Causes and Effects of Genetic Engineering of Animals and Plants

Genetic modified organisms, or GMOs, are living organisms that, through the genetic engineering process, have been altered to withstand certain chemicals and increase the nutritional value of the product. In fact, the majority of the foods found at the grocery store are genetically altered. Genetic modification is becoming increasingly popular on farms throughout the United States and moving into other parts of the world due to their increasing yield capabilities and pest and weed control. However, this has been, and continues to be, an extremely controversial topic of discussion in the world of agriculture and biotechnology, as well as health food critics, because of potential environmental and health risks.

Due to the high demand for certain types of foods, technology has allowed us to change the way we grow our food. Through genetic engineering, scientists have been able to introduce genetically

modified mice. Gene modification is the process of crossing and selective breeding of animals and

Genetic engineering is the deliberate modification of the characteristics of an organism by manipulating its genetic material, otherwise known as DNA. Since biochemists Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer pioneered genetic engineering in 1973, the process has grown to have numerous applications such as medicine production, for example insulin (Mckinley). However, a main topic of concern is the application of genetic engineering on foods that we eat everyday. By modifying the genetic "blueprint" of crops, it is possible to improve many aspects of agriculture. But with any sort of scientific discovery that allows humans to act as Mother Nature, genetically modifying organisms has been a very controversial topic. Yet our society continues to grow, and the need for the benefits of genetically modified foods continues to grow. Genetically modifying foods should be permitted in our society because it allows larger yields of crops to be produced, produces foods with higher nutritional values, and reduces our global ecological footprint.

Scientists continue to find new ways to insert genes for specific traits into plant and animal DNA. A field of promise—and a subject of debate—genetic engineering is changing the food we eat and the world we live in.

One of the widely discussed issues, nowadays, we must tackle sooner rather than later is scarcity of food on our planet. Today our population growth is rising , and as Jonathan Foley says “ In 2050 there will be nine billion people in Earth “. Our planet does not have sufficient amount of food to feed whole world’s population. It is obvious that, the planet has a problem with the food supply to 2050 and to rectify this problem we need to stop expanding land, increase crops on land that we already have, use water efficiently, use less animal products, and to save food- as Jonathan Foley suggests in “ Feeding Nine Billion “. I feel fearful, but I do not want to change my habits.

“In three words, I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on” (Robert Frost). People from the beginning of civilization have cultivated crops ranging from methods of fermentation to classical selection for desired traits. In essence, genetic modification is not a new concept only conceived in the twentieth century; it has been occurring for millenias. Genetic engineering is only a step forward as the latest form of gene selection utilizing biotechnology, which merely catalyzes processes that previously required generations upon generations to that of just a couple days.

There are a number of ways that Genetic Engineering has been utilised within modern society. Agriculture and Medicine have been the major sectors in which research has been

From prehistoric times crop plants and animals have been improved by selective breeding, a process by which humans breed other animals and plants for certain traits, but the modern marvels of GMOs and transgenic plants have come to light in just the last few decades. Selection procedures have achieved huge differences in form and genetics of a single species for instance the mule, a cross between a male donkey and a mare has been used in Europe for more than 3,000 years (GM Education). Modern genetic engineering started back in 1973 when Stanley Cohen, Annie Chang and Herbert Boyer created the first genetically modified DNA organism. In terms of food, genetic engineering simply means

This technology has several recognized accomplishments. The first is that genetically engineered animals will improve human health through production of novel replacement proteins, drugs, vaccines, research models and tissues for the treatment and prevention of human disease. The second is that genetically engineered animals will contribute to improving the environment and human health with the consumption of fewer resources and the production of less waste and the third is that Animals that are genetically engineered will have improved food production traits enabling them to help meet the global demand for more efficient, higher quality and lower-cost sources of food. The fourth accomplishment that this technology has is that Genetic engineering offers tremendous benefit to the animal by enhancing health, well-being and animal welfare. Last but not least genetically engineered animals have produced high-value industrial products such as spider silk used for medical and defense purposes.

Many Americans consume thousands of pounds of genetically modified foods every day. Throughout the 21st century, genetic engineering tremendously impacted new research in pharmaceutical and forensic science. During that time, it also revolutionized the food in America and many other countries around the world. Using Recombinant DNA biotechnology on crops and farm animals helps improve nutrition and quantity of foods. However, crops that are altered with hybrid genes can also contain chemicals harmful to humans. By using developed biotechnology, scientists are able to inject viruses and bacteria into the embryos of plants to produce genetically modified crops (). The same is applied for transgenic farm animals to increase the size of the

Many people today are often amazed by the amount of nutrition and health information required for humans. The constant stream of genetic modification of food can be confusing. Genetically modified (GM) foods are plants and animals that have had their genetic makeup artificially altered by scientists to make them grow faster, taste better, last longer and to provide more nutrients. Scientists make these alternations by transferring genes from one organism into another in order to change the condition or character of the receiving organism. This process is known as biotechnology or genetic engineering (GE), and it has revolutionized the way that agriculture is practiced in many parts of the world. Researchers are now able to use GE

      In the past three decades, scientists have learned how to mix and match characteristics among unrelated creatures by moving genes from one creature to another. This is called “genetic engineering.” Genetic Engineering is prematurely applied to food production. There are estimates that food output must increase by 60 percent over the next 25 years to keep up with demand. Thus, the result of scientist genetically altering plants for more consumption. The two most common methods for gene transfer are biological and electromechanical. “Early experiments all involved changing DNA using bacterial vectors”(Randerson, 2001). Through other advances scientists proclaim how they can improve the human gene pool. All humans have

These genetically modified foods are testified to be high in nutrients, and contains more minerals and vitamins than traditionally grown foods. Also these foods are known to have increased shelf life and decreased fears of food spoiling quickly. Genetically modified organism foods has become very debatable in modern society (Wohlers, 2013).

Over the years, new innovations, ideas, and emerging technologies have transformed our society and our daily lives. These new discoveries have not only been developed to help make our lives easier, but to also help us live longer and stronger lives. Living in a world that continues to evolve, creates opportunities for new innovations and breakthroughs to arise within our society. Genetic engineering is just one of many examples of the advancements that young, intelligent minds have developed throughout the years. Genetic engineering is defined as “isolating a desirable gene” and injecting it into a plant or organism to produce “a desired characteristic” (Nutrition & Weight Control for Longevity, 2005). This biological technology has provided many advancement opportunities “for several industrial sectors such as agriculture, food manufacture and pharmaceuticals” (Rastall, 2002). Along with everything else in life, genetic engineering has some upsides and downsides. Today I am going to discuss the positive and negative outcomes that genetic engineering is recognized for in the agricultural industry.