Argumentative Essay: The Value Of Genetically Modified Organisms

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Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a highly debated topic all around the world. Someone from each side of the debate has an argument as to why GMOs should or should not be produced. Unfortunately, many others who are consuming these genetically modified products do not know that they are eating them and they do not know what they are. According to The American Heritage Dictionary online edition, a GMO is “an organism whose genetic characteristics have been altered by the insertion of a modified gene or a gene from another organism using the techniques of genetic engineering.” For example, corn had been modified to withstand herbicides giving farmers the ability to spray their crops with much more pesticides. In return, these pesticides …show more content…

According to Galyna Sidyelyeva, “research has provided insight into the issue of the nutritional value of GM crops. For example, the Venneria group tested genetically modified wheat, corn, and tomatoes. They found wheat and corn are similar to their non-GM counterparts and tomatoes differ only in their antioxidant content, having a lower amount than their unmodified relatives” (50). With this in mind there are many people in the world today that may find value from GM crops; for example, in countries where people are starving. While the crops may not be identical to its non-GM counterparts, these countries will still profit from them. In “A dubious success: The NGO campaign against GMOs,” Robert Paarlberg asserts, “Unfortunately, in the case of NGO [non-GMO] campaigns against GMO crops, they typically emerge from rich countries while imposing consequences on poor countries” (228). As one can see, these rich countries may have succeeded in not allowing some GMOs in but to date in America they still are not labeled; so, they are only hurting the poor countries by trying to make a controversy over labeling that is

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