Genetically Modified Organisms Have a Greater Impact Than We Know
It’s no secret that large industries and food production companies incorporate genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and other chemicals into the DNA of many fruits and vegetables. The use of these methods is a strategy that allows these food production industries to grow more produce quicker and easier. It also keeps fruits and vegetables as fresh and colorful as possible as it is en route to grocery stores. The GMOs that are used, however, do not occur naturally in plants nor are these methods of modifying produce beneficial to the environment or our bodies. The question at hand is this: Would people consider making the switch to purchasing from local farmers who grow fresh and organic produce if they knew the truth behind what goes into the fruits and vegetables purchased from large industries? While the issue of GMO usage in the food industry may not seem to be an important issue to individuals around the world, it does in fact have a much greater impact than the average person would think. This effect includes negative impacts on the economy, the environment, and our bodies. Some say that eating organically grown produce has helped them feel healthier and happier. Let’s take a deeper look.
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Christina Amadio, owner of Amadio Ranch located in Laveen, Arizona, has shared insightful information regarding the way in which conventional and corporate agriculture has impacted her business. Her ranch grows 25 products and is one hundred percent organic, all grown and farmed by one family. This business began when the Amadio family purchased the property in 2009 and shortly after discovered an abundance of healthy fruit trees on the property. It turned into a passion and now it’s a career for the family. The Amadio’s share, “We specialize in peaches, although our best-selling product is our pies.” The farm does well; many of the products sold aren’t fruits and vegetables, but pies, honey, jams, and other items that are made from scratch and organic.
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The Amadio ranch, however, needed to find a way to market more products. They found that it can be difficult to earn a profit when selling only organic produce. Their ranch is impacted when their most popular product, their organically grown peaches, aren’t in season. When major corporations are using conventional agriculture and making millions off the mass production that conventional agriculture provides, it puts smaller, organic farms and ranches out of business, leaving them no choice but to find other ways to stay afloat. For example, “Okanagan Specialty Fruits worked on developing the Arctic apple—a fruit that is genetically modified so it doesn’t brown—company president Neal Carter knew it may be controversial with consumers,” according to Food Dive. It is obvious that these methods would increase business and profit, allowing companies like Okanagan Specialty Fruits to thrive and produce an abundance of perfect apples. The company admits to incorporating GMOs in the production of their produce but seems to hide the negative outcomes it has. With the production of fruits and vegetables that don’t brown and stay “fresher” longer, it will clearly continue to put smaller businesses and farms out of business. People often look at natural and organic fruits that brown and bruise quickly gross and unappealing. When in reality, this is what is natural. Using these methods to keep a fruit from browning and spoiling is in no way natural or organic, yet the general public doesn’t seem to question it or consider the option of purchasing organically.
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A non-organic fruit is considered to be artificial when more than thirty percent of the fruit contains chemicals and GMOs. The food industry is rapidly increasing the use of chemicals and GMOs in the production of fruit to prevent browning in fruits such as apples, and keep the fruit fresher longer, solely for the benefit of making a greater profit. This brings up yet another impact that conventional agriculture has had on the world. Economically, these chemicals and GMOs are what make mass corporations such as Land O’ Lakes, Mann’s Fresh Vegetables, and Betty Crocker so successful and profitable. In a recent study, As You Sow reveals that “Glyphosate is the world’s most heavily used herbicide, and in 2015 it was classified as a probable human carcinogen by the world’s leading cancer authority.” Glyphosate is an herbicide used in conventional agriculture where it is utilized to kill weeds as the produce grows. But is this herbicide a probable agent with the capacity to cause cancer in humans? Should we even have to question if our fruits and vegetables have the capacity to cause harm? The general public has the right to be informed and deserves to know that the produce they eat is safe, while also knowing which companies are incorporating these incredibly harmful GMOs, chemicals, and herbicides into the food they produce.
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McKenzie Kraft, an individual who struggles with stomach issues on a day-to-day basis, shares her experience with organic produce compared to processed foods. Kraft shares, “when I eat inorganic and processed foods, I have definitely noticed an increase in stomach pain and lack of energy.” When asked if she would consider making a switch to purchasing locally from organic farms, Kraft states, “Absolutely. After hearing about what actually goes into some food, fruits and vegetables, it would make sense why I feel stomach pains and fatigue.” A simple step to take if people don’t have access to local farms would be to check the produce at the grocery store for GMO stickers and to research which companies support the usage of these harmful chemicals. It is the corporation’s responsibility to make the consumers aware of the chemicals and pesticides used in their products.
