Food Fight: The Debate over GMO Labels

Food Fight: The Debate over GMO Labels

2013, Health  -   63 Comments
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The debate over whether the American people should be fully aware of what their food is, and how and where it comes from, wages on in Food Fight: The Debate Over GMO Labels. Over 70% of the food on supermarket shelves today has some level of GMO-integration in it. 88% or more of all corn, cotton, soybean, and canola crops are of the GMO variety. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers GMO crops to be "substantially equivalent" to those bred via traditional means, and does not require they be labeled on the whole.

There are no studies that point to specific cases of illnesses derived from the ingestion of GMO foods, but as Stephen Trinkaus, the owner of Terra Organics, explains, we do not have sufficient long-term data to determine whether less immediate negative effects have already or will arise from eating foods that we are tinkering with the makeup of at a genetic level. Allergy development, cancer proliferation - these are things that would not show up right away and that GMOs could be correlated with.

The goal of most GMO research and alterations, in the food realm, is to make them more tolerant of herbicides and increase crop yields - reasonable pursuits. A great deal of the products containing them are of the processed variety - cookies, chips, crackers, cereals. The debate at present is not really whether they should exist at all, but rather whether manufacturers of these foodstuffs should be forced to differentiate their products from those that are not genetically modified in the labeling that consumers make their decisions based upon.

The film takes us to the actual farmers growing our food to shed light on the issue, many of which insist that GMOs pose no increase in risk to the people that consume them. There are also many views expressed that align with the advocacy of introducing yet-to-be-instituted GMOs - heart-healthy oils into wheat and the like are small modifications that could come from new strains of the crop that might very well improve our quality of life. Regardless of where you might stand on the issue, Washington's Food Fight will absolutely leave you more capable of arguing your viewpoint.

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Rachel
Rachel
2 years ago

I watched another doco on GMO and Montsanto. They made a very good point. Most companies want their name on their products likie Microsoft or Nike. Why is GMO trying to hide. If it is really not different or even superior they would be bragging about being GMO

Eric
Eric
2 years ago

At 20:05, he reaches into a bag of Alfalfa seeds treated with fungicide. Listen to what the guy says, but notice the thick latex gloves.

Pierre Decarie
Pierre Decarie
7 years ago

I have seen many reports about the fact that although they are not dangerous, they usualy have less tha half of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, etc, that what could find in our traditional, biological foods of 20 - 30 years ago. It is proven that theys gold old diformed, and even wierd looking tomatoes, carrots, potatoes etc. etc. Are as whole healthier, and better for you, but now people are (already) so used to the perfect looking version(s) that now these are what the consumers want, and expect, to the point that many think that these arethe genitically modified ones. So they now stear clear of the odd shaped ones, butt if only they knew what the real trade of is. Second point, what about bio diversity in all this? How are we going to find the original gentics in say 80 years? I'd very curious to know what these GMO lobbyists, and corporate CEOs buy during theyr weekly groceries, I bet you they go buy, or maybe have somenone else go buy for them (they can affordit) All natural, biological produce because first they taste better, and are better for you. Bet you they're "private chefs" do not want to deal with GMO bulls _ _ t, after all theyre name & reputation as chef(s) are on the line. So naturally they go for the best of everything, and the best of everything is NON GMO. I now live in Vietnam, and I very happy to say that here they banned GMO, and Monsanto is prohibited from entenring any product. But as per anywhere else just plain general polution is also getting to be a problem, especially in fish, sea-foods.

DotR
DotR
8 years ago

I think what makes GMOs so bad for your body is the BT toxins injected in the plants and the toxic chemicals sprayed on them.

blaice
blaice
9 years ago

That president tripping all over himself was hilarious. What an a**. Probably gets paid an extra mill on top of his grossly over paid salary already. What a joke. He is the epitome of the ones backing GMOs because of PROFIT. Nothing else.

blaice
blaice
9 years ago

That farmer is so damn ignorant and self-concerned, yet saying the nation's health isn't good for his kids. I can't help laughing and his idiocy and hypocrisy.

Sharine Haymes
Sharine Haymes
9 years ago

All the people that are for GMO foods and talked about their reasoning on why they are behind it make me sick, I can't believe how uneducated, and naive they can be. I just want to scream at my screen. Educate yourself before you decide to become a farmer and produce food for hundreds of thousands of people.

Polar Jo
Polar Jo
9 years ago

this is 'not' an issue 'just' about food safety (which is significant- how long and how vigorous should longitudinal studies be when it comes to FOOD we grow and Eat to sustain and improve our lives?). I would and many others, argue...those studies need to be very large, very diverse, and very 'independent'. That is NOT what is occurring and we are REASONABLE in being angry about that! 2nd: the gmo Industry has put patents on seeds (patents on LIFE)- and those few very large monopolies want to and intend to CONTROL the worlds food supplies by owning 'all' the seeds, and the fertilizers, and the pesticides. WE the people have a right to also be angry about that! GM/GMO crops stand for a much bigger debate, so labelling just gives the consumer one more choice about how they would vote for or against the goals of the super corps responsible. My vote is easy - I think humans should not have to 'pay' anyone in order to be able to live/survive on out planet; to me that means 'if' one wishes they can find homestead lands, live off those lands by growing their own food, building their own shelters and equipment, saving their own seeds, bartering and sharing, etc.I think we have to find ways that allow us to have more and more reasonable control of our own lives rather then less - and if the power brokers of today do not align with these human needs, then I believe there will be greater revolutions and the mighty will fall, as they have always in the past - usually, because once again they "went too far'!

Healer
Healer
9 years ago

If you want to understand the total picture of this please consider that the US and Canada also have no one child policies like China has. I believe this is designed to replace them so our governments can say they are not the same as communists. They aren't believe me, they are worse. As a herbalist I believe the food chain is now being used as population control and this is how.

I am certified organic only, and in perfect health at 65.

Paul Gloor
Paul Gloor
9 years ago

I can get behind that modified salmon providing its produced and maintained in a responsible manner that it doesn't escape or otherwise cause problems in the natural environment. What I can't get behind is 'roundup ready' etc that produce a dependent market.
GMO labeling is more a social issue than it is a health issue.

lorijb
lorijb
9 years ago

my self I just prefer to eat the real food, people need to start thinking about all the pesticides they are also eating and feeding there kids.

mycial
mycial
9 years ago

"We will keep their lifespan short and their minds weak while pretending to do the opposite. We will use our knowledge of science and technology in subtle ways so they will never see what is happening. We will use soft metals, aging accelerators and sedatives in food and water, also in the air. They will be blanketed by poisons everywhere they turn. The SECRET COVENANT Google it. The reason for chemtrails GMO FOODS, tv. Vaccines is to change humans into heretic monsters by 2025. As the elite travel the stars. This is a zoo planet slave planet, we must open our eyes to see these evil creatures In human forms.

Patrick Adrien Varencaus
Patrick Adrien Varencaus
9 years ago

lies by so many people in there

Aranyani
Aranyani
9 years ago

If GMO is so great why are they spending so much money to defeat labeling?

Russ G
Russ G
9 years ago

WTF debate over what is already a human right ????? .......... of course they should and already do have a right to know !

sharpstuff
sharpstuff
9 years ago

This interference with Nature, from genetically modified foods. vaccinations based on the non-science of Germ Theory resulting in antibiotics and a plethora of useless and toxic pharmacological drugs, poor diets, will be the downfall of the flora and fauna of this planet.

Type: The Importance of Good Terrain into YouTube search.