We just picked up our new batch of chicken feed for the spring! We source our food from a local mill in Oregon. The food is free of soy, corn and GMO's. The importance of getting GMO free feed is not only for internal health, but also for the health of the planet.
GMO- or Genetically Modified Organisms have had their DNA altered by humans in a lab. With corn and soy- a very common modification is to splice in pesticides, herbicide resistance, and to make them unappetizing to rodents. A lot of corn and soy in the US is altered to withstand heavy applications of RoundUp (Glyphosate). Without getting into the details and writing an entire book, we'll just suffice it to say that methods of growing that create the need to use these pesticides and GMO's is the root of the problem ie Mono-cropping (or planting very large areas of only one type of crop), degraded soil health from previous applications of herbicides and pesticides, etc. This unhealthy soil then circles around to causing nutrient loss in food. And the cycle continues. Potential health risks include increases in allergies, antibiotic resistance, immuno-suppression and digestive issues. We talk a lot about GMOs, growing methods, and creating diverse growing conditions throughout the season, so you'll most likely read about it more. But we'll also include some links at the bottom of the page if you'd like to continue learning more.
A few astonishing facts:
-More than 95% of animals used for meat and dairy in the United States eat GMO crops.
-In 2018, GMO soybeans made up 94% of all soybeans planted, GMO cotton made up 94% of all cotton planted, and 92% of corn planted was GMO corn.
-GMO/bioengineered ingredients can be found in more than 75% of processed foods
-The USDA has created an official “List of Bioengineered Foods.” The list contains 13 items that are considered bioengineered foods/ingredients:
- Alfalfa
- Arctic™ Apple
- Canola
- Corn
- Cotton
- Some Eggplant
- Ringspot Virus-Resistant Papaya
- Pink Pineapple
- Potato
- AquAdvantage® Salmon
- Soybean
- Summer Squash
- Sugarbeet
-Starting Jan. 1st, 2022 GMO labeling is required. However, exemptions on GMO labeling include if product is made primarily with meat, egg, poultry, broth or water as first ingredients. And for businesses with sales below $2.5 million per year.
Links and Resources:
-https://www.fda.gov/food/agricultural-biotechnology/gmo-crops-animal-food-and-beyond
-https://zachbushmd.com/blog/gmo/
-https://draxe.com/nutrition/bioengineered-food/
Food for thought...
Thank you for supporting locally grown and cheers to health, happiness, and earth consciousness!
Kelly & Patrick
**As a note, eggs can be picked up at our farm stand daily from 8 am-5 pm**
