# Where do I go if I WANT GMOs in my food? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 8, 2020, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105 "2020-01-08T02:56:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/1 "2020-01-08T02:56:55Z")
So, I know that GMOs allow more food per acre, and therefore more people to be fed, and “non-GMO” food is going to be more expensive for no reason (other than other people’s paranoia). So what do I do if I WANT to buy food with GMOs? Can I assume it’s in pretty much everything that isn’t labeled “non-GMO”? Should I be writing letters to companies that use GMO food, thanking them for helping feed the world, to counter-balance all the crank letters they get about “Frankenfood,” or will I sound just as crazy? ---
**Author:** ![atimnie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atimnie/32/11_2.png) [@atimnie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atimnie)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/2 "2020-01-08T03:45:05Z")
_Can I assume it’s in pretty much everything that isn’t labeled “non-GMO”?_ That’s pretty much it. If it’s not labeled non-gmo, it’s most likely gmo. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/3 "2020-01-08T03:52:24Z")
If you want to be sure, go to Tractor Supply and buy some feed corn. The tortillas you make from that are pretty much guaranteed GMO. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/4 "2020-01-08T05:04:07Z")
> [@atimnie](#): > > _Can I assume it’s in pretty much everything that isn’t labeled “non-GMO”?_ > > That’s pretty much it. If it’s not labeled non-gmo, it’s most likely gmo. This applies to many processed foods. Most fruits and vegetables are non-GMO. The vast majority of fish and meat is non-GMO unless one wants to go bonkers over animals sometimes eating GM grain. In which case, stay away from other people because we’ve probably all eaten a corn chip or other GM product at one time or another and are also contaminated by the Evil DNA. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/5 "2020-01-08T05:46:28Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > So, I know that GMOs allow more food per acre, and therefore more people to be fed, and “non-GMO” food is going to be more expensive for no reason (other than other people’s paranoia). So what do I do if I WANT to buy food with GMOs? Can I assume it’s in pretty much everything that isn’t labeled “non-GMO”? Should I be writing letters to companies that use GMO food, thanking them for helping feed the world, to counter-balance all the crank letters they get about “Frankenfood,” or will I sound just as crazy? Just buy the cheaper products that are not labelled as GMO-free. If in fact the product is made from ingredients of which the GMO version is cheaper/more efficient, then the cheaper products will highly likely be made with the cheaper, efficient GMO ingredients. And if the product is not made from ingredients of which this is true, then why would you want to favour the GMO ingredients? ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/6 "2020-01-08T06:08:52Z")
Over the past year or so, I’ve seen a few food packages that specifically say that the product contains GMOs. I can’t think of any specific examples, but it is clear that a few companies are going the “informed consent” route. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/7 "2020-01-08T06:23:47Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Most fruits and vegetables are non-GMO. This is quite inaccurate. Most common fruits and vegetables have been heavily genetically modified, for tens or even hundreds of years, to produce the fertile & flavorful varieties we eat now. If you looked at the original versions, before humans began breeding and cross-fertilizing them, you would hardly recognize the originals. And it continues even now. At my school, the University of Minnesota, I have met the people who created the HoneyCrisp apple, the 5th most common apple now. But it didn’t even exist before 1974. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/8 "2020-01-08T07:45:16Z")
> [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](#): > > Most common fruits and vegetables have been heavily genetically modified, for tens or even hundreds of years, to produce the fertile & flavorful varieties we eat now. If you looked at the original versions, before humans began breeding and cross-fertilizing them, you would hardly recognize the originals. But that’s not at all what “Genetically Modified” means, as the phrase is commonly used. People have been selectively breeding things since antiquity, more or less. “Genetically Modified” refers more specifically to the modern technological practice of chemically tinkering with the DNA of organisms at the molecular level. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/9 "2020-01-08T09:15:22Z")
