Aug 21, 2014

GMO Farming, Healthy and Smart

I get this question a lot. Do you eat GMO foods? Absolutely I do and so does my family.  A local farmer talks to me about why he plants GMO seeds. 


  • What are GMO foods?
    • The World Health Organization defines genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally. It allows selected individual genes to be transferred from one organism into another, including between nonrelated species. Such methods are used to create GMO plants – which result in GMO food crops. This technology is called biotechnology.
    • Farmers and gardeners have been creating plant hybrids for as long as they’ve been growing plants. Biotechnology simply serves as a more technologically advanced method.
    • USDA says that while particular biotech traits may be new to certain crops, the same basic types of traits are often found naturally in plants and allow them to survive and evolve.


  • What do we know about GMO food safety?
    • Every plant improved through the use of food biotechnology is examined by the FDA and EPA for potential health risks. Tests are done on plants before entering the food and animal feed supply. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that current foods containing biotech ingredients have passed human health risk assessments. In addition, the WHO says no effects on human health have been shown as a result of the consumption of biotech foods.

  • ·         The following organizations have studied the issue and say genetic engineering is safe:
    o   The National Research Council of the US National Academies of Science
    o   Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
    o   The United Nationals Food and Agriculture Organization
    o   The World Health Organization
    o   The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
    o   The American Medical Association
    o   The American Dietetic Association
    o   The Council on Agriculture Science and British Medical Association
    o   The European Commission
    o   Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
     
    Have more questions about GMO's? check out www.findourcommonground.com

    Aug 19, 2014

    Project #Watchthemgrow week 15

    This week we have one of my favorite farmers, Billy Pontius from Lazy "P" Farms in the field. Billy was kind enough to let me pester him and do this video.  A huge shout out goes  to him for always participating in my strange requests and educating me about what they are doing. I ask a lot of questions but by now I think he would expect nothing less.

    Billy walks us through what he is looking for when he does his checks in the field. It is very important to keep an eye on what is happening not only for this year's crop but years down the road.


    Aug 16, 2014

    National Honey Bee Day Get the Real Bzzz

    I don't know about you, but I am not a fan of bees. I am actually terrified by them. I swell up like a balloon and itch at the sting of one of those little boogers. I do however realize that the honey bee is very important not just to make pollinate flowers but to allow us to enjoy many of our favorite foods.

    Bees play a vital role in our agricultural system, making the care and protection of bees critical to the future of our planet’s food security. In fact, more than a quarter of all plants consumed in the U.S. are dependent upon honey bee pollination for their very existence. That’s how important bees are to our food supply. 

    Bayer Crop Science has put together a really neat  Bee Care Program to ensure the protection of quite possibly the most important piece of our food system.
    Want to get more information on the honey Bee Care Bzzz? Sign up for the e-news letter.

    Aug 7, 2014

    #Watchthemgrow Video Blog Update

    Roll that Beautiful Soy(bean) footage: Week 13

    Campbell and Parker wanted to make a video blog this week, I think they did a great job!





     http://youtu.be/tbtpjDi37us