Do you believe that you have a right to know what is in the food you purchase? Should the ultimate decision regarding safety for yourself and your family be yours or that of a political party? Are you one of the few who continue to trust the FDA? Do you know where to find the truth?

The media will not tell you the truth, but I will. This is about the latest efforts of Republican legislators to protect special interests, and not those of the American people.

The subject is food; specifically, products made with the use of GMOs. So, what are GMOs, and why are they dangerous to your health?

Genetically Modified Organisms, GMOs, are manufactured by chemical companies. Monsanto is the largest of these companies and actually invented GMOs. They told the people of the world that the purpose of GMOs was to increase the world’s food supply. Not true.

Monsanto’s most successful product is an herbicide; ‘Roundup.’ Previously they manufactured a defoliant called ‘Agent Orange, which they claimed would not harm humans. Really? Roundup is the most widely used chemical of its type. But they had a problem. The weeds which grew among the crops had become resistant to the poison. Their scientists developed a stronger formula of Roundup; problem solved. Not even close.

The crops also died from the use of the stronger herbicide. The same scientists developed seeds which were genetically modified and withstood Roundup. Not only is the food grown from these seeds chemically altered, the runoff from the fields into streams, rivers and lakes contains the more dangerous herbicide and pollutes drinking water.

Scientists around the world began to test the effects of GMOs in food. They decided that eating these products would result in future health problems. 60 countries around the world, including the European nations, Japan, and Australia, have either banned the use of GMOs or forced manufacturers to label products produced with their use.

The FDA conducted their own tests; or had tests performed for them. Who did they choose to do the testing? You guessed it; Monsanto. The results were that there was no danger involved from ingesting these chemically altered products.

Today, individual states have decided to require the labeling of food products which were made with the use of GMOs. Vermont’s law will take effect on July 1^st. But Republican Congressmen are attempting to prevent this action by the states.

Republican Senators are proposing a bill which will restrict this action by individual states, and allow companies who manufacture food to voluntarily label GMO products, or not.

Democrats have labeled this the ‘dark act,’ and have countered with a proposal which would require all food in all states which was manufactured with GMOs to be labeled. They believe that consumers have the right to know what they are putting into their bodies.

The FDA was created in June of 1906 under the guidance of Republican President Theodore Roosevelt. It was designed to protect the American people from unsafe and unsanitary practices by food manufacturers, and insure that pharmaceutical companies would offer safe and effective medicines.

Monsanto is proof that the FDA no longer represents the American people; it protects big business. As we witness an increasing number of lawsuits filed by Americans who have been harmed from the use of dangerous pharmaceuticals, it is also obvious that the Pharmaceutical companies are also being protected.

My final question is my first one; do you feel that you have the right to know what’s in the food you are eating?

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

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