What we know about food.

I recently read this article on NPR.com The article is about the FDA and their pending approval of salmon that has been genetically engineered to grow faster than regular salmon. The quote that struck me was when a supporter of this company said, “People eat chicken. It’s all farmed. People don’t think twice about it. A switch of the mindset has to happen for the consumer for seafood, for fish.”

I actually agree with this man, but I think the switch of mindset needs to be more complete. We need to start thinking twice about where our food comes from. The recent salmonella outbreak in eggs is just one example, but there are countless others. According to this site, Salmonella kills 583 people in the US every year and costs us $3 billion a year. Yet, we are still trying to produce the cheapest meat and vegetables possible instead of looking at the total cost, including the cost to health.

I recently started growing a garden in my back yard. I hope that I will be able to harvest some vegetables out of it this year and start to eat my own produce. We need to think about where our food comes from and not just eat whatever is put in front of us.

I do need to make a disclaimer here. Although I write this and feel this, I have not yet had the gumption to put it into practice. I still eat all meats and vegetables. Perhaps I will change my ways, but I find other factors, besides farming practices, influence my decision about what to eat and where. However, I think that I should have the right to decide.

One more point about the genetically modified Salmon. If the FDA does approve it, they will approve it without any caveat that it must be labeled as genetically modified. In essence the FDA will be taking away our right to choose whether or not we eat this farmed fish that has modified genes. Even if I have not interest in changing my eating habits I still should have the right to know what I'm eating.