Article: Disease defying spuds exiled from Europe – again by Andy Coghlan The issue written in this article is regarding the banning and lack of approval for blight-resistant potatoes in the european union. Late potato blight, a potato disease caused by the the eukaryotic microorganism phytophthora infestans, is a significant cause for loss of crop and yield by potato farmers. Looking back to the past, the blight was responsible for the catastrophic Irish Great Famine of the 1840s causing eradication of their main food source, potatoes. As a result of the blight, potatoes become rotten and unsafe for human consumption. Late potato blight today is still a serious issue because it has caused the loss of $5.9 billion dollars of potatoes …show more content…
In other situations, like devastating crop damage due to insect pests, proteins specifically toxic to the pests may be engineered in to cause fatality within the insect, as in the case of Bt corn. Opponents of genetically modified crops, or anti-GMO, state that the health effects of genetically modified crops are unknown and potentially hazardous to human beings. This health effect is not known because the genetically modified crops are a relatively new technology and it would require an extensive period of time to study the chronic effects, if any, of the GM crops. Given the limited data available, it is reasonable that some individuals may caution the use of GM crops. However, given that there will be future case studies and evaluations of GM crops, it is unlikely that the GM crops will cause any different health effects than normal crops. Anti-GMO groups also state that GMO crops are costly for farmers and the consumers. In addition, these groups, like GeneWatch, lobby the government in support of anti-GMO laws.
I support the case for genetically modified crops and organisms. Genetically modified crops are the fruit of countless hours of research by researchers who work tirelessly in the pursuit of a world in which food is more sustainable for human beings. The reason why I support the development of GMOS is due to the fact that in light of our continually growing human species, genetically modified crops are necessary to
GM foods are in the middle of many controversial issues; primarily these are addressed by conflicts over the relative pros and cons of GM foods. Major biotech companies like ‘Monsanto ' and ‘Cargill ' are promoting GM foods by focusing only on their beneficial aspects, giving least importance to their negative effects on safety, environment and biodiversity. On the other hand, governmental regulators and nongovernmental organizations, along with some scientists, are strictly opposing this type of blind promotion of GM food by enlightening the people on their negative effects The controversies associated with GM foods include issues such as safety, environmental benefits and risks, biodiversity, and ethical and social considerations.GM foods are implicated for adverse human health risks like people being allergic to it, environmental hazards such as development of super weeds, and pesticide and antibiotic resistance in disease causing organisms. On the other
In conclusion, GMOs and pesticides are harmful and alarming to producers and consumers. They cause animals pain and harm humans when consumed. Many animals live short and painful lives, while humans now must suffer with long term diseases or damage to their bodies. Although some argue that Genetically modified produce is benefiting producers and consumers, I still argue that genetically modified organisms harm animals and
We are keeping our food reliable through the use of GMOs. GMOs can provide food that can be helpful for conditions in the world. They can be manufactured to fit to threatening conditions, such as drought. They can also be used to withstand diseases that have the potential to cause famine. Blights can cost millions in damages, and with new resistance technology being tested we could save millions of dolars and millions of crops. "Blight-resistant potatoes would be one of the first major foods genetically engineered to incorporate defenses against plant diseases, which annually destroy some 15 percent of the world’s agricultural harvest." These foods can even be modified to prevent bugs from consuming or ruining a crop yield. This resistance to famine can help us become less concerned about starvation due to unfavorable conditions. The crop yield can remain the same. Those opposed to GMOs may claim that they increase pestacides and harm the environment. This is completely false. "It is a matter of fact that GM crops have drastically cut the use of such pesticides. GM cotton, containing a built in insecticide, uses 50% less chemical insecticides. In 1998 around 1000 tonnes less insecticide was used in the US cotton belt than before the introduction of GM cotton. That insecticide was mainly sprayed from planes. Only a small percentage reached its target. The rest drifted into the wider environment killing
Gmos, genetically modified foods, are some of the most common science experiments we’ve done. We use them to alter our food either for better or for worse. I don’t believe we should use GMOs unless we truly have to because of the costs, health issues, and all of the unknown factors with the usage. We, today, depend on them more than we have to or should. I think there could be and are better things to put in place of GMOs that have better benefits. We just have to let them go and search for the right answer.
