Essay about Economical Impact of GMO Products

A product manufactured by Monsanto is the weed killer Roundup Ready 2 Xtend. The Roundup Ready 2 Xtend is used to by soybean farmers and claims to provide growers with an outstanding performance with their efforts to produce the best crop possible. However, the product is not currently approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Farmers will like the new roundup ready plus because it will give them a higher yield on their crops. Monsanto claims that the farmers can expect up to four bushels of soybeans per acre (Monsanto, 2016). In order for the new Roundup Ready 2 Xtend to be used in the United States, each state has to approve the use of the product. The product is used by spraying it onto the crops in order to combat pests.

Making GMF’s are more economical to farmers because it allows them to save money by not having to use so much pesticides on their crops.

Genetic engineering (GE) is a recently developed technology that allows the alteration of the genetic make up of living organisms. This technology allows scientists not only to exchange genes from members of the same species, which is what farmers and nature has been doing through out history, but also the exchange of genes between completely separate species. For example genetic engendering allows scientists to insert the genes from a fish into a tomato, something that can never happen in nature. Many in the biotechnology industry claim that the recent advancements in this field of research will help solve many of the problems developing countries face. These claims have led to a massive increase in commercial growing of genetically

| Monsanto continues to grow with future acquisitions of other companies in the industry (i.e. Asgrow Agronomics, Holden’s Foundation Seeds, Corn States Hybrid Service, and DeKalb Genetics Corp.).- Monsanto expands its production of genetically modified seed products which are herbicide tolerant. These include, “Roundup Ready Canola,” “Roundup Ready Cotton,” and “Roundup Ready Corn.”- Monsanto is also the first company to introduce a dual genetically engineered seed with protection from both insects and herbicides (cotton and corn seeds).

Henry I. Miller, of the Hoover Institute is a reliable source, in terms of facts and statistics, but can be biased and does have a vested interest in the topic because of his prior work with the FDA, in which he served as one of the individuals to medically review the first GMO. He received many awards for his work, proving a vested interest. Jennifer Schmidt’s reliability is questionable. She is a Maryland farmer and a registered dietician. She has a vested interested because dieticians, usually refrain from non-natural food practices, as they say it could cause health issues, such as GMOs. She does not have much experience in the field, making her validity somewhat unreliable. Philip H. Howard is an associate professor at Michigan State University. He is reliable because his studies remained unbiased, current, and relevant. Although, he does have a vested interest due to his teaching profession, specializing in food

Last but not least, Whitman (2000) also states genetically modified crops are more economical especially to farmers in third world countries because they have higher crop yields in lesser time enabling them to satisfy the high demand for food. Genetically modified crops also take up very little land to grow improving profits for farmers. Because they grow in such short time, the demand for more food in starving countries is more easily satisfied at a lower cost.

Genetically modified crops are an incredibly important issue that everyone should be aware of since it is something we are exposed to at a daily basis. Genetically modified crops also known as GM crops or Biotech crops has been one of the most heated debates of issues within our society. The debate about the safety, concerns and disadvantages of GM crops have raged since the mid 1990 's but this is due to the lack of knowledge of the general public. Many people are unaware of what the GM crops actually are and what they offer. Genetically modified crops are plants that are used in the agriculture and have been modified to initiate a new trait to plants that does not happen naturally in the species. These plants are modified using genetic engineering techniques to enhance desired traits. GM crops are made when genes of commercial interest are transferred from one organism to another.() There are many methods used for the production of GM crops but the two primary used for plant insertion are gene guns and agrobacterium tumefaciens. There are also three types of modifications which are transgenic, cisgenic, and subgenic plants. However, there are a number of issues that surround this controversial topic such as environmental, health, and economic concerns. Even though there are some worrying facts about GM crops people don 't realize the advantages or the ways it has helped humans as well as animals. There are many reasons why GM crops are proven

The issue of genetically modified foods, is Farmers can't harvest seeds. Fundamentally, farming is a simple process: plant seeds, grow crops, harvest crops, and gather seeds from the plants for the next season. Sadly, GMO companies like Monsanto take this last step away from farmers and raise expenses even futher by forcing the farmers to continually buy the premium-priced GM eeds every growing season. In fact, as was shiwn in the Bowman v. Monsanto court case, it is illegal in the US for someone growing a Monsanto crop to harvest the seeds and use them later. The Nowman case went all the way to the unanimously found guilty of patent infringement after he purchased and used second generation Monsanto seeds.

One of the major reasons for the use of GMOs was stated by Chris Black, a plant science major and owner of Richland Plant Food Company. When Mr. Black was asked the question, “Why do farmers now use GMOs when growing crops”, he said “It really helps the everyday farmer with economics and efficiency. Since the US population is always increasing, GMOs have made a cheaper food source to the American Market.” Mr. Black also stated that “It also helps farmers save thousands of dollars in insecticide and herbicide cost that can become overwhelming, because many of the GMO seeds now have this trait. Plus Genetically Engineered crops are more environmentally friendly than organic crops, because they require less water than organic

A farmer grows these soybeans which then only require one application of weed killer instead of multiple applications, reducing production cost and limiting the dangers of agricultural waste.

By 1988, soybeans were successfully being inserted with genes that made them glyphosate tolerant, which is an herbicide (Chassy 169). This is more commonly known today as round-up ready crops. The benefit of this is that now, farmers can spray round-up ready crops and not kill them. Round-up kills all other plants in the field that would otherwise be interfering with the growth of the crop. This is just one of the many traits that can be inserted into the DNA of plants. Crops can now achieve far higher yields than ever before. Corn plots at Morrow Plots at the University of Illinois have increased from 10 bushels an acre, to more than 200 bushels an acre (Chassy

We then discover that it has been legal to patent life since the 1980s, and learn about the company Monsanto’s round up resistant soybean that now makes up 90% of the soybean market. Monsanto

One of the biggest advantages of agricultural biotechnology lies in its economic efficiency. GM crops are financially beneficial to both the farmer and the consumer. Due to their resistance to pests, viruses, and adverse climates, genetically altered crops produce much larger yields than organic or conventional crops. For example, studies show that if no insecticide is used, a GM crop known as Bt maize has a 48% higher yield than non-modified maize varieties

pushing Roundup Ready Soybeans – a crop system that is no tastier, no healthier, and

Genetically Modified foods are made to withstand harsher condition than normal soybeans, meaning that more of them will survive to then be sold. Furthermore, these GM soybeans will also last longer due to their implanted gene. With a bigger amount of soybeans, the farmers can then allow the soybeans to be sold for a cheaper price, which will ensure that customers will buy their products as they are cheaper than others. Due to those reasons, farmers with the right to use GM soybeans will make more money and do so faster as they will have more soybeans to sell. This however is a disadvantage for small farms who do not have enough money or who don’t want to buy GM soybeans as they will produce fewer soybeans as they do not possess the genes which make them resist herbicides and harsher weather. A smaller amount of soybeans to sell will then make the farmers without the right to use GM soybeans have less income. Furthermore, these farmers are unable to make the soybeans cheaper as they would then not make any profit. Another factor which is heavily impacted by the GM soybeans is the