The Pros And Cons Of GMO

A GMO is a genetically modified organism that goes through the process of genetic engineering. This is when genes of one organism are extracted, altered, and then artificially placed into another organism to then grow. We typically see GMOs in the food we consume every day. These foods include fruits and vegetables, however the most common organisms that are genetically engineered include, corn, soy, and cotton. It is ultimately the unnatural cross breeding of plants, animals, bacteria, and virus genes (Non-GMO Project). But now why is there a debate for placing a label to notify consumers of GMOs in their foods? Do we know the potential harm that GMOs can cause? We have the right to know what we are putting into our bodies and what is found in our everyday foods.

Are you wearing a cotton shirt? What if I told you that cotton is genetically modified? There are many products that have been genetically modified for over 20 years, but there are a group of people that have just started worrying about it now. The definition of a GMO is to genetically modifying an organism to improve on the genetics already in the organism. Despite what people think GMO’s are safe for humans to eat and don't cause any human health risks.

For thousands of years, humans have been genetically enhancing other organisms through the process of selective breeding. Polls indicate alarm over the contamination of everyday foods. Americans are especially concerned about Genetically Modified Organisms. So, are they good or not? According to NewsELA, PRO/CON: Is it time to label GMO foods? GMO foods? Andrew Pollackmay's "Genetically Engineered Crops are Safe, Analysis Finds", and Janet Renee's "Benefits you get from a GMO" they talk about the merits and the demerits of GMO crops. GMOs are plant or animal products that have been reengineered in a lab. Scientists use the DNA of bacteria,

In order for a person to make a smart logical decision regarding a pro or anti-GMO position one must understand what a GMO is. A plant that is genetically modified and then the Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of one plant is forced into another kind of plant to be considered a GMO. This process takes place in a laboratory. It is not limited to just plants. Animals can also be modified. Viruses, insects, bacteria, humans, and animals can all supply the foreign DNA. Some researchers also refer to the process as Genetic Engineering(GE) (10 Reasons”).

GMO’s are commonly misunderstood to be a negative way of producing food but contrary to popular belief they actually benefit americans and help america prosper. A GMO is a crop or livestock animal that has had its DNA altered and specific changes made to receive the desired result. Certain parts of DNA are either taken from or added to and organism to somehow better it. The use of GMOs in not as new as most citizens may think and can be very beneficial. GMOs are used quite often, they can

GMO's are simply an addition to the long list of alterations made to the balance of nature. At its surface, GMO's seem to represent food as it's meant to look ripe, shiny, and never corrupted by pests, and these claims aren't wrong. GMO's bring a variety of benefits to the table. They increase resistance to cold, protect from select pests, and can even be used to transfer vital nutrients to other organisms. Various regions, such as Eastern Asia, have greatly benefitted from the use of GMO's, as prominent food, such as rice, lack nutrients necessary for growth and survival. GMO's have also helped farmers grow crops with more ease and less expense. However, these GMO's pack a price. Genes can be transferred to unintended targets, and pests who grow resistant to these GMO's may breed, causing an epidemic. Moreover, scientists believe that the

Genetically modified organisms appear to be abnormal, but due to scientific research and plain evidence, GMOs are quite agreeable and safe. To first oppose or accept a new concept, one must first reach out and study what he or she doesn’t know. Genetically modified organisms are created by conveying genetic information from one organism to another to get the desired trait.

GMO’s has been a very controversial topic over the past years, really ever since they were made they have been very controversial. People have been trying to prove if they are safe or if they can be harmful to humans in any way. GMO stands for genetically modified organism that have had their genetic code changed in some way. When the modify it, scientist are taking certain genes out that they want, and inserting it in the individual cell. When doing this scientist are inserting those genes into its DNA which is inside the includes of a cell which can be very small. GMO’s are not like breeding which is crossing to different plants to get one organism. Scientists have been genetically modifying things for many years like vaccines to cure people. When genetically modified comes up it does not have to do with crops such as corn, it can be many different things. (Purdue University)

