Should Genetic Modification Of Food Be Permissible?

We are keeping our food reliable through the use of GMOs. GMOs can provide food that can be helpful for conditions in the world. They can be manufactured to fit to threatening conditions, such as drought. They can also be used to withstand diseases that have the potential to cause famine. Blights can cost millions in damages, and with new resistance technology being tested we could save millions of dolars and millions of crops. "Blight-resistant potatoes would be one of the first major foods genetically engineered to incorporate defenses against plant diseases, which annually destroy some 15 percent of the world’s agricultural harvest." These foods can even be modified to prevent bugs from consuming or ruining a crop yield. This resistance to famine can help us become less concerned about starvation due to unfavorable conditions. The crop yield can remain the same. Those opposed to GMOs may claim that they increase pestacides and harm the environment. This is completely false. "It is a matter of fact that GM crops have drastically cut the use of such pesticides. GM cotton, containing a built in insecticide, uses 50% less chemical insecticides. In 1998 around 1000 tonnes less insecticide was used in the US cotton belt than before the introduction of GM cotton. That insecticide was mainly sprayed from planes. Only a small percentage reached its target. The rest drifted into the wider environment killing

In contrast, the counter argument claims that GMOs are unsafe for human consumption. However, GMOs actually improve human health by reducing the amount of pesticides needed for successful crop production. With the use of GMOs in crop production, the amount of pesticide and herbicide application has decreased. To resume, successful crop production is essential to a farmer’s success, which could be why over 18 million farmers throughout the world utilize GMOs. The successful production of crops can be achieved by genetically modifying crops with resistance against insects, weeds, and other threats. Resistance to different stressors has reduced pesticide applications by 8.1 percent. Additionally, crops that are modified to be resistant to specific

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

As Gliessman, an agricultural researcher, says in Agroecology, “conventional agriculture is built around two related goals: the maximization of production and the maximization of profit. In pursuit of these goals, a host of practices have been developed without regard for their unintended, long-term consequences” (3). The industrial food industry has created a process to produce as many crops as possible in the quickest amount of time to put onto the market. The several ways utilized to achieve these goals are those that are harmful to the consumer. Two main threats are genetic modification, and chemicals. These issues are a spark of concern in addressing the health of consumers. Food industries often try to tantalize their audience with the promise of untouched, pristine produce when in reality these foods are heavily tainted by pesticides or are genetically modifieds. “One will find this obliviousness represented in virgin purity in the advertisements of the food industry, in which food wears as much makeup as the actors. If one’s whole knowledge of food from these advertisements, one would not know that the various edibles were ever living creatures, or that they all come from the soil… “ (Berry 147). People are informed little about the pesticides that we often ingest from products like these and little do people know the negative effects of GMOs.

Not only are GMOs harmful to humans they affect many other communities. “GMOs are also responsible for killing off bees, bats, butterflies, and other pollinators, whose bodies are unable to handle the onslaught of altered DNA and chemicals that are characteristic of GMO technologies”(Bensen). This shows that GMO is not only an issue for humans but it directly affects the insect and animals communities around the plants. These are living organisms that these plants need for pollination. GMOs and the pesticides used on these crops to fight off the insects and weeds is creating more powerful weeds and insects called “SuperWeeds” and “SuperBugs.” “And this built-in resistance has allowed farmers to indiscriminately spray chemicals like Roundup on their crops without worrying about killing them. But this system is now failing, as the weeds and pests targeted by GMO technologies have mutated and developed resistance to crop chemicals and Bt toxin” (Benson). These chemicals are effective for a short period of time However these chemicals become ineffective, the offspring of the insects can be immune to the chemical. This creates a need for a new and stronger chemical mix. GMO seeds and destroy the soil and kill beneficial

“We forget that we humans are animals, inextricably connected to the world and everything in it. In the rush to bring GMO food to the world because it was good for us, nobody had asked the question whether it would be good for the world.” ― Kenneth Eade, An Involuntary Spy. “In the year 1988 Scientists inserted genes into soybeans, ultimately creating what would become the most common GMO: glyphosate-tolerant soybeans. Making a crop that was resistant to herbicide made it much easier, and cheaper, for farmers to control weeds while producing high yields. Soon, other GMO seeds were developed — including potato, cotton, rice, sugar beets, sugarcane, and tomatoes — with the intention of making these crops resistant to insects, antibiotics, diseases,

There is an ongoing debate over whether or not producing genetically modified foods particularly corn, produce any harm to humans, their livestock, as well as the environment. GM corn does have the capability of causing harm human and our livestock’s health. The presence of preservatives and fertilizers used on plants as they grow, give farmers of corn and other produce free reign in the use of pesticides. The potential for GM corn to cause harm in individuals, and the livestock is great, however it may not be through the over usage of pesticides, fertilizers and preservatives but the overconsumption of this product. GM corn is a prime ingredient in so many products of consumption. Not only is it feed to chickens, cows, pigs and any previously

