ethical paper GMO's

There are many questions regarding how food is grown and raised in the United States. Over the past few years there has been a rising concern and major changes to our Food and Agriculture system. Technological advances, Pesticides, Antibiotics, Genetically Modified Organisms, (GMOs) and large factory farms that are spreading worldwide with rapid fire. The American’s right to access fresh, healthy food is under attack. If you want to keep eating the poisoned foods in your supermarkets today, then you can join the “scientists” who push so hard to inform us that genetically altered foods are safe for us. The repercussions, however, will be felt for a long time to come, and in many cases the consequences may be irreversible. USDA is sabotaging small owned farmers forcing them to accept the concept of mass production, and taking a purely un-ethical approach to limit the opportunity for Americans to buy fresh, local, raw-organic foods.
Do you think eating genetically altered foods can be healthy? Scientists are actually trying to tell us all that Monsanto’s toxins and Genetically Modified Foods (GMO’s) are good for us, and cause no harm. In fact if you do a little research on Monsanto, or GMO’s you will see clearly that you are eating poison, and that these big name companies are taking over small crop farmers, putting them out of business, and pushing them and their families into poverty. It is not ethical whatsoever for mass producing produce and farm companies to point the finger at whomever they please, telling them they cannot produce food for their friends and families. The USDA has slaughtered thousands of animals with no cause as to why, no research, and no warnings. In this paper I decided that I will discuss my arguments against the “big guys” and talk about how un-ethical it is to ruin the lives of the American people simply to produce toxic, poisoned, and genetically modified food for our country.
“More cluck for the Buck”
There are two different types of Agricultural farming. You have the traditional side where small farm owners maintain their soil through crop rotation. For example: Pollyface farms in Virginia are one of the very few remaining farms that actually have an all natural organic approach to farming. Turkeys and other livestock are moved every day in a small cage with adequate space so they are always fed fresh grass (or as Joe Salatin labels it as “salad bar” for the animals). By moving the cages on the field’s everyday not only does it provide a fresh salad bar for the animals, but it helps fertilize the soil. The droppings from the turkeys are not harmful because there were no pesticides sprayed, and no toxins dumped on the ground, it’s purely grass and nutrient based soil. Every single time one of the animals eats, it then digests nutrient based droppings into the soil, and in the end having a result of fertilized soil allowing the grass to grow green and healthy again. It’s a continued process that Joe Salatin lives by every single day and will for the rest of his life, producing healthy, happy livestock. His animals never have to sit or breathe in the toxins from their droppings, never have to be injected with hormones, antibiotics, or anything else just to keep them alive.
Now let’s talk about Factory farming, the unethical process of raising livestock in high confinement grow houses. Confinement at a high stocking density allowed by the USDA is to utilize every cubic foot by stacking animals on top of each other to produce the highest output at the lowest cost. However confinement at high stocking density requires antibiotics, pesticides, and harmful toxins to reduce the spread of disease and bacteria. The large concentration of livestock in small spaces poses ethical issues simply because the livestock stays in their own waste, the livestock stays around other animals that have died, they breathe in the toxins from their waste, they are injected with antibiotics and hormones, and to sum it all up the animals are always in distress and fear. Often times the animals parts are removed to prevent them from harming or killing one another. “Farmers get more money for chickens with enlarged thighs and breasts. As a result, they breed the animals to be so heavy that their bones cannot support their weight. Consequently, the chickens have difficulty standing, and their legs often break. Like other factory farmed animals, broiler chickens are raised in such overcrowded enclosures that they become aggressive. To stop them from fighting with one another, their beaks and toes are cut off without anesthetic.¹” Now I understand that Farmers feed the American population which is increasing more in time. However it is a very questionable business practice for factory famers to treat animals in this nature. After watching many videos on the internet about factory farming conditions I no longer want to buy chicken or beef from grocery stores, but the sad thing is-I am forced to do so thanks to the USDA forcing small farm owners out of business.
