Modified foods need to be labeled

Genetically engineered foods have been sitting on supermarket shelves and in our pantries for over 15 years without our knowledge or consent.

GE foods are not the result of a traditional cross-breeding process. Rather, they are created through the direct manipulation of the DNA of a crop.

Genes from other plants and even animals are spliced into the DNA of a seed. Thus the alteration is taking place at the most fundamental level of life.

The problem with the overwhelming majority of genetically engineered seeds is that they are specifically designed to be herbicide resistant or create pesticides within each cell. Often times, crops end up requiring the use of more chemicals due to the evolution of super-bugs and super-weeds, which become resistant to prolonged herbicide and pesticide use. Additionally despite the lack of long-term studies proving the safety of genetically engineered crops for the environment, or human consumption, no crops have been rejected for commercial cultivation.

Farmers and consumers in the United States are at an unnecessary risk. In fact, most consumers believe they have a right to know what they are eating and to get enough information to make informed choices about the food they purchase.

A 2008 CBS/New York Times poll found that more than half of American consumers would not likely choose to buy GE foods, and 87 percent wanted all GE ingredients to be labeled.

Currently, there are more than 60 countries which require GE foods to be labeled and a dozen which enforce bans.

It is important to realize how ubiquitous GE foods are.

Derivatives of corn are in most processed foods — including cereals, granola bars and pre-made meals — and since 88 percent of corn in the United States is genetically engineered, it is very likely that most processed foods contain GE ingredients.

Furthermore, much of our livestock is fed GE corn and soybean feed and therefore upon consuming this meat, we are unknowingly exposed to genetically engineered food.

These foods are far more pervasive than many of us may have realized.

We have the right to know what is in our food, and Albuquerque has an opportunity to lead New Mexico by passing a local resolution supporting labeling.

We ask readers to urge the Albuquerque City Council to champion a resolution supporting genetically engineered food labeling.