FAO- Food and Agriculture Organization
Established on October 16, 1945. The FAO acts as a neutral forum in which all nations can meet and negotiate agreements and debate policy. “We help developing countries and countries in transition modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all.” (FAO) Broken down into four main areas, the FAO’s “activities” are: 1. Putting information within reach, 2. Sharing policy expertise, 3. Providing a meeting place for nations, and 4. Bringing knowledge to the field. In regards to GM crops and food safety, along with the WHO, the FAO established the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which sets international food standards. (FAO)
Codex Alimentarius Commission
Latin for "food code," this commission was established in 1963 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and is currently made up of 151 member countries. Their main focus is promoting and protecting consumer health as well as making sure fair practices are maintained in regards to international trade. The World Trade Organization (WTO) considers them a pivotal reference point for resolving disputes concerning food safety and protecting consumer health. It is perceived that they favor and support global agribusiness over farmers and consumers.
WHO- World Health Organization
Established on April 7, 1948. The WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. “It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends. (WHO) They have broken down their purpose into 6 points, Promoting development, Fostering health security, strengthening health systems, Harnessing research, information and evidence, enhancing partnerships and Improving performance.
USDA- United States Department of Agriculture
The USDA is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing US federal government policy on farming, agriculture and food. “It aims to meet the needs of farmers and ranchers, promote agricultural trade and production, work to assure food safety, protect natural resources, foster rural communities and end hunger in the United States and abroad.” (USDA)
FDA- Food and Drug Administration
Is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. It is one of the United States federal executive departments responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety in particular. (FDA) It is through the FDA that certain foods are either given the thumbs up or down, the issue concerning the FDA and GM crops is that there is a lack of labeling of all GM foods, so many people are consuming GM crops and they may have no idea. The FDA is supposed to enforce laws that uphold the public health of our country, how can we be sure of anything if it is not properly labeled?
Monsanto
“Monsanto is an agricultural company. When farmers succeed, we succeed. Using the tools of modern biology, we help farmers grow more yield sustainably so they can produce more and conserve more. After all, it is the world’s farmers that truly feed, clothe and fuel our growing world. We produce leading seed brands in large-acre crops like corn, cotton, and oilseeds (soybeans and canola), as well as small-acre crops like vegetables. We also produce leading in-the-seed trait technologies for farmers that are aimed at protecting their yield, supporting their on-farm efficiency and reducing their on-farm costs.” (Monsanto) Monsanto is capitalizing on GM crops, but while they are helping farmers yield the highest profit, are they harming the long term health of the consumers?
Farmers
Farmers are given the choice to either use GM seeds or not. In using them, they have the potential to increase their yield astronomically, but at the same time, they could be destroying the land they are growing on for years to come, not allowing for any pure agricultural to flourish. Monsanto has a strong influence on the farmers in particular, but are they providing the farmers with this pertinent information?
Consumers
As consumers, we like to believe that producers have our best interest in mind, but when something is not labeled, or we do not have conclusive results on whether or not our health is at risk, we have to question everything. Not being versed in all of the science behind biotechnology we rely on others to give us a heads up on what we should be putting in our bodies, when in fact we should be able to make these decisions ourselves. GM crops should be tested thoroughly and conclusively to be able to assure that we as consumers are not potentially harming our health down the road. I would think that most people would want that validation long before GM crops are given the thumbs up to be sold, but sadly that is not the case.