Leigh Howarth GMOs

What are GMOs 

Leigh Howarth

Genetically modified organisms

The use of GMOs has become widespread from vaccines and pharmaceuticals to everyday food that we eat. Although there are many positive impacts on our world that can come from the use of GMOs it is still a highly controversial topic. Many scientists believe that in order to create a sustainable carrying capacity for our fast growing population. An example of the use of GMOs is in Monsanto’s engineered Corn. Although this can result in more resistant and higher yield crops there still is a lot of controversy around the uses of GMOs and the health risk that it poses and this all comes back to the use of recombinant DNA technology in a lab. Bt corn which is a seed that was developed by Monsanto. It included genes from a bacteria (Bacillus thuringiensis). Bt is toxic to European corn borer, which is an insect that eats and kills corn stems. Bt corn from Monsanto is thus made resistant to these insects. (Cowichan, 2013) There is a very negative view on its use because of the fact that it is not natural and has to be made by cutting DNA and injecting new DNA in a lab.

            Some farmers are not able to sell their crop after they find out it has been taken over by GMO seeds made by Monsanto. In the case of wheat farmer in Oregon who had discovered Monsanto's experimental wheat growing on his farm. Buyers in Asia and Europe shunned U.S. wheat purchases after the discovery of the rogue wheat in Oregon. South Korea and Japan have suspended some U.S. wheat purchases, while the European Union said it would step up testing. (Gillam, 2013) This poses a big economic impact if farmers are not able to get value for their crop.

Monsanto claims that that strain was contained however it still got out and they don’t know how it could of happened. Environmentally this is concerning because this results in unnaturally altered organisms to be spread throughout the world and the effects on the environment can be anywhere from higher salinity in the soil to unnatural growth and invasive species travelling through the food chain from animals to livestock.  

            Not only are the affects of GMOs costly to some farmers, health risks are another major issue associated with GMOs. Allergies, resistance to antibiotics and medications and other effects that haven’t been studied can be the result of eating these GMO products. Altogether it seems like a bad case as many claim GMOs to be “Frankenfood”. The effects are still not fully understood or known as altering genes and genetic makeup of animals and plants are not natural. Are scientists playing god?

            Although there are many negatives that come from the use of GMOs, there are still many benefits that come from them. For example it has been said that in todays supermarkets already up to 70% of products have use of GMOs in either corn, seeds, soy, sugars ect. Genetically modified crops have the ability to produce much higher yields at lower cost. Pest resistant crops allow the crop to grow without the use of high amounts of pesticides. Genetically modified organisms even allow for a longer shelf life for foods, which again aids to profits. In the case of pharmaceuticals, insulin was made possible by recombinant DNA technology, which is the same technology, used to modify food. So even though GMOs can have severe impact and harm environmentally and harm to the health of people and animals the use can still be beneficial and potentially responsible.

Currently in the North America it is not required for companies to label GM products however in Europe, Australia, Russia, Japan it is mandatory. When people rose up and demanded labeling it worked and now recent changes in Canada are making it easier for companies that use GM products to label them.  Alex Atamanenko, MP for BC’s Southern Interior and the Agriculture Critic for the NDP, has introduced a new bill Bill C-257 that would see mandatory labeling of GM foods. (Cowichan, 2013) It is important that Canada and America both make mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods because the use of GMOs is only getting stronger as further research, technology, and development is done. This gives the consumer a choice, which is there right. Consumers deserve to be able to choose a product that they want and understand without genetic modification being hidden in the product.

                 

In conclusion, the benefits from GMO products cannot be overlooked as higher yielding crops can help to feed our population that is growing exponentially. However scientists and corporations like Monsanto need to further study the health risks associated with these products. Consumers need to know all of the concerns and information around them and only then should they be able to make a clear decision if they want these products. Activists have joined together with millions protesting against the use of GMOs and in the future there will only be more awareness. In the end this will always be a highly controversial topic, as many people believe scientists should not be altering organisms unnaturally. As some people may say “playing god”. 

Bibliography

All you need to know about gmos. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.cowichangreencommunity.org/GMO

Information about the harmful effects of GMOs. How we can take action against GMO food. Ie Bill C-257.

Benefits of GM food. (2005). Retrieved from http://classes.soe.ucsc.edu/cmpe080e/Spring05/projects/gmo/benefits.htm

How our world can benefit from GMO Food and the uses behind it.

Gillam, C. (2013, June 06). Monsanto gmo wheat lawsuit. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/06/monsanto-gmo-wheat-lawsuit-stahl_n_3398813.html

Review on a lawsuit that was recently filed and the effects of Monsanto’s GMO wheat on the US Wheat market.

RT. (2013, May 24). Challenging Monsanto: Over two million march the streets of 436 cities, 52 countries. Retrieved from http://rt.com/news/monsanto-gmo-protests-world-721/

Millions march in protest against GMOs and the company Monsanto that leads the worlds in GMO production and deception.

 The argument in favor of gmos. (2011, May). Retrieved from http://gmo-awareness.com/2011/05/01/the-argument-in-favor-of-gmos/

This article shows the negative side of the common argument towards the use of GMOs.

Vaesa, J. (2013, JANUARY 05). Genetically modified organisms: Pros and cons of gmo food. Retrieved from http://www.decodedscience.com/gmo-food-pro-and-con/23179

Both the positives and negatives of GMOs are introduced in this article and explaining how they can be beneficial but also very harmful.

Wiki. (2012). Genetically modified organisms. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_organism

Overview on Genetically modified organisms with its uses ect. 

Wiki. (2013). Genetically modified food. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food

Related to the controversy around GMOs and the uses in our food today.

Eliaz, I. (2013, June 06). Natural ways to protect yourself against gmos. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maria-rodale/natural-ways-to-protect-y_b_3420645.html

Natural ways to protect ourselves against GMOs that fill our supermarkets. As much as 70% of products in our supermarkets have GMO ingredients.