One of the challenges of agriculture is finding the right balance between growing healthy nutritious food; protecting humans, wildlife, and the environment from pesticides and herbicides; and ensuring a profit. Scientists and agronomists work together to help find this balance. This lab will give you an opportunity to learn about one of these collaborations.…
In William Saletan’s “Are GMOs Safe? Yes. The case against them is full of lies, fraud and errors”, the truth about GMOs is discussed and explored. In his argument Saletan effectively uses pathos, ethos, and logos. To accomplish this, he lists the many incredibly applications of GMOs (logos), tells the story of the Golden Rice GMO (pathos), and speaks of the research he put into his work (ethos).…
Foundational understandings that the manipulation of genetics of life and its processes creates the ethical and social debates of the ability of GMOs to impact both the socio-economics and ecological contamination, which shows the unique characteristics of this technology. It should be understood that even if GMO’s are isolated and the technology removed or prohibited, because of its ability to dispense a permanent stamp in not only society but also in nature. An example of this was “the 2000 Starlink contamination scandal, in which a GM corn variety solely approved for animal feed was detected in taco shells, opened up a policy window for regulatory reform and started a debate over biosafety, crop segregation and coexistence (Stephan 2012). What is significant is that there were 2 other events in 1999 and 2001 that showed contamination in BT corn (GM) to caterpillars of Monarch butterflies that did not capture the public’s interest for long.…
Many controversies surround the use of genetically modified organisms in the production of food and crops in the United States and around the world. Although biotechnology has been around for centuries, in the last fifty years scientists have made innovations in the creation of new biotechnologies. Scientists have developed ways of genetically engineering the DNA of plants through genetic modification. Adjustments are made to the development, structure and composition by introducing precise DNA strings either from the same species or that of a variety of other plants (Halford). They modify certain DNA strings to produce desirable traits. We have spent billions of U.S. dollars on research, development and regulation of genetically…
In Michael Pollan’s essay, “Playing God in the Garden”, we are introduced to the New Leaf Superior, a genetically engineered potato. This is not the first of its kind, for it is only one of the many foods that are products of an emergent development here in the United States. Monsanto and other giant transnational companies are carrying out a dangerous global experiment by introducing large numbers of genetically engineered foods into our diet. Genetic manipulations can result in unanticipated harmful effects, and because genetically engineered foods are not sufficiently tested, this experiment not only jeopardizes the health of individuals, but also affects the natural flow of nature.…
Genetically Modified organisms or Gmo’s are unacceptable. People have been modifying genetics since the beginning of agriculture more than 10,000 years ago. People have been utilizing selective breeding in order to produce superior crops and animal. However, not only their are creating superior crops and animals, their harming plants and animals during the process. We have been told GM crops will feed the world, but that’s clearly not the point.…
The Botany of Desire relates to the topic of photosynthesis. Pollan states that while humans were “learning to walk on two feet”, plants were “inventing photosynthesis and perfecting organic chemistry…” (xx). According to Pollan, a reason for the need for photosynthesis was immobility. Pollan explains that due to “perfecting” photosynthesis, plants were able to design chemicals for defense against predators, which then solved the problem of immobility. The practice of monoculture is also discussed in the book. Monoculture may be economically beneficial, but it can bring serious environmental risks. The growing of multiple varieties of a single crop increases the chance that if one fails, another will have the genetic traits that allow it to thrive. Monoculture also forces the identical plants to be vulnerable to pests and disease. The use of pesticides can be reduced by maintaining pest resistance through biodiversity. Pollan acknowledges those who argue for protecting crops by giving them genes from other organisms; this is known as genetic engineering. Today, many crops like corn and soybeans are genetically engineered.…
Cummins, C. H. (2008). Uncertain peril: Genetic engineering and the future of seeds. Boston: Beacon Press…
Would you eat green carrots, or orange cabbage? Nowadays genetic engineering is interfering with more than just size. Genetic engineering is harmful, dangerous and also helpful.…
Robbins, J. (2001). The food revolution: How your diet can help save your life and…
Genetically engineered crops are still a very unknown and even in some cases unheard of subject to people globally. This technology, even being such and unknown subject, has quickly and only gaining speed overruns our diets by stating with our most consumed food crops. Genetic material from one organism is inserted in the genetic code of another and by doing this biotechnologist have created vast amounts of different genetically engineered organisms. Organisms such as tomatoes with flounder genes, fish with growth genes, pigs with human growth genes, along with thousands of other plants, animals and insects.…
Farming has transformed so much over the years. Six thousand years ago, farmers had holding pens and growing fields (Shmaefsky 1). In today's world, farming is not that simple. Since farming has transformed, larger operations are taking away a lot of the mom and pop farms, and making them big industrial farms. Another change is the restaurant industry, which grew in the 1950s, causing the need for more crops, but in a shorter amount of time (Shmaefsky 37). Farmers are using Genetically Modified Organisms to farm…
Genetically modified (GM) crops are designed to be protected from pest and insects without harmful chemical pesticides to the surrounding environment. Research has been done to suggest that the GM plants are harming the natural organisms in the environment. The crops have harmful effects on some insects such as death, mutated offspring, and a change in lifespan. These crops have been claimed toxic and dangerous to the environment.…
The issue of genetically modified organisms is drawing unprecedented media attention due to its potential of bringing about fundamental changes in the genetic make up of living beings. Following paragraphs throw some light on this controversial subject.…
Living in America, we sometimes forget what a huge problem malnutrition and starvation are in other parts of the world. It 's estimated that over 852 million people in the world are severely food deprived. Now, imagine a world where no one goes hungry, a farmer 's crop can survive a long drought or an early frost and still produce a large harvest, and harmful insects and weeds cannot survive in the same field as a crop. Imagine a world where malnutrition and vitamin deficiencies are a thing of the past, because the food we eat is so much more nutritious. Some scientists believe that, through new technology, this world could be a reality in our lifetime. I 'm talking about genetically modified foods, or GM foods for short. People have been genetically altering foods for hundreds of years, but due to recent technological advancements, the potential of these foods have changed drastically. Many scientists believe that genetically modifying foods could help end world hunger while others say that it could result in human and environmental catastrophe. Although there are many potential risks there are also many potential benefits. Like the old saying goes, "with great power comes great responsibility." Like almost all new technologies, genetically modified food technology needs to be closely monitored and evaluated as it progresses. Ultimately, genetically modified food technology has too much potential to be completely halted.…