Know what you eat

This is in reply to Zana Higgs’ Oct. 13 letter. Zana’s statement that genetic engineering has been around since ancient times is either just plain ignorance or a direct attempt at misinformation. It is this type of false information that Monsanto and Dow trade groups want to propagate. They want to manipulate the basic structure of the food we eat, and if they have to manipulate your mind to get their way, no problem; they will do so without hesitation. Selective breeding is selecting animals or plants with the highest level of the desired trait and either breeding them with similar high trait animals or, in the case of plants, saving and planting seeds only from plants that exhibit the desired trait. In these cases, there is no modification of the basic genetic structure of the organism. This is a natural process.

Genetic engineering is the actual manual manipulation of the plant or animal genes. Adding fish genes to tomatoes, adding pesticides to corn, wheat or other plant seeds; these are examples of genetic engineering.

I don’t live in Washington, but I buy groceries there. Everyone has the right to know what they are eating. Stand up for your rights.

Patrick Travis

Hauser, Idaho