GMOs

GMOs 

Genetically modified organisms, or more commonly known as GMOs, are created by scientists who have learned how to take DNA from one organism and put it into another. There are many pros and cons to GMOs, and even more ethical issues. A cost of genetically modified crops would be less safety for the environment; the crops that are genetically modified need a lot more herbicides and pesticides than a crop that isn’t genetically modified. This also causes bugs to become resistant to the pesticides, and grow stronger, forcing us to again use more pesticide/herbicide or make new chemicals that would work on the now resistant bugs and weeds. Cross pollinating is another problem, because when a resistant crop pollinates with a weed, that weed could become resistant to a weed killer, and grow wild and produce more resistant weeds. Financial costs are another downside, with 200 million spent on “Flvr Svr” tomatoes and almost none of it was able to be reclaimed. GM crops have cost America around twenty one billion dollars.

There are billions of people who are mal and undernourished, and there are millions who die every day from hunger worldwide. This third world hunger has caused scientists to race for a way to end world hunger, and GMO’s just might be the answer. GMO’s produce bigger yields without taking up more space, and can be modified to be better adapted to harsh conditions and become more resistant to pests. Herbicide resistant crops make it easier on farmers because they won’t have to till the soil beforehand, and they won’t have to use nearly as much herbicide on their crop. It also helps nutrient run off from the soil, which can in turn help our rivers and lakes. GMO’s make less food waste. Some potatoes have a modification so they don’t bruise, and this keeps them from being thrown away and creating more waste. Today we have GMO soybean seeds that have healthier soybean oils, less trans-fat, and increased levels of Omega 3. All of these pros and cons have stirred up large debates between people who do and don’t support GMO’s.

If people were better educated about GMO’s, and were told what they can do for us, I think more people would be okay with the fact that they’re eating GM things. GMO’s are tested for safety and allergen potential before they can be sent to market and to stores, making them safe to eat, and are in fact one of the most tested products in our history. With our biotechnology, we can create crops already adapted to the fast changing climates. Our biotechnology can also help make food more nutritious by inserting higher levels of nutrients in a tomato, for example, that have shown to be protective against human diseases. However, things like these cannot come to market because of the controversy of GMO’s, because people are still uneducated and unsure about eating GM products.