GMOs are genetic materials that are used to prevent foods from rotting. GMOs, known as genetically modified organisms, are organisms that alter a segment of DNA from other organisms (‘GMO Facts’). Farmers have said if this is safe or not. Many scientists say that GMOs are safe due to long-term feeding research which says, “the organism does not cause harm from safe chemical and pesticide usage”. Examples of foods that are modified are corn, canola, and peanuts. In 2014, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture approved the Arctic Granny and Arctic Golden Apple to be the first genetically modified foods in the market (‘Introduction to Genetically Modified Organisms’). Farmers disagree and say, “Apples should stay GMO-free”. However, over the decades the controversy of GMOs has sparked a lot of riots in other countries like the United Kingdom and Australia, about the vandalism of crops, because of the many businesses spent on it (‘Introduction to Genetically Modified Organisms’).
Manipulating genes is not radical, we have been altering genes for specific traits for some time. For instance, scientists will extract DNA from the organism and make a new genetic material out of it. Yet, scientists that study the material are not able to research where foreign GMOs are founded due to the breeding. Plant biologist Peggy G. Lemaux says “it is not irrelevant that one can cross varieties from breeding”. This means the materials founded cannot be produced from the amount of material seeds grown from the ground (‘GMO Facts’). Even though the segment of DNA is extradited from one or another it is true that GMOs prevent foods from dying and rotting.
Definitions
Pesticide - a substance used to destroy insects and organisms that harm plants and animals.
Breeding - changing the traits of plants to produce characteristics to improve the quality and form plants.
Genetic variation - the changing structure of genes that are permeant connected with a result of a gene form.
Diversity - exploring different elements that are surround within the same distance.
Riot - a violent appearance where there
History
GMO should be ok to use from now on. GMOs came into grocery stores in 1994 by selling tomatoes (‘GMO Facts’). In 1980, researchers were working on technology to copy genes and proteins to eventually determine the proper gene function (Plumber, Brad). In the United States, scientists have said GMOs are safe to consume and did not cause health issues like heart disease. Some states have made a legislation of instilling food labels on foods that contain GMO ingredients (White, Ajita). In the late 20th century, technology has given scientists the ability to expand the diversity of genetic crops. The United States Government and scientists researched the refined process of how GMOs are created (White, Ajita). Since the most common GMO product is corn it has evolved the ability of hybrid corn since the 1930s to the 1990s.
Though in the 1940’s researchers seek additional means to introduce the variety of genetic variation from gene plants. Since 1985, scientists have created controllable ways to genetically engineer plants with desirable traits. It was revealed that farmers injected cows with modified hormones to produce more milk in 1994 and would get criticized by because it can harm the cows. In 1995, sixty-seven percent of modified cheese like Kraft was approved. In 2008, ninety-two percent of soybeans in the United States were modified in two states Nebraska and South Dakota meaning they have the highest percentage out of the forty-eight states (‘The GMO Age Beings’). Also, farmers from Midwest states like South Dakota was found to have the highest amount of GMO crops due having plants like corn and canola (‘The GMO Age Begins’).
Meanwhile, in 2009, European Unions like France banned the importation of GMO crops due to fear of harsh chemicals (‘The GMO Age Beings’). Yet, In the United Kingdom it was found that forty percent of researchers agreed modified foods were necessary (‘The GMO Age Beings’).
Argument
In 2010, it was founded that farmers used GMO technologies to grow crops (Plumber, Brad). Modifying foods like fruits and vegetables are good and bad for the environment. The reason for this is because foods growing from the ground are not meant for having chemicals to grow faster but makes the process much faster for consumers that want things quick (Plumber, Brad). The foods that are known for being modified is corn, canola, and peanuts ('GMO Facts'). However, corn is a well-known food for scientists to modify (Borel, Brooke). Corn is a vegetable and through the years 2000 to 2010 scientists have said corn is a common source for GMOs in the market (Plumber, Brad). Scientists should consider GMO’s to be good and bad for consumers.
In 2014, critics against GMO’s said during a debate that “farmers are putting genetically modified crops to increase the usage of herbicides” (Staff, NPR). In which, one could agree because herbicides are a substance of toxins that destroy unwanted crops and plants. However, scientists took some questions on a debate like “what is the reason to genetically modify foods” and “what are the benefits of increasing GMOs in foods”. It simply does not answer the question why GMO crops have increased in usage of herbicides. This raises the question of whether scientists find it ridiculous that genetically modified organisms are safe for consumption (White, Alita).
Well, the question raised by the farmer is, is it safe to eat GMOs? According to Down to Earth, most of the foods that we eat like snack bars, cookies, and cereals are modified (Staff, NPR). Yes, it is true that scientists and farmers stated that consuming modified foods is safe, but from studies most of them responded by saying, “Yes, of course, eating modified foods are okay because we have not founded any research on health-related issues” (Staff, NPR). Though the foods contain harsh pesticides which is what people use to kill bugs it has shown that GMO foods like corn is used to help grow them at a fast pace. Even though one like myself can criticize the use of genetically modified products there many advantages as well.
For instance, GMO crops that are harvested will last for long time because the food products are growing. Also, having the advantage of growing food with less land and being able to feed the population, while it will increase slightly in the future. Also, the consummation of water resources which allow networks to have less impact on the environment. The benefits of harvested GMOs are it saves crops from going into extinct. Meaning if a vegetable is molding and there is lack of variation risk of getting bacteria it is able to make an exact clone of it. Another thing is copied nutrients are able resolve vitamin problems that countries like Nigeria where they can enhance the quality of fruits like banana for better texture. Therefore, growing out foods using herbicides adds a little information in what is beneficial for crops, but also have many disadvantages as well.
In the United States, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has reports of not putting GMO labels on food cans. This is a problem because GMO ingredients are added in foods while shoppers are not aware of it. However, this causes foods to have increased risk of allergies like digestive problems because of the impacts of tested animals of genetic modification. The issues with that are foods are likely to be affected from farmers that grow crops that require an agreement with government officials to grow specific products like tomatoes and vegetables. Since the amount herbicides are encouraged by officials it was found that the substance had become stronger and sufficient to restore ingredients in foods that were going into waste which caused farmers values to drop. What is surprising about this the exposure of antibiotics that are listed as ‘disease resistance’ which farmers who go through FDA regulations are supposed to know how artificially antibiotics in GMO crops are. Yet, in the future it’s likely that herbicides will become stronger and less likely to make food supplies safe, but also can create ways in making foods a lot healthier and having little chances of food allergies and sickness.
Conclusion
Overall, the foods that world consumes is primary modified, but it does not stop people like me eating the foods we enjoy regardless of the chemicals and pesticides added it stills lets the world population not starve to death proceed with living happily and better.