This is a topic that has been covered in the last year, and will be covered again this year! Should food products that contain genetically modified ingredients be labeled as such. As it is right now, there is no labeling except the voluntary labeling by companies that want to identify that their products are GM free (see an example of Silk Soy Milk, NonGMO project).
There's a ballot initiative in California (Proposition 37) which would require all GM foods or foods with GM ingredients to be labeled as such.
"Labelling would certainly have far-reaching consequences: around 94% of the soya beans and 88% of the maize (corn) grown in the United States is genetically engineered to resist herbicides, insect pests or both, according to the US Department of Agriculture. The plan could affect tens of thousands of brand-name products, and food manufacturers."
Large agribusiness companies and some food manufacturers have put forth money in the fight against the labeling initiative.
What do you think? How would you vote if you were a California resident? How will this affect you?
GMO's are so widespread these days that they are almost impossible to avoid. If we were to enforce the labeling of every GMO product on the market, I think big buissnesses would suffer. The generally uneducated public shrills at just hearing the phrase "genetically modified". The same applies to nuclear energy with the word "nuclear" in it. People will always let their ignorant imaginations take control of them and think that GMO foods will cause them to sprout wings and grow webbed feet. The vast beneficial possibilities that could be achieved if we invested in this unique technology could end world hunger. Since most people are unaware of the existance of GMO's in their foods and beverages I would say it would be best to leave things as they are to prevent the risk of sparking an unnecessary debate and economic downfall for our big buissnesses. (personally I believe that large corporations and government are far from seperate, and the corporations simply will not allow this legislature to pass because it threatens their income)
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