It is typical for the general public to purchase produce from local grocery stores. While many grocery stores do sell one hundred percent organic fruit, popular stores such as Whole Foods sell fruits grown with GMOs, typically containing the GMO stickers. With the rapid increase in usage of chemicals and pesticides, unnatural fruits are not far from arriving at local grocery stores across the globe, and most likely without anyone even knowing. Oftentimes, no one would ever know. Looking back on an interview with Christina Amadio, she passionately states, “when you shop organically, you get fresher, healthier, better tasting food.” There are an abundance of trusted local farms that grow their produce naturally. What does this mean? Making this lifestyle switch would mean a life full of organic and flavorful food, paired with the benefit of zero risk in consuming potentially harmful chemicals (all while supporting a small, local business).
Need more convincing? In addition to these impacts, glyphosate and other herbicides have negatively impacted the environment and the one earth we have to call home. According to Mike Coots, journalist for Earth Justice, he shares through recent research that “Though the debate over the health effects of eating genetically modified food continues, one thing is certain. GE crops paired with their pesticide counterparts wreak havoc on the environment through: Increased herbicide use, increase of herbicide-resistant weeds and the contamination of organic and conventional (non-GMO) crops. Despite these negative impacts, U.S. government regulators continue to approve GMO crops.” What is certain? Well, it is certain that GMOs and pesticides are a combination fit for the destruction of the environment. Studies have shown that these unnatural methods of production have negative impacts on soil and water ecosystems. In North America, the use of pesticides has destroyed a serious portion of the monarch butterfly habitat. In addition to these environmental imprints, it is becoming apparent that the usage of pesticides in Hawaii is getting out of control. Toxic pesticides like chlorpyrifos are constantly being sprayed near schools, neighborhoods, and hospitals. Chlorpyrifos are known as a “developmental neurotoxin that causes brain damage in children'', according to Mike Toots for Earth Justice. Children in the area have been hospitalized due to pesticide exposure, and at what cost? Lives are at risk all for the increase in profits and mass production of produce.
As the use of pesticides and GMOs increase across the globe, it is our responsibility to educate one another about the effects these chemicals have on the economy, the environment, and our health. A simple step we can take is to not support companies that use GMO’s in their produce and food production. While it is true that conventional agriculture has the ability to meet the needs of the world’s current population, it is also true that in doing so, the globe cannot avoid compromising our health and the many negative impacts that these chemicals have. Is it really worth putting local farms out of business, putting children in the hospital, and wrecking the environment? As Christina Amadio said, “the change may seem small and unnecessary, but it makes a huge difference.” Shop local and change the world one small step at a time (while also getting safe, delicious and flavorful fruits and veggies in the process).
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References
Engineering an Environmental Disaster. (2020, June 29). Retrieved December 14, 2020, from https://earthjustice.org/features/engineering-an-environmental-disaster-2
Environmental Impacts. (2019, June 18). Retrieved December 14, 2020, from https://cban.ca/gmos/issues/environmental-impacts/
Poinski, M. (2018, September 10). We go GMO: A look at companies that tout their genetically modified products. Retrieved December 14, 2020, from https://www.fooddive.com/news/we-go-gmo-a-look-at-companies-that-tout-their-genetically-modified-product/531669/
Types of Organic Food & Benefits of Buying Organic. (2020, January 14). Retrieved December 14, 2020, from https://www.skh.com/thedish/types-of-organic-food/
Zaluckyj, A. (2018, May 25). Farmer's Daughter: These companies stand up for genetically engineered foods. Retrieved December 14, 2020, from https://www.agdaily.com/insights/farmers-daughter-these-companies-stand-up-for-genetically-engineered-foods/
Short Story
My eyes shot wide open from a terrible dream of my soon-to-be dead father. I frantically reached for my phone resting on my bedside table on that cold, rainy morning. Typical. Another day in Washington, I wouldn’t expect any less. My bright-as-day phone screen blinded me in my pitch-black bedroom, and the display read 5:02 a.m. I could tell it was still dark out even though the blinds were shut tightly. I didn’t mean to wake up this early, I never do. I wish I could sleep in, dammit! My wife lay sound asleep next to me. Her breathing always seems to calm me. Thankfully my abrupt awakening didn’t startle her. I don’t want her to worry about me or my nightmares. That would be just one more thing to add to our plethora of problems in this house. I figured I’d make my way to the kitchen and begin my day with a cup of coffee. There was no way I’d be able to fall back asleep with this life-like dream replaying in my mind. As I made my way