In the last few decades there have been a number of problems identified with large farming practices and enormous agricultural organizations. Animals that are kept in insufficient spaces, the widespread use of growth hormones and antibiotics, and unsafe or unsanitary processing measures have all made news reports in recent years. On top of this there are concerns about genetically modified crops, which have not been studied but which are being pushed on the public by companies like Monsanto. These same foods are not consumed on company property, but they are deemed safe enough for the general public.
The Food and Drug Administration has disregarded the attempts by the consumers to necessitate the tagging of any genetically modified products so far. Nonetheless, it seems like more and more people are beginning to push for this. In fact, 100% organic products as well as those which are sourced locally are growing in popularity. This way, most of the chemicals or hormones that are consumed can be reduced significantly. There are also many claims that food tinkering is the source of various health problems.
One of the particularly worrying aspect would be the potential consequences of genetically altered organisms (GMO) on the environment. Since whoever creates such modified strains will have the patent on it, if that organization decides to cross-breed the strain with native crops, the remaining species which can be used will be consolidated. If something like this were to happen, a monopoly on the global food supply will arise.
An example of the GMO will be the modification of a certain salmon species which caused it to grow at double its original rate. The creator had claimed that this method would greatly aid in the prevention of hunger and increase the availability of natural resources. There are of course concerns of the potential disastrous effects that would follow if these salmon species were to breed in the wild. The fish could very well start producing unnatural species of deformed genetics.
There is a lot of literature and resources that help explain why the modern farming practices are not desirable, and the dramatic impact that these can have on the future of the food supply. One is In Defense Of Food, a book and documentary that explores this topic in depth. If something is not done soon then the entire world could be at risk, and most who have seen or read this documentary have started paying much closer attention to the origin of their dietary ingredients.
The Food and Drug Administration has disregarded the attempts by the consumers to necessitate the tagging of any genetically modified products so far. Nonetheless, it seems like more and more people are beginning to push for this. In fact, 100% organic products as well as those which are sourced locally are growing in popularity. This way, most of the chemicals or hormones that are consumed can be reduced significantly. There are also many claims that food tinkering is the source of various health problems.
One of the particularly worrying aspect would be the potential consequences of genetically altered organisms (GMO) on the environment. Since whoever creates such modified strains will have the patent on it, if that organization decides to cross-breed the strain with native crops, the remaining species which can be used will be consolidated. If something like this were to happen, a monopoly on the global food supply will arise.
An example of the GMO will be the modification of a certain salmon species which caused it to grow at double its original rate. The creator had claimed that this method would greatly aid in the prevention of hunger and increase the availability of natural resources. There are of course concerns of the potential disastrous effects that would follow if these salmon species were to breed in the wild. The fish could very well start producing unnatural species of deformed genetics.
There is a lot of literature and resources that help explain why the modern farming practices are not desirable, and the dramatic impact that these can have on the future of the food supply. One is In Defense Of Food, a book and documentary that explores this topic in depth. If something is not done soon then the entire world could be at risk, and most who have seen or read this documentary have started paying much closer attention to the origin of their dietary ingredients.
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