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The issue of genetically modified foods
How genetic engineering is used in foods and the potential risks and benefits of genetically modified foods
Argument on genetically modified food
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The Impact of Genetically Modified Organisms in the Field of Agriculture
Thesis Statement:
Outline:
• Reduces food shortages and provide more nutrients to curb malnutrition
• Reduce the use of hazardous pesticides/herbicide which reduce exposure to toxic matters
• Sustainable farming Introduction:
There are controversies surrounding Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) which has led to numerous research on this topic.
GMOs come into play when the gene of one organism is remove and replaced with by another through a process called Genetical engineering(GE) to make the mark up of the new organism better and more resistant to infection or pest. This topic came to my mind because I was fascinated by the outcome and the benefit of the hybrid organisms. To delve dipper, I will be using papers from four different authors to get a well-rounded perspective of GMOs. GMOs have yielded significant result in the field of agriculture and medicine; the elimination of chemical used as pesticides means that there is minimal exposure of people to Hazardous chemical. Further into the research of
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According to Ronald P. C, in her research on “Plant Genetics, Ecologically Based Farming and the Future of food”, people have objected to the interference with the natural form of genes to produce hybrid. (Ronald, 2017). This paper will cover the impact of GMOs in agriculture and what the future holds; it will also provide other perspectives from authors with a different opinion. The questions that people tend to ask is whether Genetically Modified food is the best way to go; Is it the safest or will it have a long-term effect on human health and finally, will these hybrid seeds become monopolized for the corporate entity? This are the areas this paper will focus on
The first claim, made by the bioengineering companies creating the GMOs, is that the products are "resistan[t] to insects or viruses, toleran[t] [of] certain herbicides and [have] nutritionally enhanced quality" (Maghari 2). With resistance against pests and tolerance to harsher pesticides, bioengineers claim to be creating a super food that requires less maintenance and costs less. In fact, for many developing countries, this seems a promising start to the end of w...
A debate is ragging over the advancements being made in genetic engineering. Scientist discovered that genes are the map of every aspect of a living organism, this has furthermore led to the prospect of altering this coding. By modifying one’s genes parents will one day be able to pick the color of their unborn child’s eyes and farmers will have the ability to develop plants that will produce bigger and healthier harvest. With the growing anticipation that some feel towards genetically modified crops others question it effects on the surrounding environments. Often pesticides are more heavily relied on for genetically modified crops and some cases have found pollination decreased in areas dominated by GM plants. Since there are so many aspects of genetic modification that have yet to be explored, much more research is required before distributing GM seeds internationally, but from the information already available the sides have begun to divide.
The genetic engineering of foods has, in one sense, been in existence for hundreds of years. The first time Gregor Mendel bred different varieties of pea plants to observe the various traits present in their offspring, the concept was born. Today, genetic engineering has developed into one of the most complex and advanced fields of scientific thinking, all the while provoking many questions and acquiring many opponents along the way. While there are compelling arguments presented for each side of the issue, the simple fact is that genetically modified (GM) foods are a reality, especially in the United States, as they are already present in many products that are consumed on a daily basis. Just as the market for GM foods has increased, the level of opposition has increased as well, even up to the point of terrorist action against producers, growers, and sellers of genetically modified foods. So the question is posed, will GM foods be the future or the failure of our agricultural system?
A GMO is a plant or animal that has been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses, or other plants and animals. Most of the combinations which are used could not possibly occur in nature on its own. The intention of the process is to create a new beneficial trait such as creating its own pesticide or make it immune to herbicides. This would allow the crop such as Bt co...
Genetically modified organisms have been the talk of the town for quite some time. People go on strikes and write letters to Congress about them; but are they really that bad. Should they be illegal? Research has shown that GMOs are found in almost every aisle of any American grocery store. The average American would not be able to see that the food they buy contains GMOs because they are not labeled as such. GMOs non-labeled state allow many companies to use dangerous amounts of them in their product in order to keep the price of the product cheap and gain more profit. GMO food should be illegal because its appearance has broken social and political systems by not being properly monitored by higher authorities like the USDA.
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.