downstairs, I peeked in my kids’ rooms and saw them sleeping peacefully—how I longed for their innocence and simplicity. My aging recliner sat directly in front of our enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, just waiting for me to sit in it. “Oof.” I sat down and made myself comfortable as the coffee was brewing. The smell of roasting beans gave me a boost of energy. I sat content, somewhat dazed, looking out at the rain falling lightly from the heavy grey clouds. The sun had begun to rise, but it was still just as gloomy as yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. It’s always at this time of year that we Washingtonians are desperate for a hint of sun to kiss our skin. Day in and day out we long for it to peek its rays through the clouds, but it never does, which is why everyday feels like the same monotonous drudgery. My life is a never-ending loop. On the bright side, however, I’m the owner of this beautiful home in the middle of a lush forest, surrounded by tall, majestic evergreens. Even more importantly, I have a beautiful family sleeping upstairs, and I can’t help but think I should feel more grateful for all this. Some days—which I refer to as my fortuitous days—I’m lucky enough to see my playful animal friends. My wife will sometimes leave our leftovers for the mama deer and her baby fawn, and they will slowly and cautiously, with trepidation, creep up to our back patio for the special snack. But then they will eat slowly, as if taking their time without a care in the world. When they finally return to the darkness of the forest, they first turn around with their big black eyes, as if to say thank you. My mind began to wander as the raindrops trickled down the sliding glass door. Each raindrop zig zagged down at its own pace, falling slowly to the ground. As I watched the hypnotic patterns of the falling rain, I fell into a trance and felt my eyes grow heavy.
Suddenly, I awake in a panic and can’t remember how I got here…my dad is in my bedroom, holding a nearly empty bottle of whiskey. He lifts it to his mouth and literally chugs the rest, and with all his might, he screams, “AFTER ALL I’VE DONE FOR YOU!” He chucks the bottle against the wall and I scream in terror as the pieces ricochet off the wall and onto my face, stinging like shrapnel. I sit in the corner, sobbing and begging him to stop. Mom is in the corner, unconscious, covered in bruises and blood from head to toe. My heart is racing, and I’m breathing heavily, my chest expanding and contracting like never before, as I sit in fear for my mother’s life. I abruptly do what I have to and charge towards him with all my might to punch him in the face. He reeks of whiskey, piss, and puke—it’s revolting. To my surprise, he picks me up and throws me onto my bed. “I WILL NEVER BE LIKE YOU!” I scream in fear, but continue to think, how is it possible that my old, nearly dead father threw me like a ragdoll across the room? I’m a grown man and so much stronger than him. But then I look down at my hands, and to my surprise, they are tiny and pink like a child’s. I realize that I am not only aware of what’s happening, but also completely conscious…in my own dream. But this isn’t a dream, this is a memory. My dad takes hold of my wrist and looks me dead in the eye with a pure and innate anger. “Son, you will learn, and you will see, that you are me. It’s too little too late. You will never change.” An evil and malicious smile grows on his face as he raises his hands, winding up to bat at home plate, and I am the ball. I sob and beg him to stop as his hand comes down with full force, and just as he is about to hit me…
BOOM! The thunder outside crashed and shook the entire house. I was shaken awake in my recliner and jumped out of my seat. Oddly enough I continue to have this reoccurring dream, and it seems to disturb me more and more every day. I stood and processed the dream and felt perplexed and agitated. I went to pour myself a cup of coffee when I noticed a pile of papers that I hadn’t seen before on the white marble countertop. The top read in stark black capital letters, “COMPLAINT FOR DIVORCE WITH MINOR CHILDREN.” I dropped my cup of coffee and it shattered across the hardwood floor. My heart sank deeply, and I could feel it crack in half. I literally felt pain. Suddenly, my eyes opened. My past flashed before my eyes. “It can’t be true.” Quickly, I sprinted up the stairs, and what I saw was absolutely horrid. My bed was empty. My wife was nowhere to be found. My children’s bedrooms were empty and sterile. But what I also found were several empty bottles of bourbon whiskey, just like my father used to drink. I felt my legs give out on me and I fell hard to the ground. Struggling with one hand after the other, I dragged myself to the bathroom, and luckily made it in time to vomit into the toilet. I looked down, and my pants were soaked. I wreaked of whiskey, piss, and puke. With all my strength and everything in me, I pulled myself up to look at myself in the bathroom mirror, quaking and sobbing. “Who am I?” I asked myself. I could almost hear his devilish voice say back to me, “You are me.”
PHOENIX -- For years farmers and scientists have used chemical intervention in plants and produce to maximize the potential number of crops being grown. But really, what are the benefits of organic agriculture in comparison to conventional agriculture?
