Amaris James
Professor Michael Benton
English 102
10 October 2019
Eat and Be Merry for Tomorrow It May
Kill
Our food system is broken. In the last hundred
years, we have destroyed what took Mother Nature millennia to create. Worse, it
took us that entire hundred years to notice. Seeds, the life our food comes
from, are going extinct. At the beginning of the 20th century,
thousands of seed variations were available. By now, 94% of those variations
have been lost (Ray, 6). For the most part, this is due to the increase in
industrial agriculture. Since 2005, ten companies have controlled over half of
the worldwide seed sales through their creation of hybrid and genetically
modified (GM) seeds (Ray, 37). These seeds are sub-par and full of GMOs that
are harmful to people, animals, and nature. Within a span of a hundred years,
we have destroyed our seed heritage and found ourselves in the midst of an
agricultural apocalypse in which big companies profit by selling lies in the
form of food.
The
issue with our agricultural system is a relatively new one. The mass extinction
of 94% of the variations of our seeds has only happened in the last hundred
years. Only in the last twenty years has the problem been discovered and
researched. The first people to officially catalog the loss were researchers from
the University of Georgia. In 2004, Paul Heald and Susan Chapman compared current-day
seed catalogs to the United States Department of Agriculture’s American Varieties of Vegetables for the
Years 1901 and 1902 that was published in 1903. They discovered that, of the 7,262 seed varieties available in
1903, only 430 were still commercially available in 2004 (Ray, 5-6). According
to the USDA, among the lost are 95 percent of the vintage cabbage varieties, 96
percent of all field corns, 94 percent of all peas, 86 percent of apple
varieties, and 81 percent of the tomato varieties (Ray, 16). Even though our
supermarkets appear deceptively diverse, we have narrowed our agricultural
margins to include a quarter of what once was available to grow. This problem isn’t
unique to America, either. China lost tens of thousands of wheat varieties
between 1949 and 1970, and Korea lost 74 percent of its garden crops in a span
of the eight years from 1985 to 1993 (Ray, 16). But what changed in the last
hundred years to create this agricultural apocalypse?
The
first nail in the coffin came in the form of hybrid corn. Hybridization, the process
of speeding up plant breeding, isn’t bad in and of itself. Farmers have been
using hybridization for a long time to combine characteristics to create more
desirable plants. In 1924, the first hybrid seeds came on the market in the
United States. The seeds were popular because they performed better. However,
the significant downside to purchasing hybrid corn was that the seeds couldn’t
be saved and used for future crops. Seeds from hybrid corn don’t grow true. Instead
of producing corn similar to the original hybrid, it creates a Frankenstein
corn that reflects the hundreds of strains that create it. Because of this
problem, not many farmers used it until 1932. In the early 1930s, a bacterial
wilt in Iowa attacked corn crops at an epidemic level. Glenn Smith developed
the Golden Cross Bantam corn, which was a hybrid resistant to the wilt. Within
the next four years, 90 percent of Iowa corn became hybrid, and most of it was
that specific strain of Golden Cross Bantam. Ten years after that, by 1946, 100
percent of Iowa’s corn and 90 percent of all corn grown in the USA was hybrid
(Ray, 12). Through the acceptance of hybridization, farmers gave up one problem
in exchange for another. The inability to save hybrid seeds meant they no
longer had to worry about harvesting or saving seeds for future crops, but, in
exchange, they became prisoners of the industry.
As
if things weren’t bad enough, the industry released the plague that would come
to involve not just seeds, but all commercially grown food: genetically
modified organisms (GMOs). Genetically modified (GM) seeds became a product of
DNA experimentation in the 1970s. Scientists were able to engineer a seed by
turning off certain genes, turning on others, replacing one gene with another,
or even adding DNA from entirely different organisms. By 1996, GM seeds had
entered the market, and Monsanto, one the largest seed companies in the modern
day, was quick to strike. Monsanto was known for its herbicide, Roundup, which
was so powerful it destroyed everything, including the plant itself if it had
already germinated. With the introduction of GM seeds, Monsanto built GM,
“Roundup-Ready” corn seeds that were resistant to their herbicide. The market
grew and, within a decade, over half of all corn in the United States was
genetically modified (Ray, 14). As with hybridization, farmers embraced these
new seeds that made their crops ultimately easier to produce.