Despite the fear of certain pests and insects, they play a critical role in the environment due to the intricate food chain and pollination process. For example, bees are hugely important in the pollination of many food crops. However, if a GM crop produces an insecticide that kills bees, biodiversity is reduced. Killing a particular pest that harms a crop does not only threaten the existence of it, but it also jeopardizes the food source for certain animals. Biological concepts such as “survival of the fittest” demonstrate how GM crops could ultimately make the ecosystem less diverse. Along with disruption of the food chain, the spread from pollen and interbreeding with natural organisms will “[contaminate] non 'GE' environments and [impact] future generations in an unforeseeable and uncontrollable way” by creating “superweeds” with insecticidal properties or herbicide-resistance (Achenbach). Another environmental drawback of GMOs is that they “require heavy applications of synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, and weed killers--chemicals that can damage the environment” in order to work at peak performance (Anderson). Some Ready Soy fields may require up to 3 coats of Roundup spray per day to accelerate the growth and strengthen endurance against pests. Farmers must consider the environmental drawbacks before deciding to plant GM crop

In August 1998 the first controversy was sparked, especially in Europe, by a report from a leading nutrition researcher, Dr. Arpad Pusztai, concerning the safety of GM foods. Pusztai claimed that GM food fed rats showed stunted growth and weak immune systems. His report, however, was greatly criticized and rejected by many scientists because of lack of substantial evidence (Pusztai 1). Nevertheless, the report opened up an area of contemplation. In May 2005, a report published by Monsanto, a leading biotech firm, confirmed differences in kidney sizes and blood composition of rats fed with GM corn (Lendman 1). Although these documented reports are limited to laboratory settings, the results do point to a possibility of health hazards in the long run. It is evident that GM foods require more research before they are safe for consumption because if the symptoms do arise, it will affect a wide range of consumers and the damage will be impossible to overcome. Apart from direct health hazards, there are concerns over the emergence of insecticide resistant weeds and pests because of GM foods (Weaver 160). Since certain species of GM crops are resistant to insecticides, they allow farmers to spray more chemicals in order to avoid weeds and pests from destroying their harvests. However, since all living organisms are biological entities

Because GMOs are not always put through proper testing, there are two common GMOs that are harmful to the world. One of these GMOs are called pesticide producers. These pesticide producers are created by transferring a gene from a bacteria into the crops in order to become resistant to insects. Complications are occurring from these pesticide producers. Over 500 species of bugs have become resistant to these pesticides (GMO OMG). Not only are crops genetically modified to be resistant to insects, but also weeds. The other most prominent type of GMO are herbicide resisters. These crops are also known as roundup ready crops due to their ability to survive from weed killing chemicals. Yet again, there are some major drawbacks to these roundup ready GMOs, such as the adaptation of roundup resistant weeds. Secondly, the 5.1 billion pounds of chemicals used each year across the world with these GMOs are causing severe ecological damage. The process of growing GMO crops emits nearly 40% more greenhouse gasses compared to organic processes. Likewise, the USDA says that in Iowa for every bushel of GMO corn

GMOs are plants and animals that have been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses, and other plants and animals in order to take on specific characteristics. This of course does not occur naturally within nature. They are engineered to withstand herbicide and produce insecticide (Lee). Although crops which are able to withstand herbicide worked very well in the first couple of years, over reliance caused the herbicide resistant crops to pass on their genes to the weeds, and as a result, emerged “super weeds” which forced farmers to increase spraying crops (Clark). Between 1996 and 2008 farmers sprayed an extra 386

Did you know that 95% of the nation 's sugar beets, 94% of soybeans, 90% of the cotton and 88% of feed corn today are genetically engineered. According to the Institute for Responsible technology, Genetically Modified Organisms are the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. Today in the United States there are seven major genetically altered crops including Maize, Soybean, Cotton, Canola, Sugarbeet, Alfalfa, Papaya, and Squash. GMO’s came along by farmers having flaws with a crop, like if a tomato had a beetle every year and the farmer was spending large amounts of money on pesticides every year. Then a biotechnology company comes out with a tomato that produces its own natural pesticide, you would be nuts to continue in the old ways.

The article raises a big question about GMO’s, an issue that we have covered in class and in readings. The issues facing the farmers in over twenty-five states is one of great importance. Farmers who do not use GMO crops are finding that their crops are being damaged by the pesticide even if they are miles away. It has damaged about 4 percent of all the soybean crops in the United States. Sadly, it has also affected vineyards, watermelons,

Most public concern has been focused on human health and safety regarding the use and consumption of these foods, but potential environmental impacts are important to consider as well. Many varieties of genetically engineered crops are intended to decrease the need for chemical pesticides and fertilizers, but the scope of environmental impacts does not stop at chemical usage. Common concerns about GM crops include the effects of cross-pollination, so-called “genetic contamination,” and the escape of GM crops from cultivation and their interactions with native species. Conversely, the environmental benefits of GM crops range from reducing dependence on chemical pesticides to the ability to treat polluted soils with bioremediating plants (Ford, 2004).

Humans should continue growing and distributing genetically modified crops. The benefits of biotechnology significantly outweigh possible consequences.