Unfortunately a lot of people have bought into the myth of GMO and the propaganda of large corporations. I suggest you read [GMO Myths and Truths](https://www.amazon.com/GMO-Myths-Truths-Citizens-Genetically-ebook/dp/B01EXMBKUE/) It’s a scientific book with a _large_ number of references to peer-reviewed published scientific papers. Quotes by reviewers: > [@](#): > > “Using peer-reviewed studies and other documented evidence, GMO Myths and Truths deconstructs the false and misleading claims that are frequently made about the safety and efficacy of GM crops and foods. The book shows that far from being necessary to feed the world, GM crops are a risky distraction from the real causes of hunger. What is more, there is no reason to take this risk, since GM crops do not consistently raise yields, reduce pesticide use, or provide more nutritious food. GM crops and foods have not been shown to be safe to eat – and both animal feeding studies and non-animal laboratory experiments indicate that some GM foods, as well as most of the chemicals required to produce them, are toxic. Fortunately, the book shows that there are effective and sustainable alternatives to GM that can ensure a safe and plentiful food supply for current and future populations. GMO Myths and Truths is an invaluable and easy-to-read resource for everyone, including students, scientists, and members of the general public.”– **David Schubert, PhD, Professor and Director, Cellular Neurobiology, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, USA** > > “Genetic engineering and its applications in agriculture are complex topics, even for scientists that are engaged with them. The range of techniques is large, as is the range of their implications for different groups in society, from the farmer, through to the citizen, to the corporation. It is difficult sometimes to have the latest information at the end of the fingertips and to understand the difference in how the same evidence is framed depending on the interests behind the science. GMO Myths and Truths is a great resource for me. It is written in a form that makes it readable to non-experts without losing value for the expert looking for the latest references. It has become one of my standard ‘go-to’ reviews when I need to refresh myself on the history, practice, or technical details in this fast moving, demanding and important area.”– **Jack Heinemann, PhD, Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, New Zealand** > > “Many who defend the use of GMO crops and foods claim that there is no evidence that any GMO is harmful to health or the environment. But this is wrong. There is plenty of sound empirical evidence of such harm, presented by qualified scientists in peer-reviewed literature. This book is a succinct summary and documentation of that evidence.”– **Richard Jennings, PhD, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge, UK** > > “GMO Myths and Truths is unquestionably the go-to source for up-to-date, scientifically rigorous evidence bearing on genetic modification. As a scientist, I applaud not simply the heavy reliance on refereed literature, but also the attention to organization and interpretation, which makes technical information accessible to the non-specialist.”–**E. Ann Clark, PhD, Associate Professor (retired), Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Canada** One of the authors: **Michael Antoniou, PhD is a Reader in Molecular Genetics and Head of the Gene Expression and Therapy Group, Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King’s College London School of Medicine, UK.** He has 34 years’ experience of using genetic engineering technology, including genome-editing tools, in the investigation of gene organization and control, with over 100 peer-reviewed publications. He holds inventor status on gene expression biotechnology patents. His discoveries in gene control mechanisms are being used for research as well as the development of diagnostic and therapeutic products for genetic disorders. Dr Antoniou has taken an active interest in the safety of GM crops and their associated pesticides. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/10 "2020-01-08T09:48:19Z")
What concerns me and many of my friends is that GMO crops are sterile, so a subsistence farmer (or any other farmer) has to buy seed from Monsanto or whoever and cannot use part of his crop to provide seed for next year. This makes farmers dependant on big corporations. We also are learning much more about the need for biodiversity and how monoculture is a Bad Thing. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/11 "2020-01-08T10:16:31Z")
The problem here is that “GMO” is just as undefined as “Organic”. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/12 "2020-01-08T10:38:20Z")
> [@armedmonkey](#): > > The problem here is that “GMO” is just as undefined as “Organic”. Not at all. It’s clearly defined. Corporate interests would like people to think that it includes traditional selective breeding, in order to muddy the waters, but it does not. GMO means that the DNA has been directly altered by genetic engineering. The definition of GMO by the World Health Organization and the European Commission is that the organisms must be altered in a way that does “not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination”. The EU ban is not due to being unscientific. It’s due to valid scientific concerns. The difference from the US is that EU regulatory agencies are not influenced by corporate interests. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/13 "2020-01-08T11:41:41Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > What concerns me and many of my friends is that GMO crops are sterile, so a subsistence farmer (or any other farmer) has to buy seed from Monsanto or whoever and cannot use part of his crop to provide seed for next year. This makes farmers dependant on big corporations. Big Agra has also sued farmers who do keep their own seed and don’t buy from Big Agra when the GMO pollen fertilizes those plants, resulting in the farmers “stealing” the GMO product when really it wandered over to their fields on its own. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/14 "2020-01-08T13:22:08Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > What concerns me and many of my friends is that GMO crops are sterile No, they aren’t. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/15 "2020-01-08T13:28:47Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Big Agra has also sued farmers who do keep their own seed and don’t buy from Big Agra when the GMO pollen fertilizes those plants, resulting in the farmers “stealing” the GMO product when really it wandered over to their fields on its own. Percy Schmeiser intentionally propagated RR Canola. Nobody has been sued over accidental pollination. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/16 "2020-01-08T13:32:48Z")
