Devil`s Advocate on GMOs
GMO`s are starting to rapidly take over our food supply, but what exactly is a GMO? A GMO is a make up of DNA that is combined forcefully with a plant or animals DNA, and creates a new version of it. Seeing these products sold in stores for the first time people question what the change is from the natural, and organics, because when someone reads GMO they wonder if it is healthy and safe to consume.
Pamela Ronald, a plant geneticist, presented a Ted Talk “The case for engineering our food”, Ronald points out that engineered genetics for our plants is not harmful, yet better for our environment and health. “Now, genetic modification is not new; virtually everything we eat has been genetically modified in some manner”(Ronald).
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Anyone hearing about change for the first time likes to have an understanding of what is actually happening in order to accept it. Ronald backs up her argument by illustrating how “golden rice was produced to make more vitamin A to decrease the possibility of blindness.” Reducing the risk of kids becoming blind does not seem like a bad thing. Ronald also points out that with genetic modification farmers where able to stop using insecticide spray, avoiding more possible illnesses towards health. Insecticide spray is more harmful then anything to human health, and without that genetic makeup those insects would eat away at our source of plants. These two example alone should be a huge eye opener, because by a genetic make up scientist where able to create something in plants that kept pests away. Now because of this genetic makeup that …show more content…
Miller first mentions how in any study a lot of scientists use animals as a way to test out theories. In this case animals were given modified food and what they found was that the food was harming the animals; they were suffering. Considering what occurred to the animals, why should we even consider trusting a modified plant? “Genetically modified foods - also called genetically engineered foods – contain DNA that scientists have modified in an unnatural way, such as by adding a gene from a different organism, according to the world Health Organization” (Miller). In this aspect no one would be willing to purchase a product like this, there should be a reason to be scared of the word GMO. Some of the make up`s are good for our economy and the plants but they cannot or should not be classified as a GMO. Miller even points out “At the event, Druker, a public interest attorney, argued that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has misrepresented the safety of genetically modified foods and violated federal food safety law by allowing them onto the market.” That right there should answer anyone’s question about GMO`s not being proven to be safe, because not every make up is suitable for our
Genetically modified? That alone should be a cause for alarm, and have you wondering, what exactly is in this that I am eating? Yet every day millions of American’s choose to load up on food filled with GMO’s, and not even know it. First we must understand what GMO’s are. GMO’s are any organism whose genetics has been altered using genetic engineering. We should not be tampering with nature, and should try to grow organically as much as possible. There has not been enough research on GMO’s to know the potential long term effects it can have on us, so this is why GMO’s should be banned.
First, I would like to clarify my point of view on the statement made by Mr. Henry I. Miller and Gregory Conko, from “Scar Food,” policy Review (June/July 2006). The statement by Mr. Henry I. Miller and Gregory Conko of the Hoover Institution argue that genetically modified (GM) crops are safer for the consumer and better for the environment than non- GM crops. And also they discusses about topics such as Americans take food safety very seriously, Do not trust Mother Nature and also about property damage and personal Injury from the naturally produced foods. In addition to this Mr. Henry & Mr. Gregory is trying to say that genetically produced food are much safer than naturally produced food. As I went through this article I understood that it is about the advantages of introducing genetically modified foods are safer to consume than naturally produced food. So this part of the argument can be considered as the opinion of a one side of a coin.
GMO stands for a ‘genetically modified organism’. A GMO is artificially developed by scientists to produce specific results such as sustain life through a drought or produce a greater quantity of fruit per plant (Monsanto Corporation:1999). This practice began centuries ago when plants and animals were selectively bred and microorganisms were us...
You might have heard GMO thrown around by scientists or news stations before. It stands for genetically modified organism. This is a relatively new technology that has sparked a huge debate. Organisms are genetically modified by taking genes from one being and transferring them to another being in order to change the qualities of the resulting species. Now this seems like a very good thing, and in some ways it is, but it has some very serious consequences. When humans start to tamper with nature, trouble is never far away. The same is true for genetically modified foods and organisms.
If you read the paper or watch the news, you’re undoubtedly aware of the debate raging over genetically modified food. Is it bad or is it good? Between the feuding sides, you might find yourself a little lost and wondering which side is right. Answers to seemingly simple questions have been blurred or exaggerated by both sides. On one side genetically modified food is more sustainable, safe, cheaper, easier to grow and has the potential of creating disease-fighting foods. Although this is positive and good intentioned, there may be unintended consequences that we have been quick to overlook. Those opposing genetically modified food clam that it is dangerous, harms the environment, increases health risks, and causes infertility and weight gain. Even things like the declining bee population may have closer ties to modified food than previously thought. We must look to science for answers. By studying genetically modified organisms (GMOs) we can guide our decision about whether we want to be consuming them.
