There are no GMO oranges on the market. That means you can not buy a GMO (or as the agriculture, plant geneticist and food science folks call them, Biotechnology) orange.
YOU
CAN
NOT
BUY
A
GMO
ORANGE.
So, knowing that, AND after reading the ingredient list to make sure there was no corn syrup or other sweeteners in it (there wasn’t, it is 100% Orange Juice)- here’s what I saw on several brands of orange juice at the grocery store last night.
And this label was on a different brand or Orange Juice
Fear based marketing my friends.
In order to get a concise list of exactly what is available for us to purchase in the US I googled United States Department of Agriculture Biotechnology (USDA biotech) and had a look around their site.
Linked to the USDA site is ISAAA the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications a service that keeps the updated list of approved biotech technology.
Yes, there are 404 biotech “events” that are approved. Wow. That sounds like a lot, right?
It’s not really because included in those events are multiple varieties of the same plant. (Each variety produced must be researched and approved) Here is a link to an infographic that explains it well.
Next, realize that not all Biotechnology crops that have been developed worldwide have been researched and approved for human consumption here in the USA.
Here is the list of EVERYTHING that has been approved for human consumption in the US. Not all of it is in production. (Obviously, if it is not in production you can’t buy it. So, for example if you buy a plum, it will not be a biotech plum since those are not in production)
And the list.
Alfalfa
Apples (Not currently in production)
Canola (two types)
Chickory (Not currently in production)
Cotton (Cottonseed oil)
Flax
Maize (Corn)
Melons (Not currently in production)
Papayas
Plums (Not currently in production)
Potatoes
Rice
Soybeans
Squash (Not currently in production)
Sugar Beet
Sugar Cane
Sweet Pepper (Not currently in production)
Tomato (Not currently in production)
Wheat
Here is the Link to where I got my information from the ISAAA
That is a total potential of 20 crops (I am counting both kinds of Canola).
13 of which are currently in production.
And that is it.
So next time you see a “No GMO Strawberry” or a “GMO free grape” you know it’s fear based marketing. I even saw “GMO Free” sprig of Rosemary at the store last week.
I agree with the Food Science Scientists, and the Plant Science Scientists and with Agriculture Professionals all over the world that Biotech agriculture is safe. It helps the U.S. produce the safest most affordable food in the world. Even as a slightly overprotective Mama, I feel 100% confident in feeding my sweet wild-girls these foods.
If you do not want to consume biotechnology, that is your choice. I don’t have a problem with you not wanting to, even though my two degrees in Agriculture (three if you count an Associates degree) tell me it is safe. But please know which crops are available as Biotech (GMO) and do not pay more to buy fear based marketing.
Stay warm in this cold weather friends. I’m going to go feed my kids a snack of corn tortillas made with corn produced by way of Agriculture biotechnology.
Between Three Waters 