Genetic engineering has the potential to solve many problems and help develop sustainable agriculture. Genetic engineering is as natural as any other process on earth, and mastering it would only benefit the world (Coker 1). Putting together ideas promoted by organic farmers and the help of safe genetic engineering will be the future of crop diversity. The debate over labeling GMOs or banning them should be pushed aside because it is simply a waste of breath. To sum it up, the “evil GMOs” have created longer lasting, more nutritious food that is cheaper and easier to distribute.
In the years between 1997 and 2010 the area of land cultivated with GMOs had a huge increase, we have moved 4.2 million to 365 million hectares. In fact, 10% of the planet’s arable land is used for genetically modified crops. Most of these crops are located in North America, but it should be registered, in recent years, a rapid increase in acreage in so-called developing countries. In the USA in the years 2009/2010, the vast majority of soy (93%), cotton (93%), corn (86&) and sugar beet (95%) have been grown with genetically modified varieties. Data for 2012 published by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications (ISAAA) show that in Europe there has been a 13% increase of cultivated area (globally, the increase was 6%).
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.
If crops were affected by droughts, disease and insects, having destroyed many acres across America’s Midwest region, the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) would not be beneficial in regenerating new crops. Genetically modifying foods (GMOs) “are plants or animals that have been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses or other plants and animals that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding” (nongmoproject.org). Most research done has concluded no positive benefits in using GMOs. There are serious health risks associated with eating GM foods based on scientific research done around the world. The purpose of GMOs are to increase production of crop yield and reduce pesticide use but research says otherwise. If farmers wanted to continue using GMOs to produce crops, labeling should be mandatory to allow consumers to have a conscious choice whether or not to eat GM food. Through research it has been proven that the use of GMOs to increased production of crops during a time of drought or disease have no benefits, just risks.
The most wonderful activity a human being can experience is new flavors and foods. For example, the first time a person tastes a delicious juicy piece of prime rib or a delightful hamburger with cheese and ham, his world is never the same. However, since the beginning of the twentieth century, the production of food has been supplemented by science. This has triggered an angry dispute between the people who support the advances of biotechnology and people who love nature. In order to understand the controversy, we have to know the meaning of genetically modified foods. With new technological advances, scientists can modify seeds from a conventional seed to a high tech seed with shorter maturation times and resistance to dryness, cold and heat. This is possible with the implementation of new genes into the DNA of the conventional seed. Once these "transgenes" are transferred, they can create plants with better characteristics (Harris 164-165). The farmers love it not only because it guarantees a good production, but the cost is also reduced. On the other hand, organizations such as Greenpeace and Friends of Earth have campaigned against GMO (“Riesgos”) because they think that they are negatively affecting the earth (Gerdes 26). Both the advocates and the opponents of genetically modified foods have excellent arguments.
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)
Genetically modified food’s, or GMOs, goal is to feed the world's malnourished and undernourished population. Exploring the positive side to GMOs paints a wondrous picture for our planet’s future, although careful steps must be taken to ensure that destruction of our ecosystems do not occur. When GMOs were first introduced into the consumer market they claimed that they would help eliminate the world’s food crisis by providing plants that produced more and were resistant to elemental impacts like droughts and bacterial contaminants, however, production isn’t the only cause for the world’s food crisis. Which is a cause for concern because the population on the earth is growing and our land and ways of agriculture will not be enough to feed everyone sufficiently. No simple solutions can be found or applied when there are so many lives involved. Those who are hungry and those who are over fed, alike, have to consider the consequences of Genetically Modified Organisms. Food should not be treated like a commodity it is a human necessity on the most basic of levels. When egos, hidden agendas, and personal gains are folded into people's food sources no one wins. As in many things of life, there is no true right way or wrong way to handle either of the arguments and so many factors are involved that a ‘simple’ solution is simply not an option.
GM crops also benefit the economy and assist in feeding more people. While we struggle with feeding our population, “The population will continue to grow” (Calandrelli 1) For instance, genetic engineering in agriculture can minimize the cost of producing food. Thus, GMO’s in crops can result ...
The current use of technology for GMOs can be very useful. Less pesticide is needed to be used due to insect pest resistant