is a heavy price for society to pay for a massive experiment.


Scientists also are seeing hazard- ous levels of some of the products excessively used to grow GMO crops accumulating in the Earth’s soil, water and air. The biodegrading process of those substances often takes much longer than anticipated, and damage to non-target crops, plants and organisms is becoming a serious concern (Plant and Soil and Geoderma).


Scientists also are finding that such ‘foreign’ genes in the environment are quite promiscuous and can persist, perhaps indefinitely, in soil, intestinal or plant environments with unknown health consequences (Reproductive Toxicology, Aquaculture Research and Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry). Several countries have banned im- porting crops grown in any field where one of five corn hybrids were previously grown, for instance, because soil mi- crobes have picked up the GMO genes from decomposing plant residues and can transmit the genes to future crops— resulting in the toxic product possibly being present in the later crop. No one knows how to remove the GMO foreign genes once they are introduced.


Looking to the future, should we be concerned by chemical companies’ lobbying for approval of the next leap in GMOs, to 2,4-D resistant crops?


Like glyphosate tolerance, 2,4-D resistance is based on flawed science and a failure to understand that agri- culture is the management of a deli- cately interrelated ecological system, comprised of the plant and its various environments (biological, chemi- cal and physical), rather than the selection of ‘silver bullets’. Adding 2,4-D tolerance introduces another foreign and potentially toxic protein in the plant and an additional toxic chemical applied directly to food and animal feed. Food safety, nutritional quality and potential yield will all be compromised in the process.


Do you see any benefits from this technology?


The GMO technology could be a pow- erful tool when we gain enough under- standing to use it properly and effec- tively. We are a long way from gaining that essential understanding. The current rush to commercialize it and widespread


implementation of the associated haz- ardous and ineffective products currently on the market may well be a major deterrent to future use of the technology when it is properly understood.


What can people do to avoid GMOs and protect their health? Buy organic foods, preferably from known local growers, and stay alert to the issue to take needed grassroots ac- tions. Future historians may well remark not about how many pounds of pesti- cide we did or didn’t apply, but how willing we were to sacrifice our children and jeopardize future generations for the massive flawed experiment of genetic engineering only to benefit the bottom line of a commercial enterprise.


Petition the U.S. Food and Drug Ad- ministration today to require label- ing of GMO foods at JustLabelIt.org.


Melinda Hemmelgarn, aka the “Food Sleuth,” is a registered dietitian and award-winning writer and radio host at kopn.org, in Columbia, MO (FoodSleuth@gmail.com). Hear her interview with Don Huber at Tinyurl. com/foodsleuth.


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