Most people like to know what they are eating . However , labeling for genetically modified organisms is not required in any state . This is largely because of the money expended by GM seed producers toward blocking food-labeling laws . A common claim made by this group is that GM foods have been proved safe to eat and that there is a global scientific consensus to support this statement ; therefore , no labeling is needed . However , an examination of the scientific data , along with discussions on this topic in other countries , show that both claims are blatantly false . What is the evidence that some GM foods are hazardous to human health and that consumers should be able to make a choice based upon this information ? When GMOs were introduced nearly 20 years ago , there was the promise of crops with increased yields and resistant to flooding and salt . Since then , traditional breeding methods have created commercial varieties with these traits , while genetic engineering has created none . For example , recently published data show that conventional breeding of corn and soy increases yields to a greater extent than GM technologies . With the promise of reducing the use of agricultural chemicals , most of the current GM crops are supposedly either insect or herbicide resistant . In reality , GM crops have fostered an epidemic of herbicide resistant weeds and insects that are no longer killed by the built-in toxins . The result is a massive increase in herbicide use -- an additional 527 million pounds over the past 16 years . The major herbicide , glyphosate , is found inside the GM plants we eat , leading to its detection in people . Future GM crops will likely trigger a greater use of more toxic herbicides such as 2,4-D , a component of the Agent Orange defoliant deployed in Vietnam . In addition to these problems , there is increasing evidence that GM crops and the chemicals required for their production are harmful to humans . An Associated Press story in October documented the large increase in cancer and birth defects in commercial farming areas of Argentina since the introduction of GM crops . These data confirm recent animal studies showing that GM corn and the herbicides sprayed on it caused a dramatic increase in cancer in the same strain of rats used in FDA drug safety tests . Another large study showed an increase in severe stomach inflammation in pigs caused by GM feed containing insecticidal toxins , a condition that would likely lead to cancer in humans . Since it takes many years for diseases such as cancer to appear , we could be reaching that point in time after the introduction of GM crops . What has been the reaction in the rest of the world to this and similar information ? The European Union has tightened its GM food safety testing requirements as consumers continue to reject GM foods , resulting in the withdrawal of investment from two large GM seed producers , Monsanto and BASF . India , Peru , Bolivia , the Philippines and Mexico have issued moratoria on GM food crops to go along with Japan , South Korea and a large number of other countries . Scientists in Russia have proposed a total ban on all GM products . And China , which initially embraced the technology , is having an extended debate about GM crops . The world 's food authority , Codex Alimentarius , agreed in 2011 that GM food labels are justified to trace back any adverse health effects of GMOs . As a result of these new revelations about GM technology , the industry is making a major public relations effort to promote itself , often falsely claiming that there is a `` consensus '' among scientists that the technology is safe . In reality , there is no evidence that GM food is safe for human consumption , nor is there any consensus on this topic within the scientific community . It is critical for the public to educate itself about the realities of GMOs and not be fooled by the rhetoric from companies that sell it . Most of the world has studied this issue and concluded that GMOs are not worth the risk . Passing GM labeling initiatives in states will be the initial demonstration that the public understands what is at stake . At the very least , labeling may help reverse the unsustainable trend in this country towards ever increasing industrial GMO farming .
David Schubert : Seed producers say there 's scientific consensus on GM food . Schubert : There is no evidence that GM food is safe for human consumption . He says GM food will allow people to make an informed choice about what they eat . Schubert : It is critical for the public to educate itself about the realities of GMOs .