The big question: Are GM Animals safe to eat? The simple answer, No! It only seems "natural" that after years of feeding GM crop to livestock, the agricultural and food industries would begin genetically modifying the livestock itself. It's been shown repeatedly that GM crop is unsafe for the animals and the humans who consume these animals, so why in the world would it be safe for us to eat animals that have been genetically modified?
It's the same old story: Scientists are attempting to modify animal DNA in order to produce offspring quicker, which are bigger, meatier, and more profitable in the long-run. We all know how this has worked out for fruits and vegetables-less nutrients, less flavor, and higher health risks when it comes to cancer and allergens.
"Over the past five years, GM soybeans and corn have become mainstays in processed food sold in the United States, despite nagging questions about the safety of the products and their potential capacity to cause ecological harm. Now, scientists, environmentalists, and food-safety advocates are concerned that GM meat, eggs, and milk could follow in the footsteps of transgenic crops, becoming a part of the U.S. diet before they have been shown to be safe for humans, animals, and the environment." [1]
The honest truth is, there is not enough information on GM animals to know if consuming them is safe for humans or not. But sadly, just as with GM plants, the desire to make money will most likely win-out over the need to know if these foods are safe for us. GM animals will most likely go on the market before we have enough information on their safety risks. And, just like with other modified foods (such as milk containing the bovine growth hormone), we, the consumers, may have no idea we are even eating genetically modified meat!
It is a sad state of affairs when the organization designed to protect us (The Federal Drug and Food Administration) can be swayed and coerced into turning a blind eye to what is really happening. As Jean Halloran, director of the Consumer Policy Institute at Consumers Union (The New York research institute that publishes Consumer Reports) puts it:
"The public is currently in the situation of not even having awareness that anyone is thinking about genetically engineering animals for human consumption," Halloran says. "And the way the structure is currently set up, that's going to go on until one day the FDA says, 'We've just approved a genetically engineered animal and we're not going to label it. So, here it is; eat it.'" [1]
In the meantime, we, as consumers, need to demand non-genetically modified meats, be aware of what we are eating, and continue to search for the truth.
[1] http://www.grist.org/article/and3/
My number one focus is growing my own food. I don't think that really counts as a hobby. For some people it is, but for me, growing my own fruits and vegetables and saving my own seed is the key to survival. The only person you can count on is yourself, if you ask me. The government is trying to "help" us all with GMOs and welfare, but it's all a crock. We need to know how to survive on our own.
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