The
introduction of hybrid and GM seeds meant the beginning of yet another disaster
for farmers. Before the 1900s, farmers were very self-sufficient when it came
to the creation of their crops. After purchasing seeds at the beginning of
their career, they would save enough seeds from each crop for them to plant the
next crop the following year. The creation of GM seeds gave companies the right
to “own” seeds. For the first time in history, companies were able to patent
strains of hybrid and GM seeds. Suddenly, a new monopoly had entered the world,
and companies were in a race to the top. Chemical companies especially began to
buy out seed companies with the prospect of capitalizing on the profits of
genetic engineering. By 2006, half of commercial seed sales across the globe
were controlled by ten companies. Monsanto was in the top three (Ray, 37). In
less than one hundred years, ten companies around the globe had gained control
over anyone wanting produce, whether they be commercial farmers or average
people in their homes.
Once the market was
monopolized, companies became occupied with expressing dominance over small
farmers. Monsanto created a staff of 75 people specifically trained to
investigate farmers who were illegally saving and reusing Monsanto’s patented
crops (Food INC). These people went around, randomly testing the crops of
farmers for evidence of Monsanto’s seeds. Even if a farmer was not pirating
Monsanto’s seeds or had never purchased seeds from Monsanto, many found
themselves being sued for patent infringement. These farmers were victims of
“genetic drift,” the result of crop contamination from the wind blowing pollen
and other seed matter from different crops. Monsanto was unsympathetic. By
2005, they had filed ninety lawsuits against farmers, been paid over $15
million for false cases of infringement, and had shut down many small farms
that went bankrupt from legal fees (Ray, 117). Farming turned from an honest,
natural trade to a battle of corruption and money.
Unfortunately,
farmers haven’t been the only ones to cave to the oppression of corporate
monopolies thrusting GM produce down their throats. Large retailers of organic
food like Whole Foods Market and Organic Valley have officially abandoned their
fight against Monsanto’s genetically engineered produce. In a public display,
top executives declared that they no longer disapprove of the commercialization
of Monsanto’s genetically engineered crops (Cummins, 2011). Why the sudden
decision to go against literally everything these companies stand for? Well,
they know, just as the public is coming to realize, that $6 billion of the
annual sales of “natural” foods from these retailers contain just as many GMOs
as standard, non-organic brands (Cummins, 2011). In fact, over 75 percent of
the foods seen in any grocery stores include ingredients that have been
genetically modified, regardless of their labels claiming to be “natural” or
“organic” (Food INC). Indeed, just by looking at one staple crop like corn,
which is already known to be 100 percent hybrid and mostly GM, it’s easy to see
how so many GMOs can get into our everyday food. Many of the obscure and hard
to pronounce ingredients listed on a box of food are derived from corn.
Ascorbic acid, baking powder, caramel coloring, citric acid, dextrose,
artificial and natural flavorings, lactic acid, vinegar, and xanthan gum are
all common ingredients that can and often are derived from corn products (Gluten
Free Society). The only way to ensure a non-GMO product is through the label of
“certified organic,” which only makes up about 1% of American farmland. Meanwhile,
uneducated consumers spend premium dollar on “organic” products and boost the
sales of fakes to almost $80 billion annually (Cummins, 2011). Our dinner
tables have become a game of monopoly in which no one wins except the fat cats
at the top.
