GMO Wheat, Strawberries and Tomatoes

What do wheat, strawberries and tomatoes have in common?



Wheat field in Kansas in early spring.
Courtesy http://buzzardsbeat.blogspot.com

Not much except they AREN'T GMOs. Yep, that's right - contrary to many internet infographics and Facebook posts, there is no such thing as a GMO wheat plant, strawberry or tomato.

Simple as that.

There is however a fairly short list of GMO foods that are available in the U.S.:

• corn
• soybeans
• cotton
• alfalfa
• sugar beets
• papaya
• squash

Two other GMO plants have been approved, the Arctic Apple and the Innate potato. However, the apples will not be available on the market until fall 2016, in limited quantities. Innate potatoes have been available in small quantities for the past few months.

There are a lot of reasons to develop new GMO varieties and one that I am very passionate about is food waste. For example, according to GMO Answers, the Innate potato bruises about 40% less than conventional potatoes and will not show black spots or browning when peeled and prepared. This can help reduce an estimated 400 million pounds of waste that go to landfills each year. Additionally, since we are less likely to eat a gross, black and bruised potato, we as consumers will throw away fewer potatoes at home. Fewer wasted potatoes means that farmers can market more of their crop and reduce pesticide, water and carbon dioxide from farm production. I know I am less likely to eat a potato if it has a big black spot and how much goes to waste by cutting out the black bits?

Obviously, nutrition is a big component of all food products and the Innate potato delivers. Innate potatoes have up to 70% less acrylamide than conventional potatoes when cooked at high temperatures. Acrylamide is a naturally occurring chemical compound found in most starchy foods but is a probable carcinogen in laboratory animals when consumed at high doses. Subsequent generations of Innate promise to lower acrylamide by 90% or more, providing a healthier option for consumers. Healthier for humans and the environment!

Similarly, Arctic Apples are a non-browning apple - who likes brown apples a mere five minutes after you bite into it or slice it up?! Not me. They also don't brown after they have been bruised which leads to fewer being thrown in the bin because of nasty bruise. Again, this all contributes to less food wasted and I think we can all agree that less food waste = a healthier planet.

I hope if you have questions about GMOs you will reach out to a reputable source, such as GMOAnswers.com, a FFT member, a state agriculture association or better yet, a farmer or rancher! Who better to talk to you about the food you eat than the farmers and ranchers who grow it?

So the next time you see a strawberry and a tomato melded together in a Facebook "infographic" be confident that it's not a genetic experiment gone wrong. It's merely food fear at work - don't play into the hands of those who wish to scare you. Food is meant to be enjoyed, not feared!

Questions about GMOs? Leave a comment!

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~

All facts taken from GMOAnswers.com*

Earth Day is Every Day for Farmers and Ranchers

Earth Day - a day that reminds us all to recycle more, use less and think about future generations when making decisions that can affect our environment for years to come.

But guess what? We should be cognizant of our choices more often than just once per year - as consumers we should be striving to lessen our environmental footprint every day in order to preserve our world for future generations.

Good thing that farmers and ranchers have been working towards sustainability and resource conservation for as long as they have been producing food. Here are some hard facts about food production and resource conservation:

• Farmers who grow crops like corn, soybeans and wheat, will practice crop rotation which is the process of changing what is planted in a particular location on a farm from season to season. This helps with nutrient management of the soil and soil erosion.
• Hog farmers use manure from their farm as a valuable organic fertilizer that is readily used by crop farmers to help build beneficial carbon content in soil.
• Hog farmers have also streamlined their production practices which have led to a 35% decrease in carbon footprint from 1959-2009. That's quite an improvement!
• The beef industry reduced its water use and greenhouse gas emissions by 3% and 2%, respectively

The beef industry works towards sustainable production every year.
Courtesy www.factsaboutbeef.com

What are you doing in your life to lessen your environmental footprint? How could you improve?

Until next time,
~ Buzzard ~