Genetically Modified Crops : Hope For Developing Countries?

Genetically Modified Organisms (G.M.O.s) debates have plagued society and politicians since the idea of G.M.O.s have come to the playing field. Should farmers use them? What are the risks of G.M.O.s? Can G.M.O.s cause cancer in humans? All of these questions as well as a collection of others are waiting to be answered. The article “A Lonely Quest for Facts on Genetically Modified Crops” by Amy Harmon is concentrated on a councilman-Greggar Ilagan- researching questions he has about G.M.O.s so he can make an educated vote on whether or not to pass a ban on genetically modified crops.

In a perfect world, what would everyone have? Well, they most likely would have good health, money, stability, and proper environment to live very productive lives. This is what people strive to have, but very few receive. Why? There are many reasons. One reason might be the lack of agricultural advancement in many countries. If these countries were to embrace genetically modified crops, the citizens would have much better lives. According to Osakabe, Yuriko, Kajita, and Osakabe, in their article “Genetic Engineering Of Woody Plants: Current And Future Targets In A Stressful Environment”, genetic engineering in plants is better than traditional breeding methods because “…they bypass the long generation for breeding…” (106).

Over the past few decades a new controversy has arisen in the scientific community: should Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) be used in modern society. There are generally two sides to this debate: one being in favor of GMO use and the other against it. Pro GMO activists believe that GMOs can help address hunger issues and help reduce use of pesticides/insecticides while Anti-GMO activists state that it is a threat to the agriculture industry, and should be banned. Both sides have several valid points, however GMO’s are even more complicated from initial glance, and may not be as dangerous as some believe.

GMOs are living organisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering. The GMO debate has a huge gap just like the climate change’s ambiguous debate. Some people are for the consumption of it and have as arguments that GMOs will feed the future population of the world that is expected to double in the few years to come, or that scientists can build stronger crops that resist to pests, therefore less use of pesticides. Some are against these ideas because they think that GMOs represent a threat to the environment and that they can cause a lot of health problems. The goal of this paper is to look at two articles “The GMO Debate is Over Again” by Mark Lynas and" Seeds of Evil: Monsanto and Genetic Engineering" by Dr. Joseph Mercola, and see where the use rhetorical strategies are effective and where they are not.

Due to reading “Stuffed and Starved” by Raj Patel this semester, I learned about how foods are produced and impact the world. Ever since I visited the farmer’s market in October, I became more aware of whether or not I am consuming genetically modified crops. Raj Patel revealed some of the many truths about the Green Revolution regarding genetically modified crops that influenced my choice of eating. Prior to reading the section of the book that made me aware of what I am eating, I believed that genetically modified crops were more beneficial than harmful to everyone. Not only did the genetically modified crops produce a higher yield to feed people, but the negative impact of technology outweighed its benefit. For example, Patel states, “domestic

Genetically modified food’s, or GMOs, goal is to feed the world's malnourished and undernourished population. Exploring the positive side to GMOs paints a wondrous picture for our planet’s future, although careful steps must be taken to ensure that destruction of our ecosystems do not occur. When GMOs were first introduced into the consumer market they claimed that they would help eliminate the world’s food crisis by providing plants that produced more and were resistant to elemental impacts like droughts and bacterial contaminants, however, production isn’t the only cause for the world’s food crisis. Which is a cause for concern because the population on the earth is growing and our land and ways of agriculture will not be enough to feed

Over the past decades, agriculture technology and productivity has been changing drastically to fit the needs of the world population. The largest agricultural production country, the United States, has been experiencing these changes more rapidly just to meet these agricultural demands. This in turn has lead to serious controversies over the ethics and morals of some agricultural practices, namely Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). With the US population increasing every year, US farmers had to develop some way to meet the high demands of the people, therefore, GMOs were developed to help increase crop yields while also helping farmers financially by using less pesticides and herbicides.

