By 2050, the worldwide population will require 70% more food production to feed an additional 2.3 billion people living on the earth. With population growth of this magnitude, there is an urgent need for increased sustainability and reliability in food production, especially in under-developed nations. Genetically Modified Organisms promise to alleviate this burden, but not without significant drawbacks. There are numerous issues which result from GMO’s and their effectiveness, including problems with pest resistance, decreased bio-diversity, cross-pollination, and potential human health detriments as a result of consuming genetically altered products. While highly contested, Genetically Modified foods are vital to the projected development …show more content…
A study from the ISAAA assessing the global economic and environmental impacts of biotech crops for the first seventeen years of adoption showed that the “biotechnology has reduced pesticide spraying by 503 million kg and has reduced environmental footprint associated with pesticide use by 18.7%." The technology has also significantly reduced the release of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture to an extent which is equivalent to removing 11.9 million cars from the roads. In the USA, adoption of GM crops resulted in pesticide use reduction of 46.4 million pounds in 2003. In addition to less pesticide use, pest-resistant genetically modified crops allow for a greater diversity of insects in the field because much less spray is required to maintain the crops. Also, the pesticide present inside the genetically modified seed is only a engineered to harm a very small subset of harmful insects, which allows beneficial insects to prosper independently. Additionally, genetically modified crops require less plowing. Brookes and Barefoot from the National Center for Biotechnology Information argue, "Evidence is growing that not only are there not any deleterious effects from insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant GM plants, but they are better for the environment because of decreased use of insecticides and less plowing.” With less plowing, fields won’t lose as much topsoil. This brings more nutrients to the soil because the important top layer is not blown or washed
Thesis Statement: Research suggests that GMO's (genetically modified organisms/products) could be harmful for people and the environment because of their potential to produce new allergens, increase toxicity, decrease nutritional value, and increase bacterial antibiotic resistance. Bakshi, A. K. (2003). Potential adverse health effects of genetically modified crops. Journal Of Toxicology And Environmental Health,Part B, 6, 211-225. Retrieved from http://globalseminarhealth.wdfiles.com/local--files/nutrition/Bakshi.pdf This article is one of the pioneering research papers that addresses the potential negative impact of genetically modified crops.
Do you know what you're really voting for? Iowan farmer Reg Clause suggests you may not in his column, “Say ‘no’ to GMO labeling.” Reminding readers that general election day has come, he attempts to convince us that a certain law should be voted against. The proposed legislation would mandate all foods that contain genetically modified organisms, also know as GMOs, to display a warning label on their packaging. He argues that this would be detrimental to the good name of these types of foods when they do not deserve to be shamed. I agree that the genetically engineered crops should not be labeled, but not because that would tarnish their name. However, the reasoning for my opinion comes from the perspective that it would not only be impractical
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.
According to an article titled “Genetically Modified Foods Eaten” regularly by Linda A. Johnson today, essentially 40% of the foods we eat are genetically modified, unless you eat organic foods and/or you grow your own. Most products containing corn, soil, canola oil, or cottonseed oil contain genetic modification. One of the biggest genetic modification company is Monsanto (Johnson). She goes on to say many Americans don’t even know they are consuming genetically engineered foods. In “Genetically Modified Foods Confuse Consumers” by Mary Clare Jalonick writing in the Washington Times, has talked about how this is because the FDA does not require them to be labeled. Jalonick has said, “Genetically modified foods are plants or animals that have
Did you know GMOs cause cancer? This is a relatively common and reoccurring statement that nowadays floods the media regarding GMOs. A statement which clearly represents the direction of people’s perception of GMOs today.
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.
How many of you hear the words “genetically modified food” and immediately think “BAD”? How many of you scorn the idea that genetically modified foods are useful? How many of you have been manipulated by the media to think that all biotechnology is evil? Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are organisms that have been genetically spliced to achieve a certain trait. As the demand for a larger food supply is increasing due to population growth, the benefits that GMO foods provide are being hailed as the only solution to the food crisis. However, many people are making inadequately informed decisions, and are pushing them to the back shelf. I will inform you on why genetically modified organisms may be the only way to a stable, safe future for the less fortunate.
Have you ever asked yourself what is Genetic modified organism(GMO)? Will in this paper I am going to tell you about GMO. Gmo is any foods or animals that have been modified genetically. There is too much Gmo in our food. We could cut down on how much foods have GM. We could also make more job for farming. We Should make more food with no GMO so we can all be healthy.
Why isn't Kraft MacNCheese allowed to be sold on the shelves of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, but it's sold here in the USA? The U.S. Government states that genetically modified foods and organisms don’t pose any health risks to the public, but several scientific studies indicate otherwise. While other countries require that GM foods and goods are to be labeled, the United States does not. Most people aren’t as informed about genetically modified organisms as they should be, making this a deadly factor in the situation. Just what exactly are classified GMOs? Where do they come from? What are the health risks? What can be done to minimize these health risks?
GMOs better known as Genetically Modified Organisms or GE (Genetically Engineered) are the product of a process of which allows scientists alter genes of a variety of foreign species such as plants, bacteria or even animals. This can cause unpredictable changes and can be harmful when consumed. GMO puts people as well as the environment at risk, such as destroying the natural food web to causing potential disease and allergies from mixing genes. Disease is one of the main concerns regarding GM foods because of the use of viruses and bacteria that are used. There is a risk of disease developing when consumed by humans. Another main concern is keeping the area with these GM plants contained. Spreading causes contamination in wildlife and land
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 past twenty years have seen rise to a new burgeoning scientific field: genetically modified foods. During the plant breeding process, geneticists interfere with the reproduction and modify the genes of the new seedling by introducing a fragment of DNA from another organism that possesses the desired trait. With genetic modification, scientists can increase the pest, herbicide, cold, and drought tolerance so that the crop can survive in harsher climates. In some cases, the nutritional value can even be increased (Ulrich 9). Despite the obvious benefits of more nutritious foods and crops that are hardier and more resistant to harsher climates, there are some concerns surrounding GM foods. Each new alteration can cause an unforeseen allergic reaction, negate the effects of antibiotics, or potentially cause some adverse effects to the environment (Falkner 101). Every newly developed GM food must be tested on a case by case basis as there is no universal method that determines the safety of all modified components. As a result, long term effects of ingesting food with altered material are unknown.
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.
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.
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a cause of continuous debate. What would be the purpose of producing genetically altered food? Many argue that GMOs could prove to be very beneficial, the use of GMOs could lead to advances in medicine, and agriculture, and they could also prevent famine in poor underdeveloped countries. Genetic modification offers many benefits: pest control, disease resistant crops, drought resistant crops, no use of insecticides, nutritional beneficial foods, and less contamination. This is only a short list of the many benefits offered by the used of GMOs. With so many benefits why are we opposed to such a miracle? (NERC 2005)