You Genetically Altered My What?!?
By Karen Arnold
I started the arduous duty of unloading
eight bags of groceries and finally I came to the bag that held
my fresh fruit purchases:I spotted the familiar sticker on the
apples.
This time, what caught my attention
were little numbers on those stickers. I was curious about them.
I had a little time to spare that day to seek out the answer and
possibly satisfy my curiosity. Once seated at my trusty computer,
I knew I was on a mission to find out the secrets behind those
hard-to-remove little pieces of sticky paper on my fruit.
What I found eventually amazed
me. Those special numbers are telling you if your fruit was grown
by chemical fertilizers, organically grown or genetically modified.
How to tell if your produce
is GM
I gasped at the thought of eating anything genetically modified.
Had I had my head in the sand? Here’s what I learned.
The PLU code has four numbers.
Here is what that fifth number means for you and me.
Organically grown fruit has the number “9” prefaced
to the four digits. For example, if the PLU number is 4130 for
a standard grown apple (all accepted fertilizers and fungicides
used conventionally), the organically grown version’s
tag would read 94130.
If the fruit is genetically altered (or GE or GMO), it will
have an “8” prefaced to the four digit code; for
example, 84130.
The winds of change
Genetically altered foods are already in the marketplace mainstream
and have been for a number of years. Scientists are using newly
found technology to transfer genes from one species to another.
Many scientists are concerned about the effects, not only on us
as humans but the environment as well.
Twenty years ago, the first GM
pet was introduced: the Glo fish. Scientists had given a gold
fish a gene from coral. The little fish glowed under ultraviolet
light.
Are these altered animals and foods
safe? We do not know yet.
The wheat struggle
Here’s some information on what’s happening to our
wheat supply. In promoting its GMO wheat product, Monsanto is
desperately trying to win over a bid to introduce “Round-Up
Readies” to California and ultimately to the world. It is
meeting with very hard opposition, because farmers are directly
opposed to this.
And well they should be. Digging
further, I found nine countries, along with the European market,
that have stated adamantly that they will have none of the GMO
wheat we offer. They are Britain, Ireland, Norway, Japan, Algeria,
Italy, Indonesia, Malaysia and France. And the list is growing
longer, with threats to buy from Canada or elsewhere if pushed
to that point.
Turning up their snouts
Interesting: even the livestock do not want GM feed. Here are
just a few documented observations from Kansas to Wisconsin.
Hogs would not eat their rations when GMO crops were included
in the feed.
Cattle broke through an old fence and walked past GMO hybrids
to get to and feed on natural wheat on the other side.
Deer mowed through a crop of soy beans, while across the way,
not one deer touched the GMO variety “Round-Up Readies.”
Raccoons feasted by the dozen on organic corn, while down the
road a field of GMO corn stood untouched.
Mice will not touch GM food either, if given a choice.
These things might have some merit
for the farmer, so he doesn’t lose his crops to wildlife.
But what about the price our families will pay in the interest
of creating super crops resistant to herbacides and pesticides?
The question we have to ask ourselves: What do the animals know
instinctively that we don’t know and have yet to find out?
Take action
What can anyone do about it?
Vote with your money in the choice of foods that are bought.
Ask your grocer to supply his shelves and produce bins with
an abundant choice of organic foods.
Voice an opinion against stocking of altered foods when known.
(Kraft is one company that has started to use altered foods
or genetically altered food in its products.)
Start an awareness group in your area and/or let your neighbors
know about this issue.
Post fliers on a bulletin board at your local grocers or farmers
market (with the owner's permission, of course) informing others
who come in about what those little stickers on their produce
really are telling us about the fruits and vegetables they buy.
I know I am taking a stand. I hope
you will, too. Knowledge is power!
© Karen Arnold
Karen Arnold studies
nutrition and helps families become more informed through toxic
awareness issues. A wonderful, profitable at-home business opportunity
is available. Please visit her web site to learn more. Mentorship
– guaranteed; leadership – guaranteed. www.inspiringsuccess4u.alturl.com.