What the average person isn’t aware of, is that these chemicals used to grow our fruits and vegetables are packed full of unhealthy GMO’s and chemicals. Not only that, but conventional agriculture compromises the environment and has a negative impact on our world, evidence shows. A recent study at Stony Brook University revealed that Conventional agriculture “is achieved through the application of synthetic chemicals, genetically modified organisms, and a number of other industrial products.” How can this be healthy for humans and for our world, questions local farms in Phoenix.
Christina Amadio, owner of Amadio farms shares her opinion of farming organically. “When you shop organically, you get fresher, healthier, better tasting food.” It’s as simple as that, and zero risk of putting potentially harmful chemicals into our bodies.
It is common for the average person to purchase produce from their local grocery store, containing fruits and vegetables that have been grown with induced chemicals. Often times, no one would ever know. Many people have yet to taste a fruit that has not been genetically modified or grown with chemicals. When in reality, there are plenty of fresh and local farms nearby selling healthier produce containing more natural flavors, as well as scientifically proven to have no harm on the environment.
Some may wonder how conventional agriculture could even affect our health and the environment, although The Rodale Institute has shared to the public that “conventional agriculture causes increased greenhouse gas emissions, soil erosion, water pollution, and threatens human health.”
In addition to these issues, many small, local businesses and farms suffer from not selling enough fruits and vegetables to make a living because of the fact that larger companies are more successful in creating more produce to send and sell at grocery stores, restaurants, etc. This is made possible by conventional agriculture, which allows farmers to maximize their crop yield. Although this type of agriculture helps in growing additional produce for the population, there is a possibility that conventional agriculture could put organic and local farms out of business.
“Our most popular produce that we sell at Amadio farms are peaches. Although our main product is baked goods because it is so difficult to make a living off of only produce.” Amadio shares the struggle of selling fresh produce because most people would go to the grocery store to pick up their fruits and vegetables. Leaving this local farm with no choice but to find other products to sell. Most of the farm’s products are backed goods, for the reason being it is not very high in demand for these local farmers.
Amadio farms is striving to change the way fruits and vegetables are produced while also benefiting the environment. Industrial products, GMO’s and synthetic chemicals are just a few of the chemicals we are aware of being put into produce, solely for large and successful companies to make more money and maximize their produce.
“Here at Amadio Farms we grow all of our own produce organically and locally.” This is a farm that can be trusted in knowing that the use of chemicals in their produce would never even be considered. “You can see and taste the difference.”
While conventional agriculture can meet the needs of the world’s current population, it is impossible for this type of agriculture to avoid compromising the environment and certain ecosystems.
Local farmers like Christina Amadio encourage others to shop locally and go the extra distance to eat real, organic produce and products.
“The change may seem small although it makes a difference.” A change in taste, a change in our world, a change in our bodies, and change in local businesses.References
Gabriel, D., Sait, S. M., Kunin, W. E., Benton, T. G., & Steffan, D. I. (2013). Food Production vs. Biodiversity: comparing organic and conventional agriculture. Journal of Applied Ecology, 50(2), 355-364. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12035
Organic vs Conventional. (2018, December 03). Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://rodaleinstitute.org/why-organic/organic-basics/organic-vs-conventional/
(n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://you.stonybrook.edu/environment/sustainable-vs-conventional-agriculture/
Short Story
That unfamiliar morning, I woke up in an unfamiliar place and with a mind that was racing with uncertainty. I took a minute to relax and had to take a look around to fully recognize where I was. My decorations were all hung perfectly by my mom, and I had to remind myself that this was my new space - my new home. Jordyn’s bed across from me was empty. She must have already left for class. I had just met her the day before when we were moving into our dorm together. She’s a little shy but I know that there’s so much more to her, and I could tell that we would become more than just roommates. Maybe best friends? A girl could only hope.
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I felt scared that morning. I was about to start a whole new life, with brand new people, in a brand-new place that was thousands of miles away from home. I thought, “what if I get homesick?” and “what if I get lonely and hopeless like I did in high school?” I tried to brush off the negative thoughts and made myself some oatmeal to help ease my aching stomach. I hardly knew anyone except for perhaps three people, but I did know one thing—I needed to trust God with whatever he had for me here. I desperately needed to constantly remind myself of this. There had to be a reason that God placed me at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, a place I had never expected to be. I couldn’t stop thinking, “was it the right decision to leave Colorado?” Yes, I was scared, but I did know that I had a burning fire in my heart to go out there and do my best.
