Since 1992, the FDA has granted GM foods what is known as GRAS status (generally recognized as safe), meaning they can be commercialized without any additional testing (unlike a food additive would be required to, for instance). According to U.S. law, a substance can only be considered GRAS after thorough testing and peer-reviewed studies, and then, only if the majority of the scientific community deems it safe. GM foods bypassed both these steps. In 1992, the FDA released this statement: "The agency is not aware of any information showing that foods derived by these new methods differ from other foods in any meaningful or uniform way." This is the statement of policy that released GM foods into our supply and it still holds today. However, private memos and internal documents that were made public in a lawsuit reveal that the FDA's own scientists were saying the exact opposite. The overwhelming consensus among the scientists was that GM crops can have unpredictable and hard to detect side effects and should be studied and tested before they are put on the market.

Currently, GM food can be found in 60-70% of what is sold in the average American supermarket. No labeling is required of GM foods so, chances are, you've been eating GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and feeding them to your family and you don't even know it. In the years since GM crops have entered our food supply, there have been quite a few studies conducted on their possible effects, as well as documented incidences of their negative and sometimes lethal effect on livestock. Unfortunately for us, the news is not good. Here are just a few of these studies:

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) has urged physicians to advise all patients to avoid GM foods, stating "Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food." These include infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, faulty insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system.

One of the most comprehensive studies on GMOs was conducted on GM potatoes that were engineered to produce their own pesticide by inserting them with a gene from the snowdrop plant, which did in fact protect them from insects. In the study, one group of rats was fed the GM potatoes, one group of rats was fed natural potatoes, and the final group of rats was fed natural potatoes while also receiving a dose of the same insecticide that the GM potato produced to rule out any side effects from the pesticide itself. They all ate the same, overall balanced diet. Both the rats who ate the natural potatoes and the ones with the dose of the insecticide were fine. But, the rats that ate the GM potatoes had severe problems in every organ and every system.

In March of 2013, President Obama signed into law a bill passed by both the House and the Senate known as the "Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013". Buried deep in the 587 page bill, was Section 735, a provision now dubbed as the "Monsanto Protection Act". (Monsanto is a multi-national agricultural biotechnology corporation based in Missouri and the leading producer and owner of GM seed and corresponding patents.) In a nutshell, this provision bans the U.S. court system from being able to cease or halt the production and sale of GM crops should any lawsuits be under way that challenge the safety of these products. According to this law, farmers of GM crops will be granted temporary deregulation status for any and all crops previously deemed safe by the US Department of Agriculture. If a major lawsuit is ever brought against the FDA, for instance, that challenges their 1992 policy statement, the courts will not be allowed to cease production of the GM crops while the case is under review. Considering how long appeals can take, this severely ties the hands of our courts system as well as puts the American public at risk. This law remains in effect until September of 2013 at which time it can be overturned.

Beyond the health risks to humans, there is serious risk to the planet and our food supply. While the biotech industry claims that they can maintain control over the GM crops, there is already evidence of possible accidental cross pollination with natural plants, meaning the longer GM crops are grown on this earth, the higher the risk that our entire food supply will be compromised.

Tips for Shopping Non-GMO

1. Buy Organic. Any product labeled as organic cannot intentionally use any GMO ingredients. If it also has the Non-GMO Verified Seal, you can be doubly sure there are no genetically modified ingredients.
2. Look for the Non-GMO Verified Seal, as shown below. The Non-GMO Project is a non-profit organization committed to providing consumers with clearly labeled and independently verified non-GMO choices.
3. Avoid At-Risk Ingredients. For all foods without the seal that are not organic, avoid any with foods from the GMO list. They are: corn, soybeans, canola, cottonseed, sugar beets, Hawaiian papaya (most), and a small amount of zucchini and yellow squash. (Roughly 88% of corn grown in U.S. is GM, 93% of soy, 94% of cotton, 90% of canola, 75% of Hawaiian papaya, and 54% of sugar beets.) If a non-organic product labels "sugar" as an ingredient and not "pure cane sugar", it is most likely a mix of sugar cane and sugar beets. Also, non-organic dairy products may be from cows injected with the GM bovine growth hormone. Look for dairy labeled "No rBGH, rBST, or artificial hormones," or check brand listings at NonGMOShoppingGuide.com.
4. Download the Guide.   Visit this website: NonGMOShoppingGuide.com to download the growing list of  non-GMO products available. There is also an iPhone application available for free.