October is Non-GMO Month, which we celebrate every year since becoming the first Non-GMO Project Verified Eggs. We feel it is important that people know what is in the food that they are feeding their families. That’s why we sought out the first ever Non-GMO Project verification for eggs.
If you’re new to the discussion of GMOS, here are some important facts to know about GMOs from our friends at the Non-GMO Project.
• GMOs affect farmers. Because GMOs are novel life forms, biotechnology companies have been able to obtain patents with which to restrict their use. As a result, the companies that make GMOs now have the power to sue farmers whose fields are contaminated with GMOs, even when it is the result of inevitable drift from neighboring fields. GMOs therefore pose a serious threat to farmer sovereignty and to the national food security of any country where they are grown, including the United States and Canada.
• GMOs affect our environment. Over 80% of all GMOs grown worldwide are engineered for herbicide tolerance. As a result, use of toxic herbicides like Roundup has increased 15 times since GMOs were introduced. GMO crops are also responsible for the emergence of “super weeds” and “super bugs,” which can only be killed with ever more toxic poisons like 2,4-D (a major ingredient in Agent Orange). GMOs are a direct extension of chemical agriculture and are developed and sold by the world’s biggest chemical companies. The long-term impacts of GMOs are unknown, and once released into the environment these novel organisms cannot be recalled.
• GMOs are in our food. Much of the GMO corn and soy grown in North America is fed to animals, as is some of the canola and cotton. This is why it is important to know what is in animal feed. If you are buying animal products form the store, look for the Non-GMO Project label or choose Certified Organic products.
If you’re ready to commit to choosing foods free of GMOs, remember to look for the butterfly to determine whether products have met the rigorous standards of the Non-GMO Project. We proudly offer NestFresh Eggs that carry the Non-GMO Project Verification seal.