Considering an argument as valid requires critical analysis of several aspects and providing strong evidence. Robin Mather, a journalist who “has passion for food and its sources, has worked at major metropolitan newspapers (the Detroit News, the Chicago Tribune)”(86), argues that GMOs have risks and hazards to human health and threats to wildlife and environment in her article “The Threats from Genetically Modified Foods”, whereas Entine, a colleague at the Genetic Literacy Project, and Wendel, a science writer(82), claim that GMOs are safe to eat and no harm to people or animals in their article “2000+Reasons Why GMOs are Safe to Eat and Environmentally Sustainable” Both articles’ authors state their ideas clearly for whether GMOs could be eaten or not. However, Mather provides more solid
Have you ever asked yourself what is a genetically modified organism (GMO)? In this paper I am going to tell you about GMOs. GMO is any food or animal that has been genetically modified. There is too much GMO in our food. We could cut down on how much food has GM.
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
The term GM foods or GMO (genetically-modified organisms) is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques (Whitman, 2000). These plants have been modified in the laboratory to offer desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. Also, genetic engineering techniques have been applied to create plants with the exact desired trait very rapidly and accurately. For example, this is done by the geneticist isolating the gene responsible for drought tolerance and inserts it into another plant. The new genetically-modified plant will now have gained drought tolerance as well.
GMOs have their pros and cons, but in terms of their effects on biodiversity, the technology is almost solely negative in how it affects the environment. Genetically modified food can damage agriculture as it allows for less restraint on chemical usage which leads to stronger weeds and weaker soil. The crops can easily spread their genetically modified genome through the wind. GMOs damage living organisms by making nasty insects stronger and vital insects weaker. GM foods are correlated with the decline in mammal and bird health and the introduction of GM animals like salmon poses a threat to the ecosystem of wild fish. GMOs can also bear consequences in terms of genetic pollution and alteration through contamination and mutation to adaptation to evolution to species extinction. Indeed, some claims are not well supported and may require testing, like genetic alteration through consumption or the validity of correlating animal health deficits with GM feeds. However, overall, GM foods clearly affect the world negatively in terms of biodiversity and ecosystem impacts.
Genetic Mutation is a Science Experiment that potentially breaks ethical, and moral, principles. DNA is being altered, meaning Plant and Animal species are genetically combined to alter their cell creation. The intention is to improve the quality of food, while also having the potential to improve human health and performance. Not only are long term effects untested, but future experiments could go in various directions. There may not always be a clear understanding of how these experiments work, and to make matters worse, the information is often vague or mislabeled. Most of the debate over GMO’s is centered around health concerns, and legal statistics, so it was interesting to read Joel Salatin’s article, Frankenstein’s
Scientists have been changing genomes of plants and animals by integrating new genes from a different species through genetic engineering, creating a genetically modified organism (GMO). Consumers in America have been eating GMOs since 1996, when they went on the market. There are benefits to genetically modifying crop plants, as it improves the crop quality and increases yield, affecting the economy and developing countries. But there are also negative effects from GMOs. Consumption of GMOs has various health effects on both body systems of animals and humans. GMOs also affect the environment, ecosystems and other animal species. The cons outweigh the pros in the case of GMOs.
Although genetically modified crops offered a wide range of benefits but it also poses some very serious threats. Hence, the use of this technology should be discouraged and alternative methods should be discovered.
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) is an organism, such as a plant, animal, or any microorganism who’s had its DNA changed in different ways through genetic engineering that is not natural. It is an organism like every other organism, which produces thousands of proteins, but one or two of them are proteins that were chosen were specifically by humans. It creates unstable combinations of plants, animal, bacterial, and viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods. Majority of Americans in the US consume nearly 200 pounds of GMOs each year. 90% of US crops are genetically modified.
Genetic engineering is a way in which specific genes for an animal or plant can be extracted, and reproduced to form a new animal or plant. These new organisms will express the required trait for that gene. This practice is a very controversial topic within the scientific world. It is being implemented in various areas such as agriculture, even though there are many alternatives that can be found for genetic engineered crops, such as organic materials and reducing leeching of the soil. The controversy regarding this practice occurs as it is believed to contribute both negative and positive implications and dangers, not only to oneself but the environment as a whole.