Hundreds in Bend rally against GMOs

Hundreds rallied in Bend on Saturday as part of a worldwide effort to protest genetically modified organisms, or ‘GMOs.’

It’s called ‘March Against Monsanto’ and organizers told NewsChannel 21 GMOs hurt consumers and the environment.

Protesters in Bend said more than 250 cities across the U.S. participated Saturday, as well as dozens of countries. An estimated 6,000 took part in a Portland march, and others around the state included events in Redmond and Prineville

Monsanto is a U.S. seed giant that develops and creates genetically altered seeds–allowing plants to be resistant to insecticides and herbicides.

About 300 protesters started in Pioneer Park and marched along Wall Street.

Organizer Doug Donoho said they hope to encourage people to stop eating food from GMOs, get grocers to stop carrying the food and get lawmakers to ban them — or at least require that foods containing them be labeled as such.

“We’ve got people of all backgrounds that are participating in this, that have got to a point in their life where they want to change their lifestyle with what they consume,” Donoho said.

GMOs are found in most soybean, corn and cotton crops grown in the US.

Supporters of the genetic alterations say they add nutritional benefits and create larger crops.