There’s been a great deal of news and publicity regarding the safety of genetically engineered and modified foods. For many of you, I’m just preaching to the choir. Again, while we ought to be able to choose between eating genetically engineered foods or not, there is more to this conflict than just labeling. Let me explain. Each week I receive a newsletter from my farm share delivery service Abundant Harvest Organics. On the back of each newsletter is a section called “Who’s Your Farmer?” This is where you can find exactly what farm each item in the basket came from as well as their contact information. On the website there is a section where you can read all about each farm, farmer, and their families and most, if not all, have posted videos as well. I know the food I receive from Abundant Harvest is organic, local, and grown with care. If the fruit is cosmetically challenged, we are given a special deal on the purchase. If the peaches are later than usual, “Uncle Vern” usually gives an explantion of what’s going on and when to expect the crop. We, the buyers, are kept abreast of both the newest bounties as well as the latest havoc caused by the weather. We rejoice with the farmers when things go well (which is most of the time) and suffer a little with them when they don’t. The point is, I know how, where, and by whom most of the produce I eat is grown. I didn’t need the government to label this fresh food for me. I also shop at local farmer’s markets when possible. I speak with the farmer’s and develop relationships with them. Not all of the farmer’s are certified organic. However, most of them profess to employing solely organic principles. Just today at a local farmer’s market I asked a rancher if the cattle were given hormones or antibiotics. He stated that the cattle were never given hormones. He also informed us that no antibiotics were given unless the animal was sick and required them. I appreciate the honest answer. I bought some sausage from him. I’m getting to know my farmer’s and ranchers. I trust them. I trust them more than government labeling. The more we grow and raise our own food, purchase from or barter with each other and local farmers, eat more fresh food and less packaged food, the healthier we’ll be. Why is this important? The less responsibility we take for ourselves, the more we surrender to the government. While it’s exciting that California’s Prop 37 made it onto the November 6, 2012 ballot, are we still depending too much on government to do for us what we ought to be doing for ourselves? While I agree it is the right of the people to know if the packaged food they have purchased has been genetically engineered or modified, and labeling those items affirms our liberty to choose the quality of foods we’ll consume, perhaps our responsibility goes further than requiring GMO labeling?
Posted on: Sun, 11 Aug 2013 15:00:00 +0000
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