John Robbins, author of The Food Revolution states that “if genetically engineered plants were designed to reverse world hunger, you would expect them to bring higher yields. But there is increasing evidence that they do just the opposite”. Numerous studies have shown that GM crops do not have a higher yield production, but in fact have at times shown a lower outcome. In 2000, “research done by the University of Nebraska found the yields of GE soybeans were six to eleven percent lower than conventional plants” (Robbins). Evidence that GM foods are not the answer to world hunger continues to pile up. Former US EPA and US FDA biotech specialist Dr. Doug Gurian-Sherman acknowledges that GM crops are not beneficial to solving world hunger: “as of this year [2008], there are no commercialized GM crops that inherently increase yield. Similarly, there are no GM crops on the market that were engineered to resist drought, reduce fertilizer pollution or save soil. Not one” (“10 Reasons Why we don’t Need GM Foods”). Genetically modified corn is a product that has been modified to the extreme in recent years. Here, you can clearly see the physical differences between organic and GM corn. In response to Monsanto’s statement, eighteen African delegates clearly objected, noting that it would undermine their capacity to feed

Antoniou, M., Robinson, C., & Fagan, J. (2012, June). GMO Myths and Truths. In Institute of Responsible Technology. Retrieved from http://responsibletechnology.org/media/docs/GMO_Myths_and_Truths_1.3b.pdf

Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs, are foods that have been prepared through the gene-splicing techniques of biotechnology. Although GMOs have been all over the world for numerous years, it wasn’t till just lately that individuals have become more concerned with them. Though, countless industries and corporations that produce genetically modified organisms, like Monsanto, attempt to make believe that the foods they harvest are healthy and valuable for the environment; though that may be correct at first glimpse, numerous anti-GMO protestors are certain that these corporations trick people into believing corrupt information. In this essay, we will uncover the pros and cons of these foods and ultimately, come to the assumption that GMOs may have letdowns for

In this article, Tamara Thompson asks common questions regarding genetically modified organisms otherwise known as GMOs. She gives a decent definition of GMOs as plant seeds that are modified to resist certain insects as well as harsh weather conditions. It is a very biased article, drawing attention to the company, Monsanto, in particular. She repeatedly assures her readers that GMOs are safe and that Monsanto currently works to the standards of organizations, such as the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA), Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She concludes with the benefits of GMOs nutritional value and how they contribute to reducing draws on natural resources such as fossil fuels. This article was beneficial, although biased it gave insight to what companies such as Monsanto want the public to believe. I found this article in Opposing Viewpoints with the search entry being genetically modified foods.

Humanity’s advancements over the course of history have been due to major technological milestones. Of these milestones, arguably the most important has been the advent of agriculture. Agriculture has allowed humans to store food in surplus which frees them from slaving in fields and allows focus on more scholarly and artistic pursuits. As time has progressed, agriculture itself reach important advances, from selective breeding to artificial fertilizer. However, one of the most recent advances in modern times has been met with suspicion and distrust. Genetically modified organisms, commonly referred to as GMOs, have begun to be used in commercial agricultural and their widespread use in food for humans and livestock is on the rise. Many

The topic of GMOs is controversial, debatable, often perplexing, and still in need of more research. It is difficult to prescribe a clear way to approach this issue, and proposing a concrete solution is almost impracticable considering the impacting social factors involved. However, it is an issue that deserves attention, and even though selecting on ethical approach may be challenging and controversial, it must be achieved in order to generate possible solutions and alternatives to the

People from around the world, different ages and ethnicity, no matter of their social status, want to be healthy. Being healthy means being happy. The main ingredient for a wellness recipe starts from the foods and drinks that people consume every single day of their lives. Yet, not all the food can be assumed as a source of energy for peoples ' healthfulness. Nowadays, scientific progression experiments have made a revolutionary step into an unbelievable and kind of nitty-gritty discovery, which was released to the public as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). Although, the basic information and the description of what GMOs are and what the specificity of it is, was not accompanied with the mass-presented GMOs food. According to a book, Genes on the Menu: Facts for Knowledge-Bases Decisions written by author Paul Pechan, the basic facts and introduction of GMOs was described. Pechan stated, "A genetic engineering procedure where a gene from one, sometimes unrelated, organism is transferred to another…", which is how Genetically Modified Organisms occurred in the actual world (3). Along with this statement, it was specified that by making such modifications, it "…can give a plant a new property, like resistance to insects or virus attack and tolerance to herbicides" and that was a particularity of GMO crops (Pechan 3). Although GMOs crops were extensively released for public use, people have to know and be informed of what the hidden truth is behind the GMOs. The

It is imperative that GMOs gain more popularity, and fast, before more consumers view them as “unsafe” and boycott them. In the future, GMOs will be a much needed “solution to feeding the world's population, which is expected to skyrocket from 7 billion today to 10 billion by 2050” (Potenza, par. 5). In order for the public to establish the idea that GMOs are safe, the government will provide funds to pay for a series of initiatives to educate the public on the safety of GMOs. This would include a unit about genetically modified organisms in schools, scientist endorsements, and posters and pamphlets in grocery stores.