by Juliet M. Getty, PhD.
Non-GMO. Do you know what it means? And is it better than GMO? It must be, right? Otherwise, it wouldn’t be displayed on food-labels as something to brag about. But is it the same as organic? Is organic better than non-GMO? So many questions! Confused?
What does GMO mean?
GMO stands for “genetically modified organism.” GMO foods have been genetically engineered to withstand certain conditions or chemicals, in particular, herbicides that can tackle weeds — one of the most significant problems that farmers face. The development of plants that could survive when sprayed with a weed-killer was a dream come true for farmers desperate to find a solution to this overwhelming problem.
The most dramatic and frightening of all GMOs are those that are “Roundup Ready.” These GMO crops can be sprayed with the herbicide, Roundup (Monsanto), dramatically increasing productivity by killing the damaging weeds without harming the plant. Sounds wonderful on the surface, that is, until you dig deeper.