To the OP, the list of current GMO crops is here: > **[List of genetically modified crops](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_genetically_modified_crops)** > > Genetically modified crops are plants used in agriculture, the DNA of which has been modified using genetic engineering techniques. In most cases, the aim is to introduce a new trait to the plant which does not occur naturally in the species. As of 2015, 26 plant species have been genetically modified and approved for commercial release in at least one country. The majority of these species contain genes that make them either tolerant to herbicides or resistant to insects. Other common traits i... That does not tell you about market penetration though. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/17 "2020-01-08T14:38:47Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > Should I be writing letters to companies that use GMO food, thanking them for helping feed the world, to counter-balance all the crank letters they get about “Frankenfood,” or will I sound just as crazy? [Moderating] Given that the OP, rather than just ask a straight question, has introduced the debate over the pros and cons of GMO food, let’s move this to Great Debates. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/18 "2020-01-08T14:44:47Z")
On a related note, I’m vaguely looking forward to trying vat-meat. > [@one of the book reviews cited earlier](#): > > Using peer-reviewed studies and other documented evidence, GMO Myths and Truths deconstructs the false and misleading claims that are frequently made about the safety and efficacy of GM crops and foods. The book shows that far from being necessary to feed the world, GM crops are a risky distraction from the real causes of hunger. Heck, even if GMOs never existed, the causes of world hunger would be political, not agricultural or scientific. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/19 "2020-01-08T14:47:37Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **GreenWyvern** : > > Not at all. It’s clearly defined. Corporate interests would like people to think that it includes traditional selective breeding, in order to muddy the waters, but it does not. > > GMO means that the DNA has been directly altered by genetic engineering. And what do you think the first step in selective breeding is? Alteration of the DNA. And when it doesn’t happen fast enough naturally, humans deliberately induce mutations. That’s how it’s been done since time before history. The only difference is that now, we’ve taken the blindfold off, and some people think that somehow makes it less safe? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105/20 "2020-01-08T15:22:36Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > Unfortunately a lot of people have bought into the myth of GMO and the propaganda of large corporations. > > I suggest you read > > [GMO Myths and Truths](https://www.amazon.com/GMO-Myths-Truths-Citizens-Genetically-ebook/dp/B01EXMBKUE/) > > It’s a scientific book with a _large_ number of references to peer-reviewed published scientific papers… I wouldn’t be so quick to trust that book. It appears, at least in Amazon’s mind, to be associated with the following books, all being advertised on the same page (including left-right scrolling): \*\*Unvaccinated: \*\*why parents are choosing to not vaccinate… \*\*The Autism Vaccine \*\*(claims vaccines cause autism) **Vaccine Epidemic** (…corporate greed, etc…) **Healing and Preventing Autism** , by that renowned doctor Jenny McCarthy **The Case against Fluoride** (claims fluoride is hazardous waste and dangerous) \*\*WiFi & Cellphones’ Hidden Harms \*\*by Joseph Mercola **Herbal Antibiotics,** Alternatives for treating bacteria **Homeopathic Cell Salt Remedies** **Lab 257,** the government’s secret germ laboratory **Exposed,** the Electronic Sickening of America (claims WiFi and cellphones are dangerous) **Altered Genes, Twisted Truth** (claims GMOs are bad for you) \*\*\*\*Seeds of Deception \*\*\*\*(claims GMOs are bad for you) **Food Forensics** (your food is full of “toxins,” and GMOs are bad for you) **Genetic Roulette** (GMOs are bad for you) **Whitewash,** the story of a weed killer… **Never Fear Cancer Again** (how to prevent and cure cancer, a holistic approach. Cancer is caused by toxins) **Deadly Medicine & Organized Crime** (claims Big Pharma (organized crime) is bad for you) \*\*Modified: \*\*GMO Threat to our food, our land, etc. **Tripping Over Truth** (claims everything we know about cancer is wrong) **The Toxin Solution** (…hidden poisons in air, water, food, etc.) **Under an Ionized Sky** (chemtrails, etc.) **Healing is Voltage** (cure disease with electric current) And no, I didn’t cherry-pick this list all that much, and I omitted titles that could not readily be analyzed as woo. I couldn’t find ANY with reliable science, or even a reasonable hint of such. And my list is only a subset of what I found. My conclusion? Unless you are into holistic medicine, alternative medicine, homeopathy, toxin therapy, electric healing, McCarthy & Mercola, the linked book is worthless by association. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-i-go-if-i-want-gmos-in-my-food/846105.md?page=2)