The Ignorance of Media and Public about Genetically Modified Food

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The year is 2080. The world’s population has doubled while its production of food has not. Amongst the echoes of deprivation, the smell of starvation is rampant. Crime, driven by a need for nourishment and self-preservation is everywhere. They are desperate, desperate for anything to eat. It doesn’t have to be “organic” anymore.
In order to meet the demands of a growing global population, the world’s farmers have been required to grow more food, in less time, and with less land than ever before. This challenge has and will continue to be met by seeds that are more resistant to damage, durable to weather extremes, and ultimately more prosperous at harvest. These seeds are the product of genetic modification and are the potential solution to ensure that starvation will not be a consequence of global population growth.
When one thinks about genetic modification, what are the negative connotations associated with it? What are the possible consequences of using genetic modification in food? In the past century, the human diet has slowly been altered by the genetic modification of food in order to combat an increasing global demand. However, this onset has been followed by a deficient understanding of what genetically modified food is and therefore a negative connotation concerning its use. This deficient understanding is the direct result of an uninformed media representation. Therefore, my intention of this paper is not to demonize organic food, but rather to present the truth about genetic modification through presenting the true identity of what genetic modification is, its safety promoted through stringent regulation and science, and finally the inherent risks and benifits associated with it. By doing this I will show througho...

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... Toxic." 2012. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
Osborne, Steven." The Roots of Genetically Modified Food." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 1 May 2014.
Rueman, Lisa M. "FDA's Role in Regulating Safety of GE Foods." The United States Food and Drug Administration. United States Department of Health & Human Services, 30 Apr. 2014. Web. 5 May 2014.
White, Curtis. “A Good Without Light.” From Inquiry to Academic Writing. Eds. Stuart Greene and April Lidinsky: 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford St. Martins, 2012. 836-844. Print.
Union of Concerned Scientists. "Genetically Modified Food Could Harm the Environment." Genetically Engineered Foods. Ed. Nancy Harris. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2003. At Issue. Rpt. from "Risks of Genetic Engineering." 2007. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.

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