The GMO Approval Process
The topic of GMOs seems to be everywhere these days, leaving many of us to wonder, what does that mean for me? A lot of people wonder if they’re safe, how they’re tested and if they should feed them to their families. The truth is GMOs are safe and GMO development involves many years of research and development.
In farming, a process called biotechnology is used to develop GMOs. Biotechnology adds naturally existing genes into a plant to achieve a favorable characteristic, like resistance to insects or the ability to grow with less water. Just like you have a choice of what to feed your family, farmers have the choice of what kind of seeds they want to plant.
From the first discovery of a trait to the time it’s ready for market, a GMO plant is tested for 13 years on average. In addition to the individual company, scientists in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency test and study these traits. With all that testing and development, you can rest assured that GMO foods are a safe choice for you and your family.
Want to learn more about the safety of GMOs? Don’t just take our word for it. Hear more from the FDA, International Food Information Council, American Medical Association and the World Health Organization.
