Genetically modified crops are plants used in agriculture in which the DNA has been modified using genetic engineering techniques. In other words, genetically modified organisms have specific changes in their genetic information, by the process of introducing foreign genes into the cells. Genetically Modified Crops have had a gene extracted from a living thing placed into a different food by a scientist. This technology can be used to produce new varieties of plants more quickly than conventional breeding methods. Genetically Modified Crops are created for many different reasons. The two main types of GM crops that are in commercial use around the world are either crops…
Mostly, GMOs are done with agricultural crops and animals that are consumed for food. Food, most needed by humans, whom are the consumers. But because of the non-stop increase of the population, source of food became a problem. So they came up with these, genetically engineered crops. They can noticeably increase crop yields and also, reduce the use of chemical pesticides. The costs for food and drug production are reduced, the quality and the organisms’ composition are improved and it has greater food security for the growing population.…
Let the companies that they have to disclose everything they use to make their products and let the consumers decide if they want to continue to use the products. Conclusion GMO are any organism, genes or genetic material of which have been modified in a way that does not occur naturally through mating or natural recombination or both. Plants can be modified to increase their resistance to insects, diseases and other pests that are capable of destroying or seriously damaging crops. This not only results in an increase in the yield of these crops, but also reduces the need for using pesticides. Reduced pesticide use implies decreased pollution and increased safety for farm-workers and those living nearby, as well as less harm to animal life.…
GMO crops are identical to traditional crops except, the GMOs have had a small amount of DNA added. This small change in a crop’s DNA causes the expression of a trait that scientist believe to be advantageous. Common genetic modifications are herbicide resistance, pesticide production, and virus resistance.…
In a time where it is very popular to eat organic, with more and more organic choices than ever, the issue of GM food is an interesting one. For those of us who live in a relatively stable economic environment, the need for GM food seems a little wrong. But the facts are that the world population is growing and since about 1999, the world wide farmland acreage has decreased every year, something had never happened before and shows no sign of turning around. BASF reports the following concerning population and available farmland:…
What exactly are GMOs? Genetically modified foods are organisms manipulated in a laboratory setting, so their genetic make-up can be modified. Many supporters choose GMOs to prevent the use of herbicides, pesticides, greenhouse emissions, and for the reduced costs of food. They argue that a variety of potatoes, cotton, and maize, carry many genes from Bacillus thuringiensis which successfully control insect population worldwide during its use, especially in the U.S where they are currently being sold commercially. Also, they stand by their point of the use of these products will greatly decrease pesticide use. Progress has been in the GMO industry with oilseed grape,…
The purpose is to alter the genetic code in plants and animals to make them more productive or resistant to pests or farming techniques, like being doused with chemicals that would normally kill them (Foodstandards.gov.au, 2015). Some of the benefits of genetically modified crops are that genes can be inserted that cause the plant to be resistant to many harmful things such as weeds, insects, and disease (Classes.soe.ucsc.edu, 2015). This would allow for less herbicides to be used on the crops and more crops to survive and produce food. Crops can also be modified to have a longer shelf life in stores, grow in dryer/colder climates, be resistant to pests, and even to have increased nutritional value.…
The term GMOs stands for genetically modified organism. A genetically modified organism is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. Organisms that have been genetically modified include micro-organisms such as bacteria and yeast, insects, plants, fish, and mammals. GMOs are the source of genetically modified foods, and are also widely used in scientific research and to produce goods other than food. The genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally.…
A Nebraska cornhusker frets as he surveys his drought-stunted crop. A Nigerian yam farmer digs up shrunken tubers. A Costa Rican coffee baron lays off hundreds of workers because a fungus has spoiled his harvest. A poor Indian cotton farmer discovers his crop infested with insects. Such dilemmas are becoming more and more prevalent in our world plighted with drought, climate change, and other natural devastations to plants. However, the rapid population growth of humans makes overcoming these challenges increasingly urgent. Ramez Naam discusses the solution to these problems in his article Why GMOs Matter. I strongly agree with Ramez Naam that GMOs should continue to be used because they increase food production which proves a necessity in order to feed our growing population and avoid hunger, GMOs enable farmers to be better stewards of the environment by allowing them to grow more crops on less land while using fewer pesticides and less water, and contrary to popular belief, there are no proven health hazards.…
Regarding the claim that GMO’s are still “new” and thus impossible to deem safe, GMOs first appeared in labs about 30 years ago and 1,700 safety studies have been published since then. GMO’s by themselves cannot solve the world’s food problems, but they can boost crop output. With population growth and climate change, GMOs can ensure the world is food-prepared when the world’s population is estimated to increase by two million more people by 2050. The claim that all research done on GMOs are done by Big Ag is a blatant lie. There have been hundreds of independent research over the decade that support the safety of GMOs, and at least a dozen of scientific and medical groups, like the American Association for the Advancement of Science, have stated that GMOs approved for market are safe.…
A genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. These techniques, generally known as recombinant DNA technology, use DNA molecules from different sources and combine them into one molecule, creating a new set of genes. This DNA is then transferred into…
Many businesses have switched to non-GMO foods to gain popularity and consumers. Though the companies seem to be making a good, even stoic, decision, the effect on farmers in the country is devastating. The effects of GMOs are often thrown under extreme scrutiny, and rightly so, as more than 70 percent of all processed foods contain GMOs and more than 80 percent of the country’s crops.Many more businesses will take their GMO products off the market if they are forced to label them.As companies take GMOs off the market, farmers are left with a field of GMO crops and few companies willing to buy them.…
GM plants and animals have the potential to be the greatest discovery in the history of farming (Huffman, Rousu, Shogren, & Tegene, 2003). Although there is still much to research, GM technology could reduce the cost of food, the rate of application of pesticides, create higher yields, enhance vitamin and protein content of food, and reduce farm worker poisoning (Rich, 2004). I agree that the safety aspects of GM products should be thoroughly analyzed, but they should not be outlawed until there is substantial evidence of harm to people or the environment. People should also be given a choice whether or not to eat GMO (Rich, 2004). Labeling should be required on all non-GMO products.…
The most infamous GMO based company is Monsanto. For those who haven’t seen Food Inc. Monsanto is a company that specializes in GMOs and their applications and the patents that insure lots of money. Monsanto forces farmers into their agreements of use and if they should deny and end up using Monsanto’s patented seeds they find themselves with an excessive lawsuit so unreasonable it is impossible for the farmers to have any other option but agree to their terms. Yves Bertheau and John Davison wrote a case study called Genetically Modified and non-Genetically Modified Food Supply Chains examines the interaction between these seeds, “the simulation model presented...permits an analysis of mechanisms for detecting adventitious transfer of GM material…
Before I go into the different sides of GMO’s I want to note a bit of background information. GMO stands for genetically modified organism. The concept of genetically modified (GM) crops is isolating the DNA of plants…