GMOs. A GMO is a plant, animal, or other organism that has been scientifically engineered to produce a superior product, for example to improve nutritional quality, increase product yield, or reduce negative impacts on the environment. There is a lot of fear about GMOs in food, due to lack of scientific facts and media propaganda. Opposers say they are unnatural and could potentially create allergens or alter a human’s genetic makeup. Decades of research have not led to such conclusions, and organizations dedicated to protecting our health. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy) have all deemed genetically modified foods safe for human consumption.

Organic foods have to meet criteria defined by the USDA in order to label themselves as such. Meat, poultry, dairy products, and eggs must come from animals that have not been given growth hormones or antibiotics. Produce must be grown without conventional pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, and they cannot be irradiated or bioengineered. Organic foods wear a halo, considered more nutritious than their non-organic counterparts, and priced higher due to the higher cost of production for compliance with the USDA’s standards.