GMO crops are a response to a "demand". The public - you, for instance - demanded decreased use of pesticides, so plant agronomists responded with self-protecting plant varieties ! You gotta remember the pests didn't go away, indeed infestations often increased with increased acreage, further increasing demand for GMO seed !
Link Please? It wasn't we the public, it was agribusiness demanding higher yields and plant resistance to expensive herbicides and pesticides.
Primarily GM crops are soybeans, corn, canola, and cotton.
We the public did not demand less pesticides on these crops.
Regarding pesticides in the food we eat:
With the latest news that ADHD in children is linked to common pesticides used on fruits and vegetables, it is more important than ever to be aware of what we are putting on our plates. Of the 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides used annually in the US, less than .01% actually reach their intended targets--the bugs! Obviously they are completely contaminating our food, and the consequences are disastrous, with numerous national and international government agencies acknowledging the connection to various health problems--nervous system toxicity, cancer, hormone system effects, and irritation of skin, eyes, and lungs among them.
Unfortunately, due to cost and availability, organic food which is grown without any pesticides, is not a plausible option for every family.
From the article:
Celery ranks worst when it comes to pesticide contamination. 95% of celery tested contained pesticides, and 85% contained multiple pesticides. A single celery had 13 different chemicals on it, while 67 different pesticides were used on the entire group of celery.
Rated 2nd worst, 96% of peaches were positively tested for pesticides. 86% had residue of two or more pesticides. A single peach was tested with 9 different pesticides, while 67 total chemicals were found across the board for peaches.
I'd like to avoid as much of this as possible.
