Healthy Food Actually Health Hazard

Sarah Orozco

Campo Family Delegation

According to the legislative agenda genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) are a great health threat and hazard to the people living in the state of Florida. A study was done by Harvard University to research this topic and it said this “GMO’s appear to have potential health risks such as antibiotic resistance, foreign toxins and allergens, and contain glyphosate which can cause birth defects and cancerous tumors.”  This should raise our awareness and spark an interest in us to act upon this important issue.  Colin Pearson, a delegate in the Campo chapter decided to take action on this subject and created a bill mandating all food products in Florida to make a visible label that clearly states the product has GMO’s in it. “This is a topic that not everyone knows about and is educated on,” Colin said. “People need to know about it.” Now what are GMO’s (or “genetically modified organisms”)?  The Non-GMO Project gave this definition: “GMO’s are living organisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering, or GE. This relatively new science creates unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacteria and viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional cross breeding methods.”  A recent study done by the FDA shows that GMO’s have been put in our food for an approximate 20 years! Think of that!  Our state of Florida needs to know what products these organisms are in.  This will happen if awareness is brought in and the issue is dealt with.  We must join together and support the side going against GMO’s in our food for the good of our future.