GMO’s in the United Sates are a hot topic, both personally and politically. Some people are uneducated on the GMO’s and that they even exist, others making the switch to going organic for the sake of the health of their families and themselves. On the political avenue many laws and bills continue to go through congress but never stay alive. Some states have stepped in and passed individual laws to at least require labeling on all food products containing GMO’s. The latest Bill to come up in the federal government was HR1599 Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act (Pompeo, 2015). What exactly is HR1599; from the title you would think it is something good and positive. The intent of the bill proposed by Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., said it works

Our project is about Gmos and how a farmer took a chance to feed the world. One reason we chose this topic was we found it interesting because the roots of Gmos started with a farm boy from Iowa named Norman Borlaug. We both thought it was amazing that something so big came from Iowa. Another reason we picked this topic was both of our members is related partly to Norman Borlaug. We wanted to know about our distant relative and how he changed the world

Genetically engineered grains are quite unethical as they disrupt natural processes such as natural selection, which in turn create negative effects such as the loss of biodiversity and disruptions in the food chain of an environment. There are also other negatives such as the increased possibilities of cross contamination which could form “superweeds” and other undesirables (both in perspectives of humans and nature). In addition, there are many dangers that can arise from GMO grains in terms of human health, making it unethical towards humans – ourselves

Many people don’t like the idea of GMO’s but scientists have found an alternative using the technique known as CRISPR-Cas9. This new technology allows scientists to change delete or replace dna much easier than before. Theoretically, this technology allows scientists to grow better, bigger and more nutritious crops in environments that could be unfit for vegetation . Because it is cheap and quick to produce, many scientist believe that it would be a tool to fighting world hunger, and malnourished countries could gain access to more nutritious food. Even though the CRISPR and GMO’s are modified by different processes, people are still skeptical about the edited foods despite the fact that 88% of scientists agreed that they are safe to eat.

Go back in time just fifty years ago and no one would have thought the food you put into your body could be the trigger for different illnesses such as diabetes, cancer or obesity. Furthermore, people could probably not even believe that DNA genes from one organism were present in the genes of multiple grocery items. I would say that I became interested in the food industry, specifically genetically modified organisms, in high school. To pinpoint an exact moment when I become intrigued, it was most likely when I watched Food Inc. This eye-opening documentary details the industrial food system and talks about using genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, to feed our ever-increasing population. While watching it, I remember condemning the food

The majority of opposition comes from social advocacy groups such as the Institute for Responsible Technology, led by Jeffrey Smith. The opposition usually couples their self-determined negatives of GMOs along with the need to label genetically modified food products. The main claim of most opposition groups is that GMOs are terrible for a variety of reasons and should be forced to be labeled so that consumers know what they are buying and feeding their families. A popular supporting reason of such a main claim that social activists use is that GMOs are unhealthy and lead to organ damage, immune system disorders, and infertility among other dangers. (Institute for Responsible Technology) Smith makes the argument that large agencies such as The American Academy of Environmental Medicine urge “doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets for all patients.” Smith also states that health problems increase with GMO usage: “the percentage of Americans with three or more chronic illnesses jumped from 7% to 13% in just 9 years” and that transgenes in GM foods can transfer into our own DNA. Toxic transgene insecticides found in GM corn were also “found in the blood of pregnant women and their unborn fetuses.” (The Institute for Responsible Technology) Another reason Smith gives for the danger of GMOs is that they increase the use of harmful herbicides. GMO plants are designed to be “herbicide tolerant” so that they can be used in conjunction with deadly herbicides. “Between 1996 and 2008, US

According to the World Health Organization (2014. 1), "Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination. The technology is often called 'modern biotechnology ' or 'gene technology ', sometimes also 'recombinant DNA technology ' or 'genetic engineering '. Foods produced from or using GM organisms are often referred to as GM foods.” Many organic crops farming farmers are against cultivating of GM crops because of the threat to farm land and environment however, biotechnology companies and GM crops growing famer desire to have profit and consumer look for low price. Thus, the debate over the environmental impact of genetically modified GM crops is growing. Although GM crops negatively affects on some organism in environment, they reduce the use of pesticides and increase crop yield.