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I turned on Lany radio as I got ready for the day and I decided to wear my favorite outfit. I threw on my baggy, ripped mom jeans, and took my silky black tank top off the hanger. After slipping on my old school vans and putting on some makeup to achieve the “natural” look, I just needed to make sure I had everything in my backpack ready to go. Finally, I left my beautiful dorm room, decorated with dozens of photos, tapestries, and green plants, and I set out to begin my first day of class, my first day of this new journey for me. I took a look at my schedule, and it read “Christian World View” at 12:30 p.m. I stopped for a coffee to celebrate—since it’s one of my favorite things and this was my first day of my new life—and then frantically found the building and classroom just in time. I walked into the silent, intimidating room, it’s bright fluorescent lights glaring down on me, and then looked up to see seats full of students who all seemed to be staring at me. My heart sank and I felt a little nauseous, but I made my way to the first empty seat I saw. Next to me sat a girl named Lauren. Her name was written perfectly in cursive on her white nametag. “Shit,” I thought to myself, as I realized I had forgotten to grab the handouts and other items at the front of the classroom. I stood up, scurried to the front of the room in a panic to grab the nametag and papers, and quickly made my way back to my seat. Everyone noticed; it was obvious. I smiled at Lauren as I sank back into my seat and chuckled nervously to laugh it off. She chuckled back. I pulled out a pen and wrote “Britta” on my nametag, but it looked god-awful. Nothing compared to Lauren’s elegant cursive, it was sheer perfection. She looked at me, somewhat shocked, and whispered, “I have never met anyone named Britta before. Like the water filter?” I laughed and said, “I get that a lot!” We didn’t talk much during the rest of class, but only because our professor was so awesome. He was speaking some serious wisdom into the classroom, and we were captivated.
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Professor Olson had jet black hair and olive skin. He radiated positivity and his smile was authentic; It seemed to be saying, “Welcome, I am happy you’re here.” He started with, “Welcome class, my name is Professor Olson, let me pray for you this morning.” He turned off “Oceans” by Hillsong music and began to pray. His words were wise and calming, and I was overwhelmed with awe and compassion. I couldn’t believe he just prayed over our class. It was such an amazing and powerful experience. As a student who came from 12 years of public school and who had never experienced a Christian teacher, this was a huge deal for me. I already loved it here. It truly made me want to listen to his every word. He told us that we could call his personal phone for absolutely anything, and he even wrote his number on the board! If I needed prayer outside of class for anything, I could call him! I knew this class was going to grow me in my faith. I felt hopeful and thought, “I’m certain I’m going to like this brand-new life.” Professor Olson gave us a glimpse into his testimony, and just like that, class was over. As I began packing up my bag, Lauren with the pretty handwriting looked at me and said, “Do you wana go to GCBC with me?” I just drank a coffee and had a class in twenty minutes, but told myself, “I can’t pass up a new friend!” I felt optimistic and eager to already have another friend on campus. So, there we were, making our way to the front of the room to turn in our nametags together. I gave Professor Olson a smile and headed out the door. I glanced again at Lauren, with her naturally curled hair tied back in a yellow scarf and asked her where she was from.
“I’m from Millcreek, Washington, it’s super close to Seattle!” I thought to myself, “that’s so cool,” because I had never visited Washington before. As we walked to the student union, we talked about music and bands, and she told me that going to concerts is her “thing.” She went on and on about all of the Artist’s she’s seen live, and how in high school she was known to be the concert junky. I was drawn to her passion in the way that she talked, and her bubbly personality was refreshing. We stepped foot in the famous campus coffee shop, and it was flooded with students. Luckily, we got in line just in time, because a few moments after, dozens of students came piling in. Lauren and I kept our small talk going, and as we stood in line, I heard a Lany song playing in the background. It was ILYSB, one of my favorites. So naturally, I started singing along. Lauren shot her head at me in disbelief. “WAIT,” she said. “You like the band, Lany?” I responded, “well of course! I love them.” And it was in that moment that gave me the clarity I needed – Lauren and I were going to get along just fine. She began talking passionately again, saying “I’ve met them! I’ve seen them in concert so many times and not many people know about them. Oh, now I know we are going to be best friends.” I laughed and agreed and smiled on the inside, content and at peace, knowing that this is where I am meant to be. Just one friend is going to get me a long way. I finished my classes that day and leisurely walked back to my dorm room, taking it all in. I thought about God and what he was capable of, and if he is capable of bringing a die-hard Colorado girl to Arizona and giving her a friend who writes pretty cursive and loves the band Lany, then that’s enough for me.
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