A farmer picks a tomato that he was sponsored to grow and review; the tomato is larger and grew faster than his normal seeds. A senior citizen picks up a can of soybeans off of the shelf that claims to have 15% more nutrients than that of the same soybeans from when he was a kid. In labs all around the world, animals and crops are being genetically modified to grow faster, larger, tastier, and stay fresh longer. A genetically modified organism is an organism whose genome has been altered by the techniques of genetic engineering so that its DNA contains one or more genes than normal (Dictionary.com). What do these changes to the DNA of crops mean for the safety of the consumer? Any crop that is modified on the genetic level in such a way that …show more content…
Starlink, a genetically modified corn that is approved for use in animal feed but not for human consumption, made its way into human foods last year. The government reported last week that Starlink did not cause allergic reactions in people who reported health problems after eating it.” (ABC News) Even if this particular GMO, which was not approved for consumption by humans, did not cause allergic reactions, there is no evidence that it is not directly related to the other health problems the consumer experienced. This is only one example where the government has disputed against any GMO involvement with allergic reactions. Although, how can the government deny such a connection when between the years 1997 to 2007, reported food allergies increased by 18 percent among children under the age of 18 (Ko). Coincidentally this was the same time period that there was a rise in the use of GM crops worldwide. The government should have nothing to hide from their citizens. We live in democracy, not a communist state. We have a natural right as human beings to know what foods in our local stores pose a threat to our health as an individual. This does not mean that GM foods as a whole are unhealthy for the consumer, but regardless, they should be labeled as what they …show more content…
Many food companies refrain from labeling because consumers have expressed distaste for GM products and state that they would not buy such products, even if they are already buying them now, unlabeled (ABC News). This opinion puts producers in a bind because by giving the consumer what they want, the company could lose profit. This is not a valid reason to forgo labeling; instead companies should make the buyer feel safe buying a GM product that IS labeled. Also, scientists along with the FDA publicize that labeling is not necessary because there is no evidence of genetic engineering changing food’s quality, safety, “or any other attribute.” (ABC News) Yet cigarettes and other tobacco products have been identified as containing tobacco even before any research had been done on the health
A trip to any supermarket in Canada will reveal nothing out of ordinary, just the usual of array of fresh and packaged goods displayed in an inviting manner to attract customers. Everything appear familiar and reassuring, right? Think again. A closer microscopic inspection discloses something novel, a fundamental revolution in food technology. The technology is genetic engineering (GE), also known as biotechnology. Blue prints (DNA) of agricultural crops are altered and “spliced” with foreign genes to produce transgenic crops. Foods harvested from these agricultural plants are called, genetically modified (GM). Presently, Canada has no consumer notification; GM foods are being slipped to Canada’s foods without any labels or adequate risk assessments. This essay argues that GM foods should be rigorously and independently tested for safety; and, consumers be given the right to choose or reject GM foods through mandatory labels. What is the need for impartial examination of safety of transgenic foods? And why label them? GM foods are not “substantially equivalent” to conventional foods, genetic engineering of agricultural crops is not a mere extension of traditional plant breeding, and finally, there are human health implications associated with it.
Many students who are enrolled in FFA are already heading in the right direction to a bright future. FFA has many career benefits within the program. Any of the career development events (CDE’s) have something that will tie to a career in agriculture or to a career of other sorts. According to the National FFA Organization, “FFA members embrace concepts taught in agricultural science classrooms nationwide, build valuable skills through hands-on experiential learning and each year demonstrate their proficiency in competitions based on real-world agricultural skills”(“Statistics”). There are so many careers that tie into FFA, and many of them have to do with agriculture. Not every career that has to do with agriculture is about farming. There are so many different aspects of the agriculture industry that many people never think twice about. Most people are not interested in agriculture because they think it is just about farming or
There is so much that can be learned from the past. Especially from an event that was as catastrophic as this one. How does one person gain such a grip on so many people? How was he able to influence them to change their entire life’s to conform to what he wanted. Somehow he was able to get them to move to a completely new place and create a world all their (his) own. How does one person convince and force so many people that it was time for their life to end? How does he force them to kill themselves? So many questions that are still being answered to this day. There are plenty of movies and research done on this event but there is still a lot to learn.
The Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) may have its faults, but it is by far the most efficient option.
A non-GMO label doesn’t necessarily mean “healthy”. White sugar, flour, and processed ingredients if not genetically modified are considered non GMO. Recently Cheerios made their ingredients GMO free. This label made Cheerios seems as a “healthy conscience choice” when in fact they are not healthy at all. The truth is that this breakfast cereal is highly processed and is best to be avoided despite the “healthy halo” of being approved by the National Heart Association and GMO free. The truth appears on the nutrition label and the ingredients (Wartman). “If you can’t pronounce it, don’t buy it” The voluntary labeling places a burden on the consumer. The average Americans are forced to navigate confusing and cluttered food landscape” (Wartman). A mandatory labeling law is vital to give clear and concise information to citizens.
Disney’s new movie, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, will do exceptionally well in the box office due to the previous success of the Star Wars films and the recent prosperity of Disney’s use of Star Wars. On December 1, 2012, Disney’s purchase of Lucasfilm had been completed and Disney rigorously started production of merchandise to begin being released in 2014. It was then announced that they would begin development of a seventh edition to the Star Wars saga with hopes of being released in December 2015. This sparked much fan reaction across the globe consisting of both positive and negative feedback.
