October is Non-GMO Month, which means it’s a perfect time to ask the perennial question: are genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) useful, or are they unsafe?

The parties on both sides feel strongly about the answer, and the complex science, politics, financial interests, and environmental implications of GMOs make it difficult to parse out who is correct.

Anti-GMO activists claim that these organisms are an environmental trigger for the growing health crisis, that genetic engineering is not natural, and that we don’t know the long-term health effects of eating GMOs. Scientists, on the other hand, point to thousands of studies that show the safety of GMOs, and say that labeling GMO products would cause people to avoid them out of unfounded fear.

This thorny issue involves the FDA, big corporations like Monsanto, farms small and huge, as well as everyone who eats fruits and vegetables. In the video below, 2009 graduate Robyn Youkilis explores the two sides of this debate. Watch now, and then tell us what you think in the comments.