What is a GMO?
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Genetically Modified Organism
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Also sometimes called transgenic organisms
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The human use of biotechnology to manipulate an
organism’s DNA
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Involves taking genes from one species and
putting it into an unrelated species
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The intention is to quickly produce a larger
quantity of better-tasting crops that grow in harsh conditions and feed a
growing population
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GMO’s “help” farmers
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Different types of GMO’s
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Herbicide tolerant – allows farmers to spray
herbicides over the tops of plants
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Example: Roundup Ready
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Insect resistant – in-plant protection from
insects, reduces the need for insecticides
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Also protects beneficial insects, like ladybugs
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Example: Bollgard
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Abiotic stress tolerant – Example: DroughtGuard,
which helps the plant when there isn’t much water available
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Disease resistant – could potentially prevent
things like Irish potato famine from happening
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Modified product quality – what’s mostly being
worked on right now are improved oils
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Also rumored is an “Arctic Apple” that won’t
brown as easily once it’s cut
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Why people think GMO’s are good
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Could present many health benefits
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Longer shelf life for produce
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Low-calorie beets and oils with lower saturated
fat are currently in the works
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Crops with higher nutritional content (for
example, higher fiber or crops containing additional vitamins and minerals)
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Safer to eat because of less pesticides,
fertilizers, and herbicides
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“Edible vaccines” are currently being developed,
which will be easier to ship and store
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Will save farmers money
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Less money spent on herbicides and pesticides
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Could prevent crops from dying when hit with
sudden frosts, drought, or diseases
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Will improve harvests
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Better for the environment
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Less harmful pesticides/herbicides in
groundwater, which in turn harms other plants and animals
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Less chemicals used overall
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Will better feed the world’s rapidly expanding population
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Nature has a way of improving itself over a long
span of time; this is just a much faster way of doing it
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Why people think GMO’s are bad
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Could present new health risks
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People with allergies might be inadvertently
consuming something with DNA from the food they are allergic to
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Bacteria found in our bodies could pick up
antibiotic resistance genes found in many genetically modified crops
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They could harm the environment
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Could hurt the wildlife and/or harmless insects
that live around fields
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Theory of “superweeds” that become immune to
weed killers and grow out of control, and also “superbugs” that become
resistant to pesticides
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Viruses could become resistant to the “edible
vaccines”
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It’s just unnatural
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Nature takes millions of years to improve itself
for a reason; why are we so impatient? It will perfect itself on its own, so we
shouldn’t try to do it ourselves
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“Playing God”
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Bad for vegetarians and vegans
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There could possibly be genes from an animal in
what was formerly innocent produce
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Could
impact peoples’ religions
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Something considered “kosher” might have pig
genes in it
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Might be more about profits than anything
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Over-promoted without concern for potential
health or environmental risks
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Mostly being used in high-volume crops, like
corn and soybeans
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Not well regulated
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The FDA is too lenient on what they allow, no
one really knows the difference between “okay” and “not okay”
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FDA says that genetically modified foods are “substantially
equivalent” to foods that are not modified
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FDA does not require consultation for new
genetically modified foods
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The bottom line, products containing GMO’s
should be labeled
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At least 30,000 different GMO’s exist on grocery
store shelves, mostly because so many processed products contain soy
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People should have the right to choose a side;
if they think GMO’s are good, then they can eat them. If they don’t want to
take the risk, they should be able to make that choice.
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People should have the right to know exactly
what they are eating
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If something genetically modified makes someone
sick, no one will be able to trace it back to what exactly caused it
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The U.S. is the largest producer of GMO’s
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30 other countries ban the use of genetically
modified crops because they are not considered to be proven safe
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A CBS news poll shows that 87% of the public
wants GMO’s labeled
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It also shows that 53% wouldn’t buy genetically modified
food