Chauffeur companies are an appealing and are becoming of interest for busy families. As stated by Shuddle CEO Nick Allen, “During the back-to-school season we are seeing lots of interest and demand is building.” Using chauffeur companies is becoming exceedingly popular when kids’ and parents’ schedules don’t line up. Using Shuddle is a safe and secure option for the reason that Shuddle uses mostly female drivers who are moms, teachers, nannies, and other caregivers. Also stated by HopSkipDrive co-founder and CEO Joanna McFarland, “We call our drivers ‘caredrivers’ because they are caregivers first and drivers second.” HopSkipDrive is a going to be a good option because most chauffeur companies don’t cater to children due to the age. HopSkipDrive
Have you ever felt stuck? Wherever you are, it’s the absolute last place you want to be. In the book Into the Wild, Chris McCandless feels stuck just like the average everyday person may feel. Chris finds his escape plan to the situation and feels he will free himself by going off to the wild. I agree with the author that Chris McCandless wasn’t a crazy person, a sociopath, or an outcast because he got along with many people very well, but he did seem somewhat incompetent, even though he survived for quite some time.
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
If a person walks into any American fast food restaurant, the food will contain GMOs. This is because fast food chains like McDonalds, get their sources of food from industrial farmers who use Monsanto’s GMO seeds. In the documentary Super Size Me, Morgan Spurlock goes on a McDonald’s only diet for 1 month. We can guess that this crazy experiment he underwent is birthed from the idea of whether fast food is actually bad because it contains GMOs. Another fast food chain, Chipotle, states, “it would replace all GMO ingredients in its offerings” (“GMO Food” 2-2). Another interesting discovery made regarding the location of GMOs, and this time they are not found in food. Diapers, and many corn-based products are made from GMO corn (Food Inc.). So people drive around in cars that are filled with gas that comes from GMO corn and do not even notice it, but what about the hidden labels that people do not read that point to GMOs. Corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, sugar, and even soy are all ingredients that contain GMOs unless they are labeled as organic (Food Inc.). A lot of these ingredients are in gas station products. Hidden labeling is used by companies that have GMOs in their products, so people think that natural food is okay, when really they should be focused on if it is
In a world where healthy eating is always a fad, GMO Labeling is a hot topic. There are several misconceptions about GMOs. Products containing GMO's should be appropriately labeled because inappropriate marketing strategies could defer possible consumers, appropriate labels could help advocate understanding that GMO is not a negative additive and consumers have the right to know what is in their food. A GMO is defined as “an organism whose genome has been altered by the techniques of genetic engineering so that it’s DNA contains one or more genes not normally found there.” Research involving human consumption in GMOs has been in place since 1980, the FDA approved funding for GMOs in 1982. Even though they were approved in 1882, products containing GMOs did not hit grocery stores until late 1994.
In todays society, people are more concerned about what they put into their body. They eat healthy and maintain a stable diet, but unknown to a number of these people is their food may have been tampered with in the form of Genetically Modified Organisms or, for short, GMO's. Genetically Modified Organisms are plants or animals whose DNA has been altered to favor a certain characteristic or trait which is already in the DNA of other plants and animals. Which includes enhancing the DNA in plants to make them larger, invincible to pests, or invincible towards weeds. Although, the reason why GMO's are a controversial topic is because GMO's have been known to kill animals, are a threat to our natural environment in many ways, and little is known
Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are becoming a greatly debated topic in many countries. New Zealand, Switzerland, France, and Japan are just a few of the countries that have decided to ban the use of GMOs. Genetically modified organisms are organisms that have been scientifically altered through their DNA. The controversy arising from the use of GMOs is whether they are safe enough to use long-term. Since GMOs have only recently come into our food supply, not enough long term research has been acquired to determine the effects it has on our society. There are many different views on the disputed topic of genetically modified organisms, but the three main views are to ban GMOs completely, to use GMOs without restriction, and to use GMOs in our food supply but regulate and label them.
Genetically modified crops and food involve the deliberate altering of the genetic material of plants and animals that have caused concerns over the environmental and economic issues that this technology affects. A genetically modified organism is an organism whose genome has been altered by the techniques of genetic engineering so that its DNA contains one or more genes not normally found there. Around 57 percent Americans believe that GMOs are unsafe to eat, meanwhile only around 37 percent think that they are safe. All around the world, people have been discussing the PROs and CONs of genetically modified organisms leaving a whole group of people wondering which side to believe. According to the online article, 10 Reasons to Avoid GMOs,
Genetically modified organisms can be plants or animals that have been genetically altered to produce or express a desired characteristic or trait. By genetically altering organisms such as crops, we can eliminate the use of pesticides by making the crops resistant to insects. We can also produce crops that are resistant to floods and droughts. Furthermore, with the use of molecular genetics, we are able to produce foods that are rich in nutrients and supplements. People in developing countries may not be fortunate enough to have a full course meal that contains nutrients from all four basic food groups. However, GMOs can with a little modification provide all the amino acids, vitamins, and minerals included in a good diet by simply consuming a genetically modified staple crop such as rice. In addition, by producing crops that are resistant to harsh environmental conditions as well as pests, we would see a rapid increase in the production of food thereby reducing and or!