GMO Propaganda in my Inbox

Yesterday, I opened my email to find a HowStuffWorks message with the subject "10 misconceptions about GMOs". I immediately thought it looked like a misinformation campaign. Then after reading it (and having my suspicions confirmed), I was surprised at how often the article contradicts itself. Let's compare their listing of so-called misconceptions, and how their analysis relates to reality. 

You can find their propaganda right here: http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/genetic/10-misconceptions-gmos.htm#mkcpgn=em16 

Their article starts off stating that scientists first began to test genetically engineered crops in the late 1980s. Today, 60-70% of processed foods in the US have GMO ingredients. Then they go right in to their first "misconception".

Supposed myth 10: Genetic Modification of Food is New

They said "not really". But they just finished telling you on the first page that genetic modification started in the late 1980s. I think they tried to justify GMO as a form of selective breeding. They way they presented it, you would think GMO has been going on since man started farming. According to their definition, if I chose who would be the mother of my children, then according to that definition, my kids are GMO. In this same article, they explain that the process of creating a genetically modified organism is completely different than selective breeding, or cross-breeding, or hybridization. In one method, they shoot DNA fragments into a cell and hope for the best. So yes, GMO is a new technique. Like they said, they've been doing it since the late 1980s. 

Myth 9: GMOs are Just a Modern Version of Selective Breeding

I have to congratulate them on getting this one right. They briefly explained how genes are shot into the target cell. They didn't come right out and say it, but they have no control of how many copies of the gene get inserted, or at what location in the DNA strand they end up. It's trial and error, hit and miss. You never know what you'll end up with. It's almost as bad as shooting computer code into a program and hoping it works. 

 

Weasel worded myth #8: There's Solid Evidence that GMO Foods Cause Cancer

Notice the word solid. Fact: their debunking got debunked. They took one study that showed GMO foods cause cancer and they attacked it. See the rebuttal here: http://www.sott.net/article/237064-GMO-Researchers-Attacked-Evidence-Denied-and-a-Population-at-Risk

The funny thing is, it was pretty close to the study used to approve glyphosate for the EFSA, but they extended the time of the study from 90 days to two years. It's amazing how long-term studies uncover problems that short term studies don't. Not only did studies find that GMO causes cancer, but there are other health problems as well that are attributed to GMO foods. Notice how they didn't mention other studies, like the study on pigs that showed severe stomach inflammation due to GMO feed. 

 

7 GMO Crops are Dangerous Since They Contain Toxic Substances

They only mentioned BT toxin and completely skipped over the glyphosate problem. The whole reason for creating Roundup resistant crops is so you can spray the crops with Roundup. The plants absorb the herbicide and you get to eat it. Try looking up studies on glyphosate that were not funded by Monsanto.

Don't let them fool you into thinking that BT toxin is non-toxic. The LD50 (oral) value for rats is 2.65 to 5g/kg, which puts it in the low toxicity range. But BT toxin infects the gut bacteria, transforming gut flora into BT toxin producing bacteria. BT toxin can stay in the body for months after ingestion, so you need to do some very long term studies to figure out the health effects.

6 GMO Crops Pose a Health Risk to People With Allergies

They cite an incident that happened during product development where the GMO soy with brazil nut genes caused allergic reactions to those allergic to brazil nuts. While they try to calm your fears, they also mention that the FDA doesn't require allergy screening for GMO products. I agree that allergic reactions may presently not be a problem (unless you're already allergic to the non-GMO version). But that doesn't mean that it won't be a future problem, especially with the attitude of putting profits before safety.

5 Altered Genes From GMO Plants Invariably Will Spread and Cause Havoc

They start out saying, well, it probably won't spread antibiotic resistance to bacteria. Well, it's good to know that GMOs probably won't turn in to man-eating venus fly traps either. Then they mention that cross-pollination is a problem. It's nice to see they found their way back on topic. Cross-pollination is a huge problem. It's like lighting a field on fire and hoping it won't spread where you don't want it to.

4 If Patented GMO Seeds Accidentally Grow on Your Property, You Could Be Sued

If a farmer "uses" Monsanto's GMO technology without paying royalties, then they sue the farmer. To date, Monsanto has pursued over 800 cases. But, Monsanto (out of the goodness of their hearts) has promised not to sue organic farmers if GMO crops contaminate their land. I guess it's because (and I'm speculating here) the organic farmer would have to destroy the crops, but the conventional farmer can still sell them.

3 GMO Crops Cause Catastrophic Honeybee Decline

I'm beginning to see a pattern here. Take a problem with GMOs, exaggerate it, then attack the exaggeration to make you feel safer about them. Remember that BT toxin in GMO plants kills insects, including beneficial insects such as ladybugs and bees. 

 

2 Almost All Crops Today Are GMOs

Right, not all, but 80-90% of corn and soy grown in the USA is GMO. 70% of processed foods contain GMO ingredients. They said that they never grew GMO wheat in the USA. But the article in the following link directly contradicts that claim. (It also relates to number 5 above.)  http://newsdaily.cms.newscred.com/article/a5599505526172d7685fcc9fc6db8ba4/refile-kansas-wheat-farmer-sues-monsanto-over-rogue-wheat-release 

1 GMOs Are Unlabeled and Impossible to Avoid

This is a highly misleading claim. In the USA, GMOs are not required to be labeled! Just because organic foods are not supposed to have GMOs, and are often labeled as GMO free, it doesn't mean that GMOs are labeled. The only GMO label you'll see in the USA is one that says "NO GMOs". Then they admit that if you really want to avoid GMOs, you have to grow your own food in your own garden or move to Europe! Does that not just verify the supposed myth they're trying to debunk?

I'm getting the impression that the article was meant to fool the casual reader into only reading the headlines and ignoring the rest of the text.