www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz

The created controversy over using biotech processes to genetically modify
crops, and thus produce more and better food supplies, doesn?t generally
come up in the United States very much, thank God, March 2007 by Kelly
Weist.

In Europe, GM crops have been banned and regulated into non-existence
based on fear-mongering and absolutely ridiculous claims. The sad part is,
the Third World countries that could benefit the most from GM crops are
being scared away from this life-saving technology by the same irresponsible
scare tactics that are used in Europe.

When the issue does come up in the United States, most people get the
?oogies?. That?s my technical term for the emotionally negative response
that you get to some things, even though you have no identifiable reason to
oppose it. Genetic modification seems to bring up visions of Frankenstein, a
feeling of something just . . . wrong. But this feeling is 180 degrees from
reality. GM crops are actually completely and utterly safe, and a damn good
idea.

According to the PEW Initiative on Food and Biotechnology, the United States
accounts for nearly two-thirds of all biotechnology crops planted globally.
About 25 percent of crops worldwide are GM crops, and in the U.S., 107.3
million acres were GM crops in 2003. In the U.S., the main GM crops are
soybeans, corn and cotton. In 2004, 85 percent of U.S. soybeans were
genetically modified, and 76 percent of U.S. cotton. GM corn was about 45
percent of U.S. corn in 2004, and is growing exponentially, due to the
increased demand in the past three years around corn-derived ethanol.

Funnily enough, when Americans are polled about GM food, 60 percent have
said they have never eaten GM foods, and 54 percent said they wouldn?t eat
such foods. Surprise! You already have. In fact, even if you buy organic
foods, you?ve probably still eaten GM grains or soy. Even with all this,
there has never been a single scientifically documented case of anyone
suffering from anything from eating the GM foods currently available.

GM crops allow food producers to not only grow more crops on less land, but
to create disease and insect resistant crops. (This is truly no different
than the breeding that farmers have done for centuries.) Further work will
bring us crops that have essential vitamins and minerals added genetically
to staples like corn, soy, wheat and rice. Put simply, fighting starvation
and grinding poverty around the world means utilizing GM crops.

So why do so many people shudder at the words ?genetically modified? food?
Probably because irresponsible activists, whose real agenda is to reduce all
of us to subsistence living, have spent billions to discredit this
life-saving technology. They claim to be concerned about ?overpopulation?
and ?our devastating effect on Planet Earth.? They should have to explain
why hungry children serve their purpose of ?reducing humans? effect on the
planet.?

So here?s the question: Do you want to explain to starving children why they
can?t have rice because you just have the ?oogies?? Good luck with that.

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