The Non GMO Project is a stakeholder in support of labeling GMOs. The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization committed to preserving and building the non-GMO food supply, educating consumers, and providing verified non-GMO choices. They are known for their butterfly Non-GMO Project verification seal which indicates that the product bearing the seal has gone through their verification process. The seal was created in the absence of mandatory GMO labeling. The verification is “an assurance that a product has been produced according to consensus-based best practices for GMO avoidance” (GMO Facts).
The Non-GMO Project argues there is a growing body of evidence connecting GMOs to health problems, environmental damage, and violation of farmers’ …show more content…
The risks include: toxins, allergies, cancers, gram negative diseases, nutritional and digestive problems, and environmental harm. The IRT reports after GM soy was introduced to the UK, soy allergies went up by 50 percent. Milk from rBGH-treated cows contain an increased amount of the hormone IGF-1, which is in correlation with breast and prostate cancer. Environmentally, weeds adapting to herbicides, develop resistance and evolve into what are called “super weeds.” Furthermore, herbicide use increases and the benefits of herbicide resistant crops are diminished. The IRT reports studies have shown that pesticide-producing crops contaminate nearby streams affecting aquatic life.
The IRT is quoted: “The same political influence and money that got them past the FDA has prevented any labeling laws from being passed. However, President Obama had indicated support for labeling laws during his campaign” (Smith, Jeffrey).
The values of the IRT are very liberal including informing the public of what GMOs are, protecting the vulnerable public from the more powerful corporations by exposing rigged and faulty studies, and explaining “The Big GMO …show more content…
For instance, Monsanto claims “The science and safety behind genetic modification and other advanced breeding techniques are well-established and strongly supported by the scientific community. Credible and independent public health societies and experts around the world also have reviewed the scientific evidence and determined food grown from GMO crops is safe to eat” (Monsanto). Some third-party organizations include the American Medical Association, the Institute of Food Technologists, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Additionally, Monsanto claims there has been no evidence of harm to humans or animals in the 19 years since GMO crops were first commercialized. “There has not been one substantiated instance of illness associated with GMO crops. Additionally, billions of animals have been fed diets that are predominantly made up of GMO crops, and there is no evidence of adverse effects on animal health or productivity”