“What if there was a way to farm that spared the rainforests, cut down on toxins in our soil and waters, and provided healthier, more nutritious food?” (Source: Discover)
Those in the organic cult would be jumping for joy; right? This is exactly what they want! Product that is not only better for the environment, but also provides more nutrition.
But if that’s what they really want, they’d be jumping for joy for GMOs instead.
We’ve already established that organic food is no healthier than conventional food. All that extra money being dished out for sick looking organic produce isn’t giving you and your family more nutrients.
Not to mention that organic food simply cannot keep pace with the yields of convention food. In fact, organic can only produce, at best, 2/3 the amount of conventional crops. But the amount of food we’re going to need in the next 50 years to feed everyone on the planet is increasing exponentially.
“Projections are that by 2050, we’re going to need to grow 70% more food around the world than we do today. If we did that by maintaining yields exactly as they are and spreading farms, we’d chop down 70% of the world’s remaining forests. Trying to feed the world starting from organic yields would be far worse, because their yields are lower.
So, is the choice only to cut down all the remaining forests or starve? Of course not.
“How do we grow yield? We could do it by lifting worldwide yields up to US levels. That would mean giving farmers in the developing world better access to fertilizer, pesticides, and irrigation that drive yields up in the US. Of course, organic advocates would prefer not to use more fertilizer and more pesticides.
Is there another way? Perhaps – and GMOs may be key to that. So far GMOs have contributed only modestly to yield increases, but on the horizon are approaches that could make a big difference.”
And the environmental benefits don’t just stop at curbing deforestation either. GMOs allows us to use less pesticides and fertilizers, and those alternatives are less toxic than pesticides formerly employed. GMOs encourage no-till planting. But let’s not also forget that the possibilities are endless here; science could very well find a way to further reduce environmental impacts of farming.
Finally, we knows GMOs are completely and entirely safe. There has never been a credible scientifiic study showing that there is any risk to humans or the environment. Nor has there EVER been a single person who has gotten ill from eating GMO produce.
So, let’s face it: if you want to be pro-environment, pro-nutritious and healthy food, and against massive worldwide starvation, organic is not where you want to plant your seeds.
Better go with GMOs.
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
