Genetically engineered (GE) foods have been heralded as the solution to food shortages in the future, as biotech companies modify the DNA of crops in an effort to make them more robust. Certain GE crops can now withstand freezing temperatures or are resilient to heavy applications of pesticides and herbicides. The Just Label It campaign calls on the FDA to mandate the labeling of genetically modified foods. GE crops are widespread in the United States. Nationwide, 93 percent of the soybean crop is genetically modified to resist the large volumes of herbicides used to combat weeds that compete with the soybeans. Although these DNA modifications aim to improve a crop’s vitality on one hand, genetic engineering also can have many unintended consequences for both the environment and human health.
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Eroding U.S. Federal Oversight of Genetically Engineered Crops