Growing up in Pennsylvania Dutch areas I remember the beauty of the farms, how free the animals looked, and the hard work and dedication of the farmers. Many of the farmers in my area worked extremely long hours, and for very little pay. Most the farmers work just to feed their families. I used to eat the meat from the livestock, buy eggs, fruit and vegetables, and drink raw milk from all these farms. Not once did I ever become ill from the fresh produce. It was the healthiest my body has ever been and now ever will be. It is sad to know I cannot buy raw milk and produce from the farmers anymore. Everything my parents bought when I was a child is a crime to the USDA today. Now-a-days it’s all about the more bank for the buck instead of healthy normal farm raised animals and produce. The giant corporations that run factory farms realized that they can make more money by cramming animals into tiny spaces, even though many of the animals become ill, and some even die. Furthermore don’t forget about the wastes from the animals. Manure that is packed with the hormones/injections is now leaking into our environment, leading to major concerns whether or not it’s contaminating the water we drink. Corporations simply pack livestock on caged trucks, (again where they are restricted from movement) and package the stressed-hormone injected, waste-fed animals into your grocery store for you to buy and feed to your family. Most of the animals will not feel sunlight on their backs, or the soft fresh green grass they can walk on and eat. Most Americans think that you can eat healthy meals and sustain this healthy lifestyle, but in reality horrendous side effects await you and your children in the future. “In 2010, the crowded, unsanitary conditions at two Iowa egg companies caused a recall of more than half a billion potentially Salmonella-tainted eggs.²” To think the eggs you wanted to buy for cooking could have been traced with salmonella simply because disease is spreading so rapidly on factory farms. Who wants to recognize what really happens to the meat we eat each day? For me, it was a total eye opener with the intensions of doing what I can to make sure that when I have a family, I will do my best to prevent illness by eating such un-nutritional animals. Factory farming is an Immoral, un-ethical, and down-right wrong. Heartbreaking to know the red Barnyards you used to see driving down the road and the beauty of the green pastures are now distant memories to so many.
“The 99% vs. Monsanto”
Monsanto is the world’s leading producer of genetically modified organisms, and patens on 95% of GMO’s owned worldwide. Monsanto’s drive for profit and control of the global food system threatens food safety and biodiversity. Monsanto also produces dangerous chemicals that poison communities, and add toxins to the food supply. This mass producing concept requires more water and energy that exacerbate climate change, in the end promoting deforestation, and health risks to humans. “In May of 2010, scientists from the University of Montreal and Harvard University released a study that found that exposure to pesticide residues on vegetables and fruit may double a child’s risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a condition that can cause inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in children.” ³ It’s almost shocking to know the Government passed laws that Monsanto- (the owner of the famous “weed killer” RoundUp, and producer of genetically modified Organisms,) will not be liable for producing any hazardous crops they produce. Essentially Monsanto will not slow the use of their pesticides, and in summary Monsanto is nicknamed the “revolving door” corporation.
Back in 1994 there was a huge investigation of whether or not three members of the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) had ties with Monsanto before their approval of Bovine Growth Hormone. “The highest ranking is Michael Taylor, deputy commissioner for policy, a past FDA employee who rejoined the agency in 1991 from the Washington law firm King and Spalding, which represents Monsanto. Also named was Margaret A. Miller, deputy director of the agency’s office of new animal drugs. The letter characterized her as “a former Monsanto company employee” who wrote the FDA’s opinion on why milk from bST-treated cows should not require special labeling. A third staff member, Susan Sechen, was described as a data reviewer at the FDA who had worked as a graduate student for a Cornell University professor who conducted Monsanto-sponsored research on bST.”4
Mainly all three FDA workers had connections to the company Monsanto and no repercussions were made. As far as the FDA was concerned all three of them did a fantastic job introducing the Bovine Growth Hormone. Talk about a reality check! The above paragraph stated that Margaret Miller wrote the opinion on why bST-treated cow’s milk should NOT require special labeling. Of course Margaret an FDA employee supporting Monsanto’s GMO’s 100% would write something like that. The FDA requires that orange juice labels provide the information whether or not the oranges come from frozen or fresh oranges. So doesn’t it make sense that genetically engineered foods containing experimental viral, bacterial, insect, plant or animal genes should be labeled too? This also happened a few times with congress. Back in 2008 when Obama was up for re-election, Monsanto helped with the funding of millions to the Obama administration. No wonder Obama is such a main supporter of Monsanto’s tactics, and basically lets the company get away with murder. Obama’s plans for a “better world” are tied up in the globalist agendas, and Obama’s supporters will never see the truth because they are so blinded by the light of this puppet run president. Bovine Growth Hormones are a bioengineered hormone that when injected into cows, it forces them to produce more milk. This More for the Buck policy they are striving for is not only inhumane, but additionally passes the hormones to humans causing numerous illnesses. “Monsanto's own data shows that there is a 79% increase in mastitis (udder infections) and a resulting 19% increase in somatic cell counts (pus & bacteria in the milk)”5 If The milk you drink everyday for a source of vitamins and minerals is now contaminated with growth hormones that potentially lead to illness and cancers, I definitely think there should be a warning label stating the milk was produced from Bovine Growth Hormones. The Bovine hormone also brings forth cancer risks. “The presence of rBGH in the cow's blood stimulates production of another hormone, called Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1, or IGF-1. It is IGF-1 that is directly responsible for increasing milk production.”5 Americans have the right to know what is happening to the foods they purchase, and every side effect that may go along with it. I guarantee 99% of Americans would yearn to eat organic healthy food instead of the Hormone Growth injected meats the USDA and FDA produce. The argument with buying organic is the fact that the prices are costly to an average shopper. Costs would not have to be this way if we would have left the agriculture system the way it was many years ago. I understand that population increased; however it’s completely obtainable for farmers to produce enough food to feed Americans. There are so many acres of farmland that Monsanto purchased from small farm owners so the company can produce more genetic corn crops. Instead of plowing land down to mass produce corn for unnecessary causes, farmers could have produced healthy produce, or land for faming. Now farmers who stick to the organic roots have to raise the prices of their product so they can survive. America fell off track with what is important to the people, deciding to keep corporations growing larger by mass producing everything, and as an end result we all have to suffer the consequences.
