Thursday, August 27, 2009

GMO VS ORGANIC...DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE EATING PT.1?

FIRST OFF, WHAT IS ORGANIC? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_food)
Organic foods are made according to certain production standards. For the vast majority of human history, agriculture can be described as organic; only during the 20th century was a large supply of new synthetic chemicals introduced to the food supply. This more recent style of production is referred to as "conventional," though organic production has been the convention for a much greater period of time. Under organic production, the use of conventional non-organic pesticides, insecticides and herbicides is greatly restricted and saved as a last resort. However, contrary to popular belief, certain non-organic fertilizers are still used. If livestock are involved, they must be reared without the routine use of antibiotics and without the use of growth hormones, and generally fed a healthy diet.[citation needed] In most countries, organic produce may not be genetically modified. It has been suggested that the application of nanotechnology to food and agriculture is a further technology that needs to be excluded from certified organic food[1]. The Soil Association (UK) has been the first organic certifier to implement a nano-exclusion[2].
Organic food production is a heavily regulated industry, distinct from private gardening. Currently, the European Union, the United States, Canada, Japan and many other countries require producers to obtain special certification in order to market food as "organic" within their borders. Most certifications allow some chemicals and pesticides to be used, so consumers should be aware of the standards for qualifying as "organic" in their respective locales.
Historically, organic farms have been relatively small family-run farms[3]—which is why organic food was once only available in small stores or farmers' markets. However, since the early 1990s organic food production has had growth rates of around 20% a year, far ahead of the rest of the food industry, in both developed and developing nations. As of April 2008, organic food accounts for 1–2% of food sales worldwide.

WHAT IS A GMO, OR A GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISM? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_organism)
A genetically modified organism (GMO) or genetically engineered organism (GEO) is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. These techniques, generally known as recombinant DNA technology, use DNA molecules from different sources, which are combined into one molecule to create a new set of genes. This DNA is then transferred into an organism, giving it modified or novel genes. Transgenic organisms, a subset of GMOs, are organisms which have inserted DNA that originated in a different species. Some GMOs contain no DNA from other species and are therefore not transgenic but cisgenic.
SO WHICH IS BETTER FOR US AND THE ENVIRONMENT? I think the answer is clear.
CHECK OUT THIS ARTICLE AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_683.cfm
Patrick Stark
Executive Chef
"The Stark Raving Chef"
www.StarkRavingChef.com
http://starkravingchef.blogspot.com/
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