On 02/20/2011 12:11 AM, Billy wrote:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com...g-m-o-foods-la
beled/?partner=rss&emc=rss



FEBRUARY 15, 2011, 9:00 PM
Why Aren¹t G.M.O. Foods Labeled?
By MARK BITTMAN

If you want to avoid sugar, aspartame, trans-fats, MSG, or just about
anything else, you read the label. If you want to avoid G.M.O.¹s ‹
genetically modified organisms ‹ you¹re out of luck. They¹re not listed.
You could, until now, simply buy organic foods, which by law can¹t
contain more than 5 percent G.M.O.¹s. Now, however, even that may not
work.
In the last three weeks, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved
three new kinds of genetically engineered (G.E.) foods: alfalfa (which
becomes hay), a type of corn grown to produce ethanol), and sugar
beets. And the approval by the Food and Drug Administration of a
super-fast-growing salmon ‹ the first genetically modified animal to be
sold in the U.S., but probably not the last ‹ may not be far behind.

It¹s unlikely that these products¹ potential benefits could possibly
outweigh their potential for harm. But even more unbelievable is that
the F.D.A.and the U.S.D.A. will not require any of these products, or
foods containing them, to be labeled as genetically engineered, because
they don¹t want to ³suggest or imply² that these foods are ³different.²
(Labels with half-truths about health benefits appear to be O.K., but
that¹s another story.)
They are arguably different, but more important, people are leery of
them. Nearly an entire continent ‹ it¹s called Europe ‹ is so wary that
G.E. crops are barely grown there and there are strict bans on imports
(that policy is in danger). Furthermore, most foods containing more than
0.9 percent G.M.O.¹s must be labeled.
(cont.)
Yes, GMO foods should be listed on the package.

This country was built on innovation and profit and it's not always
clear whats good or bad until something specific or terrible happens.
I don't know if GMO foods are good or bad and it will probably be a
long time before we find out. When that finally happens I hope we
don't find ourselves in a world full of mutants like in *Futurama*
the cartoon. Something is causing more & more children to be born
Autistic and it might be any number of things, like using to many
plastic products where chemicals can contaminate adults who conceive
children with health problems. Cultures that don't have our modern
lifestyle are healthier than we are, but we have better health care
to heal us when we are sick.

--
Is Obama an Internet Junkie? Why does he think it is the US governments
mission to spend $18,000,000,000.00 billion dollars to get high speed
Internet to all Americans? Shouldn't private companies do that? A better
use of that money would be to build Waste Incinerators that cleanly burn
trash and generate electricity for every city in the US. There are
already 140 in the US, lets build more, and stop dumping trash in the
oceans.