As agriculturalists, we need to educate consumers about the safety of the crops and livestock we produce. Despite what many environmental groups contend, there have been thousands of studies (many of them long-term and independently funded) on the safety of food produced with genetically modified ingredients. The conclusion is that they are safe. One of the most compelling studies was completed in 2014 and led by UC Davis animal scientist Alison Van Eenennaam. According to the study, food producing animals such as cows, pigs, goats, chickens and other poultry currently consume 70 to 90 percent of all genetically engineered crops. In the U.S. alone, over 9 billion food-producing animals are produced annually, with 95 percent of them consuming feed that has been genetically modified. After looking at animal feed studies spanning 30 years and over 100 billion animals, Van Eenennaam concluded that the milk, meat and eggs from animals that have consumed feed with genetically modified ingredients are indistinguishable from those that consumed non-GMO feed.
In addition to the studies, many medical, food safety and scientific associations support the use of GMOs. These include: American Medical Association; World Health Organization; American Association for the Advancement of Science; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; International Union of Food Science and Technology; Australian, Brazilian, Chinese, French, Mexican and United States Academies of Science and many others.
