by Tanya Augsburger

Created on: October 12, 2009

You may have heard about the debate over whether Genetically Modified(hereafter denoted GM) foods are safe to consume. It is likely that many people would rather avoid GM foods until the research indicates that it is indeed safe. That is what this article will help you to do.

There are currently 12 GM plant species approved for commercial food production in the U.S.

These consist of:
1. Corn
2. Cotton
3. Potatoes
4. Tomatoes
5. Soybeans
6. Canola
7. Sugar Beets
8. Rice
9. Flax
10. Some Squash/Zucchini
11. Papaya
12. Chicory (Radicchio)

Also, it would be wise to keep in mind:
*Wheat is also in the works to be GM in the near future.
* Much of the milk in the U.S. is taken from cows given rBgh/rBst(recombinant bovine growth hormone, genetically modified by Monsanto and given to many herds to promote more milk production). Monsanto is trying to make it illegal for those NOT using rBgh/rBst to be able to say so on their labels, because people might think there is something wrong with milk containing these GM hormones and not buy it, and that would hurt (Monsanto's) business.
*Conventional beef, pork and chicken is fed a GM corn and soy diet.

How do we effectively avoid consuming GM foods? That seems like it would be impossible for most people, but it can be done. You may not be able to avoid GM foods completely if you live in the U.S., since GM foods do not legally have to be declared and labeled but there are ways to drastically reduce your GM exposure.

Here are 8 steps you can take.

1. The easiest way to avoid to GM exposure is to buy foods that are Certified Organic. If a food is Certified Organic, it cannot legally contain any GM ingredients. Unfortunately, Certified Organic foods are not available to every person, and that is not always an option. So then what?

2. Another option is to buy from a local farmer who has not bought into the GM market. You will need to ask the farmer about what they feed their livestock(if you are looking to buy non-GM-fed meats. Free range and pastured is best), what foods they grow(are they heirlooms? are they purchased from Monsanto/feed store/conventional granary?), and their farming practices if you are concerned about pesticides and herbicides. Often a farmer's market is a good place to purchase local produce and meats, but it is a good idea to talk with the seller to get a better idea of whether or not the food is likely GM. An excellent source of information, and a help in locating farmers such as these is www.localharvest.org and www.eatwild.com

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