsanto needs to be stopped while there are still crops without GMOs out there.
Once seed drift has infected all crops with Monsanto’s patented GMO genes, Monsanto, by law, owns those crops, or at least is owed a licensing fee by someone selling them. Do we want a corporation to own ALL our crops? I say no.
I see no reason why we can’t have labels. I am sure that there will still be a lot of people eating the same cereal they always do, ect. I just think it’s only right to have the choice. We label lots of things, why can’t this be one of them? Forcing me to purchase organic with a lower middle class to lower class income, is really unfair. Just label, then let me choose.
Amber I agree with you 100%. Being a health conscious single working mom it is hard to try to provide my child with safe and healthy food when there is no labelling law in place and the organic foods are so expensive.