*Disclaimer: This is not a complete list of all of the arguments in favor of and against GMOs. I have several classes this semester that will be discussing this topic and it just happened to be on my mind when I sat down to blog today.
Genetically Modified Organisms- GMOs for short- have been stirring a lot of controversy lately. But what are they and why are they so scary?
Genetically Modified Organisms are defined by Merriam Webster’s dictionary as “an organism whose genome has been altered in order to favor the expression of desired physiological traits or the output of desired biological products.” Basically, a genetically modified crop is a plant that has been bred to exhibit a particular trait. For example, crops with the Roundup Ready trait mean that the plant is able to be sprayed with Roundup herbicide and not die. (Roundup typically kills any plant that it comes in contact with- even a few drops will kill a plant, so be careful when using it in your yard.) This has revolutionized agriculture by making it less labor intensive (Do you want to go outside in 90+ degree weather and weed a 100-acre soybean field? I don’t either.)
The side that favors using genetically modified crops (including me) likes them because they actually allow farmers to use fewer chemicals on their crops. This goes hand-in-hand with advancements in the chemical industry, making the chemicals more effective in lower doses. Some genetically modified crops have traits that make them resistant to a particular insect or disease, which means that pesticides to get rid of that insect or disease no longer have to be used.
Genetically modified crops also tend to have higher yields. This is because of several reasons. Traditional breeding (remember Gregor Mendel and the pea plants?) has increased yields since the dawn of agriculture, as farmers have saved the biggest ears of corn to plant again next year, resulting in better yields over time. In addition to yield increases because of selective breeding, genetically modified crops yield more because there is less pest damage. Fewer weeds are present in the field, so crops are not competing for nutrients, water, and sunlight. Diseases and insects that would normally take a toll are less of a problem because of natural resistance that is present because of genetic technology. What this adds up to for the consumer is that there is more food being produced on less land. An abundance of food means that we will be spending less on food than people in many other countries where agriculture is not as productive, but it also means that we have more choices of what we want to buy for our families.
People that are against GMOs argue that there has not been enough research to guarantee that they are safe to eat. Many Europeans believe this, and most European countries have bans that prevent farmers from growing any GMO crops and require any food that contains GMOs to be labeled as such. Some states in the United States have tried to pass laws that require this labeling, but voters have struck them down each time.
Arguments saying that GMOs are creating “superbugs” are also common. GMOs do not create superbugs all by themselves. There have been reported cases of insects and other pests being resistant to some genetically modified crops, but much of this has been attributed to misuse of genetically modified technology. Farmers are required to plant “refuge” in their field when they use genetically modified crops. This refuge is seed that does not carry the resistant traits that rest of the seed to be planted in the field have. Refuge seed is planted to give insects a place where they can live and reproduce, which prevents them from adapting to overcome the plant’s resistance. To ensure that refuge areas are being planted, refuge seed is beginning to be mixed in with the rest of the seeds.
Other arguments against GMOs revolve a lot around Monsanto. While Monsanto is the largest company that sells GMO seed and does a lot of ground-breaking research, they are not the only company that does this. There are actually several major players in the industry. In addition, Monsanto does not directly sell their product to farms and other consumers. They own many smaller companies that do this, and allow these companies to use the technology that they have developed. So when my family buys seed corn for the year, we do not buy from Monsanto. Instead, we buy a particular brand of seed from an independent seed dealer. This brand of seed may be owned by Monsanto or it may be owned by Syngenta or DuPont or another company. And we aren’t forced to buy a particular brand of seed every year, contrary to the belief that Monsanto basically “owns” farmers. However, there are patents on most genetically modified seed that do not allow farmers to save seed from harvest and plant it the next growing season, and the farmer signs a contract saying that they will not do this. Even if they did decide to do this, they wouldn’t have very good results the next growing season. Plants pass genes to their offspring similarly to humans, meaning that the next generation will have a mix of DNA from both parents. In plants, this means that the seeds that are planted in growing season #2 may not have all of the traits as the plants in growing season #1, and it probably won’t yield very well either.
What this all really comes down to is what you are comfortable feeding your family. I am not afraid of consuming foods that contain GMOs, so I will continue to eat them. If you are afraid of them, then I’m not stopping you from not eating them. There are farmers out there who do choose to grow non-GMO crops, so support them if you wish. If GMO labeling does happen (which it will, it’s just a matter of when), do not be surprised with 90% or more of the foods in the grocery store have the label. Many farmers like growing genetically modified crops, and will continue to do so until consumer demand peaks elsewhere.
Fun Fact Friday: Did you know that seedless watermelon and seedless grapes are products of genetic modification?
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