“David meets Goliath- Small Farmers and Consumers vs. Monsanto.”
Monsanto has long been trying to establish control over the seeds of plants that produce food for the world. They continue to paten a number of genetically altered food crops, which require a proper license to grow, and the seeds have to be purchased new each year. It’s so unnecessary that farmers are forced to purchase new seeds each year, and if they dare to try and recycle Monsanto will have a lawsuit waiting for you. “Monsanto is also destroying family and organic farms. Farmers who use Monsanto’s seeds are barred from re-using seeds from year to year and are charged skyrocketing prices for seeds and the chemicals that go with them. These farmers are also threatened and intimidated by lawsuits from Monsanto that result in large fines and can lead to bankruptcy. And farmers who do not use Monsanto seeds have to change their farming practices to try to protect their crops from being contaminated by Monsanto crops (for which the farmer can be sued). Organic farmers are particularly threatened by contamination.” There is no longer “making use,” or “recycling” of seeds for farmers that purchased the product from Monsanto. You can feed the seeds to animals, feed it to your family, use it to make tofu burgers, but you cannot simply pick the seeds up and throw them in someone’s face, because somewhere Monsanto passed a law saying you can’t do so. Why in the world would anyone be forced to buy the same seed over and over again each year when you can simply harvest the ones from the previous year? Monsanto should have no right to force such bogus patents on farmers every year. I can’t even begin to understand how the company gets away with successfully suing hundreds of unexpected farmers for some harebrained patent infringement. Many farmers have subsequently, quite, and literally lost their farms. Is that what Monsanto is striving for, to push farmers and their family into poverty? Hard to believe, but it’s the truth.
“On March 26, siding once again with corporations, President Obama signed into law a spending bill with a “Monsanto Protection Rider.” This requires the government to allow GMO crops to be planted before an environmental and health assessment is completed. This means that crops may be planted with the permission of the USDA even if it is not known whether they are harmful.7” Any pollen, pesticides, or chemicals that you were not supposed to use, Even if there is cross contamination of pollen from a completely different farmer Monsanto will sue you. A completely un-ethical process, if Monsanto wants to monitor farmers so much they should start paying attention to where and when they are spraying their toxic chemicals. Obama is outrageous for passing that law holding farmers accountable for something Mother Nature’s wind could have caused. Monsanto owns so many different crops that use their seed it’s almost impossible not to have cross contamination. In conclusion to me it seems that we as American people have to eat grass feed meat. Pay a fortune to eat organic fruits and vegetables, or produce grown from non-GMO seeds, filter our water, use organic household products, take natural supplements without additives, exercise daily, and Get 6 to 8 hours of sleep, just to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Who wants to do this every single day of their life? Why should I have to work so hard for my body to receive the nutrients it needs? There is a rising stand against Monsanto, and the Obama administration to stop the use of GMO’s, pesticides, toxins, and to reverse the laws that come with a Monsanto contract. It’s mind-blowing to know that a pregnant woman can smoke a cigarette if she wants to, or take her children to get fast food every week, but she simply is being pushed further and further away from buying organic for her children. Not to mention if a mother tries to buy healthy, half the time she has no clue what happened to the meat and vegetables she purchased. Hopefully in the future I will see a brighter side so that I can feed my children healthy, delicious foods. I do not want my children to become obese, have cancer risks from milk, or simply be forced to eat GMO’s. I know that sooner or later Monsanto will cross paths with the wrong individuals and war will be raised. I know I will stand up and fight to help pass the word around the world of what is happening to the food you eat, and farms that raised the food every single day.
Work cited
1) (LCA- LAST CHANCE FOR ANIMALS)-http://www.lcanimal.org/index.php/campaigns/other-issues/factory-farming, (Chris DeRose)
2) (FACTORY FARM MAP, fourth topic-Spreading Disease, 5th sentence) http://www.factoryfarmmap.org/problems/
3) (TOXINS ACTION CENTER)- http://www.toxicsaction.org/problems-and-solutions/pesticides 4) (Moms Across America March)- Washington Post Article-Probe of 3 FDA
Officials sought.
5) (Bovine Growth Hormone- “Does nobody good” ), by Mike Ewall, second paragraph-Pus, Cancer http://www.ejnet.org/bgh/nogood.html
6) (The Green Shadow Cabinet)-“Losing Biodiversity and farmers” Paragraph 3. http://greenshadowcabinet.us/statements/ecology-what-must-be-done-about-monsanto-corporation-and-why
7) (Common Dreams) https://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/04/08-7