This is an argumentative research essay. The topic that I have chosen to write about is genetically modified organisms vs. non-genetically modified organisms. It has been big debate for many years in this country. I have done a couple of different since experiments in the past that tie into this topic. There are many different pros and cons to each of these topics. Out of all the food that is possible in the world, I believe that the food grown with non-genetically modified organisms are better for overall compared to the food grown with genetically modified organisms.
Genetically Modified Organism
A genetically modified organism is a plant, animal, microorganism or other organism who genetic makeup has been modified in a laboratory using engineering or transgenic technology. Back in 1973 two biochemist named Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen developed the genetic engineered bacteria. Genetic engineering gives the scientists the ability to take one gene to implant. Then in 1982 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first consumer product that was created by these two biochemists. Some examples of foods with genetically modified organisms; potatoes, apples, squash, soybeans, alfalfa, and papaya to name a few. There are hundreds of foods out there grown with genetically modified organisms. The genetically modified organisms can have a good or bad to your body.
There are not any pros to eating food that contain genetically modified organisms. Genetically modified organisms are beneficial to the famers is serval ways. Some of the advantages of genetically modified organisms are that it gives the farmer a higher yield and better growth in poor growing conditions. Some crops have been modified with genes that help them survive stressful conditions, such as droughts, and resist diseases like blights. Studies have shown that genetically modified organisms have reduced the number of pesticides used on crops that are grown with genetically modified organisms. The genetically modified organism plant has a gene that produces a protein that has toxins in it. The toxins are powerful enough to kill any pests or insects trying to destroy the crop. The protein gives the genetically modified organism plant a natural resistance. Also, the price of foods with genetically modified organisms are much cheaper for the consumer as well as the farmer.
There are many downfalls to genetically modified organisms such as allergies, cancers, and environmental concerns. People worry about all time about whether they will have a reaction to a food. For example, a study from the mid-1990s found that adding a protein from Brazil nuts to GMO soybeans could trigger an allergic reaction in people sensitive to Brazil nuts. Having a concern about getting a food allergy is normal for many people, but there have been no allergies that have been tied to a genetically modified organism food that is available in stores today. Another concern is cancer, because it is created from DNA mutations. It is proven that by adding a gene to these foods people are eating, they think that it can cause side effects to the DNA in their body. There are no ties to cancer being caused from eating genetically modified organisms. Lastly, there are concerns to the environment. The big concern in my opinion is the use of herbicides by the farmers on the crops. For example, most GMO crops are resistant to herbicides, such as Roundup. This means that farmers can use Roundup without fear of it harming their own crops. I understand that using herbicides helps kill the weeds around their crops as well as helps keep the bugs from destroying their crops. The only concern I have is that there are farmers out there who spray their crops on days that they should not, which causes the chemicals to drift in the air and land of someone’s personal garden or flower bed. The chemicals they use are stronger than normal which could kill those things or could be harm for the human when they eat the produce.
Non-Genetically Modified Organism
A non-genetically modified organism is a product was produced without genetic engineering and its ingredients are not derived from genetically modified organism. Also, the non-genetically modified organism has less chemicals and toxins involved the growing process that is less harmful to the body. Some examples of food that are grown without added genetically modified organism are organic plants and animals.
There are several ways that non-genetically modified organism is beneficial for the human body such as it is healthier, reduces the chances of having allergic reactions, and prevent nutrient deficiency. For example, you can gain far more nutritional benefits from eating organic fruits and vegetables than you would from the GMO variety. One reason I think non-genetically modified organisms are healthier for the human body is because it has less chemicals and some of the trans fats can be removed from the product. Another reason is that non-genetically modified organism has more nutrients that the human body needs to help grown and function daily. Also, there are benefits to the farmers for growing non-genetically modified organisms. Some of the benefits include premiums, potential growth in the next years, and higher demands for non-genetically modified organism crops. For example, farmers can capture premiums for growing non-genetically modified crops. But those premiums don’t come easy. Famers must go through a lot to fall under the category to receive the premiums. Farmers I have talked to say that growing non-genetically modified organism would be nice because of the high demands and the potential for higher yielder in the future.
There is lot of downfalls for farmers to grow non-genetically modified organisms. The main struggle that farmers go through is the financial portion. Some of the other struggles farmers must go through to grow non-genetically modified organisms is dealing with forward contracts, cleaning combines, on-farm storage, inventive ways of dealing with weed and insect pressure, certifications, audits and visits. Farmers must store the seed in a special climate-controlled building, needs extra storage bins to keep separate from the regular crops, and special drying systems. Another is the price for non-genetically modified organism which is going to be a little higher than genetically modified organism. For example, the price of non-genetically modified organism per bushel was twelve dollars and twenty-five cents and the cost for genetically modified organism per bushel was eleven dollars and fifty cents. There is not much of a difference for an average person looking at those numbers. When it comes to a farmer who has hundreds or even thousands of acres of tillable farmland it adds up quickly. People think that farmers make a lot of money, but farming is awfully expensive way to live.
Personal Thoughts
I conducted my own survey to find out whether the society in which I live would prefer a genetically modified organism or a non-genetically modified organism. About ninety percent of the people who responded to my survey believed that non-genetically modified organism was better for the body and for produces. Many of the participants gave a reason why they though this way. Almost all of them said that the main reason they chose non-genetically modified organism was because it was healthier, has less toxins that could harm the human body, less chances of allergic reactions, and easier for the human body to process. Another reason that was brought up from the women in the survey was that non-genetically modified organisms were better because it could cause women to have issues with their body. The other ten percent said that genetically modified organism was better. The reason that seems to connect between that group of people was researchers as well as scientists have genetically enhanced genetically modified organism type of foods to make the foods more nutritious. Also, to help control the climate diseases that exist in genetically modified organism crops.
In my opinion, I believe that non-genetically modified organism is better for not only for the human, but also for the environment. Some of the reason I would say that non-genetically modified organism is better for the human body would be that it is healthier, less likely to have any reactions, and less likely to cause cancer or any other diseases. Genetically modified organism is bad for the human body. For example, genetically modified organism (your regular fruits and vegetables) is bad for us in several ways, from weakening our immune systems, to causing certain kinds of cancers. I prefer to frow my own vegetables in my garden in the spring, summer, and early fall. I will eat the things I grow in the garden daily as well as I will the different vegetables to eat through the winter. I have been doing this for several years now because I believe that knowing where your food comes from is better because then you know what was done to the plant or animal. I use my own compost that has now add genetically modified organism, it is all organic. I have been made fun of because I am a young man doing this. I look at it this way, I know what I am putting in my body and where it come from. Growing your own food and raising your own food is not always done by older people, it starts when you are younger. The reason it starts when you are younger is because you can see how to grow your food without adding all the genetically modified organisms they do with certain produce in the store. There is a downfall to growing your own food or buying non-genetically modified organisms because it can cost more than regular GMO food. Non-genetically modified organism is going to much higher than the genetically modified organism, but the quality of food and less chemicals or toxins the food will be much lower than the genetically modified organism. By it being lower, it will allow your body to digest the food more rather than genetically modified organism.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I believe that non-genetically modified organism foods are much better for the human body despite they may cost more. Genetically modified organism is bad for the body and can cause harm to environment. We need to come up with a solution to lower the cost of non-genetically modified organism seeds. The reason behind that is to get more farmers growing non-genetically modified organism crops and the society eating more healthier food. Not growing genetically modified organism crops anymore will also help save on the environment because of all the chemicals use in the process of the growing the crops. In the end, we need work together to come up with solution to get more healthier non-genetically modified organism foods on the shelves that the stores.