I believe that genetically modified food is a good thing. People are always afraid of the words GMOs, but we have been consuming GMOs for years and I haven’t heard of anyone dying or getting sick because of GMOs. GMOs are safe. Without GMOs, we wouldn’t
In contrast, the counter argument claims that GMOs are unsafe for human consumption. However, GMOs actually improve human health by reducing the amount of pesticides needed for successful crop production. With the use of GMOs in crop production, the amount of pesticide and herbicide application has decreased. To resume, successful crop production is essential to a farmer’s success, which could be why over 18 million farmers throughout the world utilize GMOs. The successful production of crops can be achieved by genetically modifying crops with resistance against insects, weeds, and other threats. Resistance to different stressors has reduced pesticide applications by 8.1 percent. Additionally, crops that are modified to be resistant to specific
The main proponent to use gmos was to increase food production to feed the world's impoverished and to use less pesticides in farming. Gmos have not achieved any of its goals as world hungry still exist and pesticide use continues to be used at the same rate. The heavy use of pesticides is not good for the earth people or other life forms that come into contact with them. They are polluting our water and land and if we continue to use them heavily we will make our land infertile. Just off of these facts I believe the use of gmos should be reduced as we are fighting fire with fire. You can't help feed people of today by poisoning the land and water for the people of tomorrow it is an inefficient and illogical
Plant biologist Jonathan R. Latham believes that genetically modified organisms should have never left the lab because it's bringing concerns to him and the public of its potential risks. He mentions may concern or risk, one concern that he brings up is plants that contain their own insecticides. Which will include crops like “maize, cotton and soybeans” (Latham. Par. 9), which are called Bt plants. Bt plants are bug-fighting plants that were spread by moving some genes “from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis” (Latham. Par. 9). The people who make Bt believe that its toxins are inserted specific and safe, but there's a reason why people are doubtful about the safety and specificity. Another concern that the public has is insecticides,
There are two types of GMO; herbicide tolerant and self-generating insecticide. “The herbicide tolerant variety are designed to survive high doses of toxic weed killers” (Must-Avoid Foods: Linking GMO to Toxicity and Disease, 2012). When the toxic weed killers get used on these crops, some of the toxins end up in the weed in the food. What is alarming is that the toxic weed killers are actually linked to birth defects, cancer, and hormone disruption (Must-Avoid Foods: Linking GMO to Toxicity and Disease, 2012). The self-generating insecticide such as corn, produces their own insecticide in each and every cell (Swanson, Genetically Modified Organisms and the deterioration of health in the United States, 2013). When insects eats the corn or any other food with the insecticide, Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) toxin, the insecticide breaks open the stomach of insects in order to kill them. Although this supposedly applies only to insects, studies have shown that the BT-toxin can also break the wall of
However, the use of the GM seeds for food production can quickly render a harmful impact to the user. Lee & Burrell (2002) stated, “Intense concerns about the uncertain health and environmental of GM farming have been the subject of high profile debate. The effects of GM farming on existing forms of agriculture, raised by the prospect of cross-pollination by GM seed, provoke similarly polarized views” It is common that genetic engineering process often takes place by joining different genes of plants together to come up with a whole species of the plant. Unfortunately, this process can easily result in coming up with plants with genes that are harmful to the consumers. Most of the genetically modified food staffs can
Over the years genetically modified foods continue to be controversial topic in the realm of food safety and consumption while some argue that GMOs are safe, others are adamant they are detrimental to one's health. According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; farmers grow corn, cotton, and potatoes without spraying the bacterial insecticide bacillus thuringiensis becauses the crops produce their own insecticides, by using GMOs. GMOs are genes from the DNA of one species are extracted artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant and animals.
Not only are GMOs harmful to humans they affect many other communities. “GMOs are also responsible for killing off bees, bats, butterflies, and other pollinators, whose bodies are unable to handle the onslaught of altered DNA and chemicals that are characteristic of GMO technologies”(Bensen). This shows that GMO is not only an issue for humans but it directly affects the insect and animals communities around the plants. These are living organisms that these plants need for pollination. GMOs and the pesticides used on these crops to fight off the insects and weeds is creating more powerful weeds and insects called “SuperWeeds” and “SuperBugs.” “And this built-in resistance has allowed farmers to indiscriminately spray chemicals like Roundup on their crops without worrying about killing them. But this system is now failing, as the weeds and pests targeted by GMO technologies have mutated and developed resistance to crop chemicals and Bt toxin” (Benson). These chemicals are effective for a short period of time However these chemicals become ineffective, the offspring of the insects can be immune to the chemical. This creates a need for a new and stronger chemical mix. GMO seeds and destroy the soil and kill beneficial
Meanwhile, a growing body of evidence connects GMOs with health problems, environmental damage and violation of farmers’ and consumers’ rights.
Much of the public concern surrounding the safety of GMOs stems from the process of actually creating them. This is admittedly not a natural process, which is a surefire way to raise critic’s eyebrows in doubting their safety. However, there is no evidence that supports these myths. The Committee on Genetically Engineered Crops, The National Academy of Science, and the Board on Agriculture and Natural Recourses all agree after extensive testing and observation that there is no additional harm in the consumption of GMO food. The research conducted in animal studies, as well as chemical analysis of the crops, show no indication that GMOs are negatively affecting human health. The next allegation hurled at GMOs is that they may have
According to the World Health Organization (2014. 1), "Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination. The technology is often called 'modern biotechnology ' or 'gene technology ', sometimes also 'recombinant DNA technology ' or 'genetic engineering '. Foods produced from or using GM organisms are often referred to as GM foods.” Many organic crops farming farmers are against cultivating of GM crops because of the threat to farm land and environment however, biotechnology companies and GM crops growing famer desire to have profit and consumer look for low price. Thus, the debate over the environmental impact of genetically modified GM crops is growing. Although GM crops negatively affects on some organism in environment, they reduce the use of pesticides and increase crop yield.