What
is the issue with GMOs? Why are people opposing them, and why should anyone
care? If science has managed to engineer crops to produce better, then why not
capitalize on those opportunities? Alas, the main issue with GMOs is that they
are not safe, and the effects of engineering food has not been tested enough to
be proven risk-free. The FDA’s process of approving genetically modified foods
involves measuring if they are “substantially equivalent.” Substantially
equivalent GMOs have similar levels of nutrients, proteins, and toxicity
compared to the original plant. They are considered to be identical to the
original plant and are not required to undergo any further testing (Ray, 38). On
its own, there may not seem to be any issues with that process. However, the
system becomes illogical when reports show that the FDA stamps their
“substantially equivalent” approval on almost all GM food, even ones that are
shown to have a considerably different composition and nutrition from the
original item (Ray, 38). With this approval process, it’s impossible to know whether
anything in our food is actually safe for consumption.
At this point, genetic
modification has been around enough to begin to see its effects. Because
genetic modification is the result of inserting or changing DNA, it’s hard to
know how that DNA will change over time. Many studies are beginning to publish
research showing that GM seeds that were safe when tested in a lab became
hazardous later on (Ray, 39). Some adverse effects shown in lab animals include
abnormal blood cell counts, unexplained growths and tumors in the digestive
system, increased allergic reactions, and even infertility (Ray, 40). Additionally,
GM plants have been shown to have a damaging effect on nature as well. The
scientific journal, Nature, published
a study that showed the creation of “superweeds” through GM crops. Other
studies showed GM crops harmed many aspects of the environment, including
beneficial insects, birds, and even fish (The Council for Responsible
Genetics). Although there are many studies “proving” that GMOs are actually
safe, a closer inspection can show that those studies are funded from the very
same companies that profit from the sales of GM products (Qutab, 2017). In
truth, genetic modification is still too new to be able to see any health
problems in humans, even though harmful effects are seen in lab animals and
nature.
There’s no denying that
the agricultural industry has changed dramatically in the past hundred years.
We’ve come from a world of open-source, natural seeds and arrived at a place
where a handful of giant companies patent and control the seeds that make up
most of our food today. To save time and money, these companies have taken
advantage of agricultural technology to create hybrid and genetically modified
seeds that have questionable health implications. Although it’s difficult to
tell what GM crops will do to humans, tests done on lab animals and the
environment have shown negative outcomes. Because the FDA doesn’t require
companies to put special labels on GM products, about 75 percent of the foods
found in grocery stores contain GMOs, regardless of any descriptions involving the
words “natural” or “organic.” At the rate our agricultural industry is going,
we’ve managed to lose 94% of the food varieties we had one hundred years ago.
The seeming diverse selection we have at the grocery store is just a lie we’ve
been given. That lie is followed by another that suggests this is a
satisfactory way to live. Even if we can’t reverse what has been done, we can
prevent further damage in the future. We can stop accepting bad food as the new
normal and fight for the small amount of seed heritage we still have.
Works Cited
Cummins,
Ronnie. “The Organic Elite Surrenders to Monsanto.” CounterPunch, 28 January, 2011, https://www.counterpunch.org/2011/01/28/the-organic-elite-surrenders-to-monsanto/.
Accessed 28 September 2019.
Food INC. Directed
by Robert Kenner, written by Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein. Magnolia
Pictures, 2008.
“Frequently
Asked Questions.” The Council for
Responsible Genetics, 2000, http://www.councilforresponsiblegenetics.org/ViewPage.aspx?pageId=118.
Accessed 3 October 2019.
“Hidden
Corn Based Ingredients.” Gluten-Free
Society, 2010, https://www.glutenfreesociety.org/hidden-corn-based-ingredients/.
Accessed 28 September 2019.
Qutab, Marina. “How Do GMOs Impact People and the
Environment – and Do They Produce More Food?” OneGreenPlanet, 2017. https://www.onegreenplanet.org/environment/how-do-gmos-impact-people-and-the-environment/.
Accessed 3 October 2019.
Ray,
Janisse. The Seed Underground: A Growing
Revolution to Save Food. Chelsea Green Publishing, 2012.
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