Don’t complain about farmers with your mouth full

There’s an old saying, “Don’t complain about farmers with your mouth full.”  This always makes me smile because I’ve heard many complaints about farmers.  Most of them are unwarranted.

Having been a farm kid and a farm wife, I’ve seen farming from the inside.  Agriculture is in my DNA and I know how much hard work, sacrifice, and dedication go into producing crops and raising livestock.  When people badmouth farmers, I get my dander up.

Some of the most outrageous accusations today surround GMOs.  Critics vilify farmers and accuse them of poisoning the food supply with genetically modified crops.  Ironically, the things that concern critics actually improve food and the standard of living across the globe.

Genetically modified organisms through cross-breeding have been around for thousands of years.  People only became concerned recently when technology allowed the mixing of genes from different species.  Even though numerous respected scientific bodies have declared them safe, GMOs are widely viewed as creations akin to Frankenstein – oddities unfit for human consumption and detrimental to the environment.

Rather than fearing them, we should celebrate GMOs for the advances they’ve made in the quality and quantity of food.  GMOs have increased yields, reduced costs, and made food more abundant and nutritious.

Biotechnology has created plant varieties that are disease and insect-resistant.  This has reduced the need for farm chemicals (herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers) by millions of tons.  Drought-tolerant varieties  made it possible to plant corn in marginal areas.

GMAs (Genetically Modified Animals) are used to grow transplant tissues and organs for humans.  For example, heart valve replacement patients are at less risk of rejection when receiving new valves from genetically modified hogs.  Third-world countries welcome a decline deadly diseases because of the introduction of genetically modified insects.  Sterile mosquitoes stop the spread of malaria and tsetse flies carrying GMO bacteria are used to combat dengue fever.

GMOs miraculously ended famine in starving countries on several continents.  Dr. Norman Borlaug, Nobel Peace Prize winner and World Food Prize recipient, was a pioneer in genetic mutation of plants.  Dr. Borlaug was a leading supporter of biotechnology and saw it as the only way to reach world-wide food security.  His work with wheat led to the ‘Green Revolution’ and saved many countries in Asia from catastrophic food shortage.

Even so, in spite of the many positive outcomes, some still to refuse to accept GMOs and view the ag-community as spreading something nefarious.  They seem to forget that farmers also eat the food they produce – and it is doubtful that they would be feeding anything less than the best to their own families.  Besides, nobody is forcing anybody to eat GMO’s.  There are plenty of alternative choices, including organic and natural foods.

Admittedly, there are some legitimate concerns among the controversies swirling around GMOs.  Some contend that GMOs will upset the balance of nature, create antibiotic-resistant genes, and biotech labs will refuse to share products because of patent rights.

These concerns are valid, and experts have no definite answers as to how this will all play out. Scientists, bioethics experts, and government regulatory agencies must be alert to potential problems in the future.  However, that should not keep us from building on past successes of GMOs and GMAs.  The benefits to humanity cannot be negated.

In the middle of this debate, one thing is clear. This spring, when American farmers return to the field, they will be working the ground and planting crops based on the best scientific evidence provided to them by reputable labs world-wide.

Dr. Borlaug: “Civilization as it is known today could not have evolved, nor can it survive, without an adequate food supply.”  As the world’s population continues to increase, an expected 60% increase in food production will be needed by 2050. The world’s farmers will be expected to meet the demand. GMOs will make this possible.

Indeed, naysayers shouldn’t complain about farmers with their mouths full.