What's In Your Food?

In this article, Maria Rodale, CEO and Chairwoman of Rodale, Inc., gives us an insider's view of the food industry, and shows us how little we really know about it. "GMOs", “GM foods” and "GE Foods" –“Genetically Modified Organisms", “Genetically Modified foods” and "Genetically Engineered Foods" – are terms that have yet to become commonplace, but should they be? Perhaps, as most of the world's crop, particularly grains, are, in fact, genetically engineered, but are not regulated, and are not been required to be labeled as GM/GE foods by the major exporting countries, among which are the United States, Canada, Argentina, and India. The European Union is probably the only region, along with Japan, where genetically engineered foods are rare, and where all imports that are considered to be genetically engineered are required by law to be labeled.

So how would we know what the dangers are? In the area of Science, we can only know what they are through empirical knowledge, which means that tests must be conducted to determine these dangers. According to GM Watch, an independent NGO, “GM foods are not properly tested for human safety before they are released for sale”, and recent studies have indicated a high possibility of there being harmful side effects of consuming GM foods. This is too vague to be be helpful in determining the specific effect, but what is certain, however, is the damage that cultivating GM crops has done to the environment. Biodiversity is one of the most pressing environmental issues of our year, and GM crops are definitely not helping us recover biodiversity by releasing toxic, allergenic agents into the ecosystem, further endangering vulnerable species of both flora and fauna. While those lobbying for these GM crops repeatedly state that this will ameliorate food crises due to artificially enhanced yields, the fact remains that these crops are, in reality, significantly inferior in terms of nutrition, and actually ruin the quality of the soil much more than traditional insecticides or herbicides do.

Another area of knowledge in question here would be that of Ethics, as GM food production is a very controversial form of technology due to our lack of knowledge about it, and also because this technology could potentially change the entire food industry as we know it. Intuitively, it seems unethical for corporations and their lobbyists to laud this new technology simply because it will enhance the mass production of food and lower prices, but what if this technology really has the potential to eliminate at least part of the food crisis under better regulation? Are we hindering our own progress by immediately deciding to go against the ‘evil capitalists’? Granted, the instances where corporations have chosen not to place revenue as their first priority is rare, but would be just as unethical to automatically assume that no good will come of a plot like this? Hypothetical situations aside, it is a big ethical problem that these GM foods have not been thoroughly tested for human consumption beforehand, and although those for GM food production have argued that people have been consuming these products for over a decade without serious health implications, that is not the complete truth. Regardless of whether or not the product itself actually turns out to be harmful, it is always the producer’s ethical duty to first ascertain its safety, and simply stating that “no harm has been recorded” is extremely irresponsible, as is not labeling the product accordingly. What the statement above neglects conveniently to take into account is the fact that it is because there have been no specific tests done on these GM foods that health implications have not been recorded. Not testing these products beforehand is akin to not testing a drug before making it available, and to not at the very least label these products as genetically modified only adds to the implications of guilt. However, companies are not the only ones who are responsible. The governments themselves must also shoulder ethical responsibility, for they are the ones that have allowed such behavior, even encouraged it, for the sake of exporting more competitive merchandise without giving their clientele a fair ‘heads up’ on the nature of the product. Again, this is the same ethical dilemma as the corporations, where both must balance their ethical responsibility to their clients and their need for profit.

The search for a legal solution to this issue brings up is the topic of Language. How are we to define what constitutes as “genetically modified”? Where does the line end for “selective breeding” end and when does something become officially classified as “genetically modified”? These ambiguities of language leaves lots of room for both sides to debate, and without an internationally recognized definition, exporters and importers can argue endlessly over whether they have an obligation to enforce the correct labeling of products. Nations and their corporations may also argue that by labeling their product as “genetically modified” will significantly lower the demand for these products, and that it would be an unfair handicap for them in the global market. They might have a point there, but the bigger issue would be why labeling something as ‘genetically modified’ would lower demand. If it is due to consumer’s ignorance on the true nature of GM foods, then it is, again, the producer’s job to correctly inform consumers. However, if it is because there really are legitimate reasons for the consumer to be concerned about the producer’s practices, then that indicates even more reason for these products to be labeled.

I personally believe that if the producers of GM foods have nothing to be afraid of telling their customers, there is no need for them to lobby against mandatory labeling of their products. Perhaps it would be detrimental to food sales for a short period of time as people get used to the idea of it, but if the practice proves to be safe, demand should go right back up as they regain their confidence in the products. It is important that producers uphold their ethical obligation by allowing consumers the right to choose between GM foods and non-GM foods, which can be achieved by developing and enforcing international regulations on GM/ GE labeling.