Simply GMO’s exist to keep large farm, corporate production alive and profitable. Why not trend towards the need for local, sustainable family farms that can produce smaller amounts that are not genetically modified?

While attending the Canadian Organics Conference this weekend, I was shocked to hear some of the stories told by farmers from Central Canada.

I knew, after many years of research, that it might take a traditional farm that used to use chemicals, pesticides and fungicides 3-5 years to be approved as an Organic farm and, in most cases, they would be operating at a loss. This is sad but true.

Many large farms in Saskatchewan and Manitoba decided that being an Organic farm would be the way to go. They all knew the repercussions of farming with chemicals – the formation of asthma, seasonal allergies, food allergies and sensitivities – and that Organic is a better, safer way to produce food for you and me.

There was a very good presentation by Gilles-Eric Seralini that supports how we need to be concerned with GMO foods and the chemicals used to treat these foods in large scale production. He shares his findings published in Food & Chemical Toxicology saying that tumours, organ damage and premature death occurred in the studies they conducted on rats, specifically related to the chemical Roundup. All of this messing around with nature is creating havoc in the farming industry and in our food system.

What is GMO or Genetically Modified Food? One way to describe the process is that science has the ability to create plants that produce their own pesticides that are lethal to insects by inserting genes from non-plant organisms. An example would be how the scientists genetically modified corn by using B.t., Bacillus thuringiensis, in genetic engineering to produce pesticides against the European corn borer. This is simply wrong.

Not only has corn been genetically modified; since 1994 over 81 GMO foods have appeared in our food system. In Canada we grow genetically modified corn, canola, soy, and possible testing now on other foods. GM potatoes, wheat and squash are grown in the US. There are about 73 other GMO foods that we are exposed to every day that come from outside Canada. I have yet to see a label that let’s me know there are GMO’s in any product I am consuming here in Canada.

I wonder if they thought about all the insects that exist in the ecosystem before they created such a horrendous mess with our food. What about our children, the air they breath, the water they drink and food they eat? Is this contributing to the current problems with our butterflies and bees? Can you imagine, they spray Round up and grow genetically modified foods 50 feet from my house? Thank goodness the farmer calls me to gather the kids and my dog to go inside for hours during and after the spray. I wonder why.

There is more. Genetically modified foods can be created to become drought resistant, and maybe in the near future they will enhance or change the taste of our food. How about lettuce that tastes like the garlic dressing you used to put on it?  Most farmers who are using these GMO seeds have their hands tied. They still have to use chemicals, fertilizers, fungicides and pesticides to farm even thought they were told they would not have to by the seed producing company. Often these seeds need more irrigation, not less and now we have super weeds with resistance to chemicals, not just weeds. GMOs were supposedly designed to help a starving world, increase yields, but really it seems that they just make more money for the company who creates the new foods genetically.

One farmer at the convention started his conversation via Skype saying, “It’s all about the money.”

Well, he made us all laugh, and my thoughts went right to Kevin O’Leary …

And you have to ask yourself, why would a farmer be saying this? Is it possible this is true? We want cheap food at cheap prices, yes we do. We need the best cars, the best electronic devices, but to hell with buying organic food that will keep us healthy to live long and productive lives! And what about local Organic?

The market for organic farming is still very small and it needs your help. Become aware of the need to help a food system that is teetering on the edge. Realize that answers to prevent illness and disease are directly related to how we treat our land, water, animals and the food that is grown for human and animal consumption. We all need to generate a profit in order to stay in business and feed our families, but at what cost?

I discovered by listening to the farmers at the conference that organic farming has several challenges that they may not be able to overcome anytime soon. While they were explaining the challenges to us, the fear is they may give up farming organically for good.

In the points listed below, this is what they were saying…

1. The market for organics is very small.
2. When you convert your farm you have new challenges, weeds and labour.
3. Weather can destroy crops overnight; insurance pays less if you’re organic.
4. Organic manure and organic feed are often not readily available.
5. Yields are much smaller initially, and funding from the government is scarce.
6. You need to find new customers all over again, and many may not be local.
7. How long can a farmer sustain with rising costs in fuel, machinery, labour?
8. Too much red tape around growing organic; rules/regulations are too strict.
9. Problems with pricing. Costly to produce what the market wants to pay.
   10. You may have the best product in the world but, if you have a limited market, you may have no one to buy it.

They all agree that organic is the way to go, but to lose the family farm in the process is not the solution. The answer is with us, the consumers. We need to understand the importance of the Vintage Seed; the value in seed saving that has been done for thousands of years to produce foods packed with nutrition, not GMO science.

From between 1500 and 910 BC, we have a valuable seed that is now trending among foodies for its health benefits. It is the Chia Seed. Why would we want science to mess with perfection?

I know we are at a crossroad with organics, and I respect and appreciate what organic organizations are doing to protect and promote it within the community. However, I do not see the information filtering down to our average consumers. The conference seemed to attract the believer, not the skeptic or the average consumer looking to make better food choices.

Everyone has the right to eat natural non-GMO food and organic food at a fair price. Currently organic food is on its way to being a food for the rich and it will keep going this way unless we create enough demand to keep the prices down. Food labelling is still not telling the consumer here in North America that they are eating GMO products every day. Food allergies, is there a connection? Are we consuming foods that are confusing the body?

The problem that I have is there is no emphasis on local organic. How can we justify eating organic food produced all aver the globe? That is not teaching sustainability and practicality, or supporting local. There is no emphasis on seasonal organic either. This needs to change in order for organic food to be readily available in all communities, to all families, whether rich, middle class, or less fortunate.

Food for thought … maybe we are all having issues with diabetes, cancers, obesity, heart attacks and diseases of the blood because there is a problem with the seed. Maybe this is why so many of us are addicted to weight loss clinics and fat free foods, yet no matter what some of us eat we cannot seem to get our weight under control and avoid diseases.

Do not fool yourself. It is all about the money – until you and I step in and choose to eat better. Know what is in your food, right down to the seed that was planted.

Let’s keep the need for organic food alive!

Local, Organic and non-GMO

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