11.+Genetically+Modified+Crops

Benefits and Controversies of Common Genetically Modified Crops

Genetically Modified Organisms are abundant in foods crops such as Corn, Soy, Rice, Wheat, and many other crops as well as animals like cows and chickens. These organisms DNA has been altered for different reasons. The new organisms that have been created have a different affect on humans, animals, the environment, and the economy. There is lots of debate on weather Genetically Modified Organisms are good or bad, and there are lots of reasons for both sides. People need to be more informed about these new organisms that are being brought into our world so that they can make educated decisions about their GMO use.


 * **Content** ||
 * # Introduction
 * 1) What are GMOs
 * 2) History
 * 3) Why GMOs
 * 4) Benefits
 * 5) Crops
 * 6) Environment
 * 7) Animals
 * 8) Production
 * 9) Disadvantages
 * 10) Pesticides
 * 11) Labeling
 * 12) Lack of Evidence
 * 13) Conclusion
 * 14) Works cited ||

I**ntroduction to GMO** Technology is rapidly advancing, and the way of life all around the world is constantly changing. Due to advancements in technology and science the way that food is being grown is changing drastically. One major change in food production is the expanding use of genetically modified organisms (GMO). Lots of people who are eating GMO's dont even realize that their food has been genetically modified, or what it even means to be genetically modified. Many people do not realize how GMO's could be affecting them right now. What is modified in genetically modified foods, and how do these modifications affect us?

For more than 10,000 years humans have been slowly changing the genetic makeup of crops and food animals through selective breeding and planting. These selective processes include things like planting seed from only the biggest sunflowers, so that your next crop of sunflowers are all bigger because the DNA in the seeds from the biggest sunflowers have the genetic information to grow bigger. Selective breeding is doing things like breeding cows with only the best of the prize bulls so that the calves are all bigger and better because thay have some of the prize bulls DNA. With knowledge of genetics constantly growing, scientists have found ways to speed up the genetic modification of crops and other organisms by directly interfereing with the organisms DNA through processes like gene spliceing (taking DNA from different organisms and putting it together to get desireable modifications. In the late twentieth century genetic engineering has started taking off, known by some as the green reveloution. In 1983 the first transgenic (cross species) genetic modifications were reported; Washington University had sucessfully created a transgenic tobacco that was resistant to kanamycin and methotrexate (1). Then in 1987 the first GMO plant to produce its own pesticide against catipillars came out (1). In 1994 a Genetically modified tomato that ripened slower on the vine was developed to increase the tomatos shelf life (1). In 1995 corn, soybeans, canola, and cotton where genetically modified to be resistant to herbacides (1). Genetic engineering is constantly expanding as scientists continue to study and learn more about biology, genetics, and DNA.
 * A Brief History of Genetically Modified Organisms**

Genetically modified organisms or GMOs are organisms who's genetic information has been altered through Genetic engineering. Genetic engineering is the direct human manipulation of an organisms genome using DNA technology. Genetic engineering takes different DNA from different organisms, and splices it together to get desires attributes from other organisms, or to remove undesirable attributes from the organism. There are two main kinds of DNA splicing; inter species DNA splicing which is called Cisgenic (2), and Transgenic which is splicing DNA from different species like cactus and corn in order to give corn drough resistant qualities.
 * What are GMOs?**

Crops are commonly GMO because they will be easier to grow in large quantities because they are substidized by the government. Some of the most common genetic modifications are herbacide resistance, pesticides, and vitamin content. Many crops have been altered genetically so that they are resistant to herbacides like round up. Making crops resistant to herbacides means that farmers can spray toxic chemicals like round up on the crops to kill all the weeds, and the crops will be just fine. Crops are also being genetically engineered so that they produce their own pesticides (1). This means that farmers wont have to spray pesticides on these crops because the crops will be making their own pesticides. Lots of crops like rice have been genetically modified to contain higher amounts of vitamins and nutrients (3). Increasing the vitamin content in crops like rice enables people with limited diet to get more of the vitamins that they need. There are many other genetic modifications like changing a plants climate tolerance, so that they can be grown in different tempature or moisture than what the natural plants do. For the most part, genetic modification of crops is done to help the farming process.
 * Why Geneticaly Modify Crops?**


 * Benefits of GMO's**

Genetically Modified Organisms can be added to cops to enhance taste and quality. Vitamins and nutrients are added so daily needs are better met. With new products and more advanced growing techniques growers have been able to improve resistance to disease, herbicides, and pests. They accomplish this by incorporating a bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in the growth process. Growing GM foods, such as Bacillus thuringiensis corn, can help eliminate the uses of chemical pesticides. This toxin is safe for human consumption. This technique is more “friendly” for the environment.
 * Crops**

GMO's help farmer’s better conserve soil, water, and energy. Excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers can poison the water supply and cause harm to the environment. “ Genetic modification offers both faster crop adaptation and a biological, rather than chemical, approach to yield increases,” said Paul Collier who is a professor of economics at Oxford University and the director of the Center for the Study of African Economies.
 * Environment**

With more food being produced there is more food for animals. Adding GMO's to an animals diet has helped animals have better yields of meat, eggs, and milk.
 * Animals**

Many genetically modified foods have become a lot more available to the public due to drop in price and increase in production. This has caused many people to over look the health risks. This problem starts with genetically modified seeds but government subsidies and powerful herbicides aid the process of growth and production. GMO's help increase production. Malnutrition and starvation are huge problems in third world countries. Increased production has led to increased security for the growing populations. Many foods today are being altered to have a longer shelf life. Between 1970 and 2003, the total amount of food available to each person increased by 16%. With more food available the average calorie intake increased by 523 calories a day (10). || The ERS per capita data represent the amount of food and calories available for consumption after adjusting for spoilage, plate waste, and other losses in the home or marketing system. ||
 * Production**
 * Average daily calorie intake grew by 523 calories ||
 * |||||||| Per capita consumption
 * Commodity group || 1970 || 2003 || Increase in pounds, 1970-2003 || Increase in daily calories, 1970-2003 ||
 * [[image:http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/Images/blackspacer.gif width="500" height="2"]] ||
 * |||| //Pounds// || //Percent// || //Number// ||
 * Fats and oils || 53 || 86 || 63 || 216 ||
 * Grains || 136 || 194 || 43 || 188 ||
 * Sugar and sweeteners || 119 || 142 || 19 || 76 ||
 * Meat, eggs, and nuts || 226 || 242 || 7 || 24 ||
 * Vegetables || 337 || 418 || 24 || 16 ||
 * Fruits || 242 || 275 || 12 || 14 ||
 * Dairy || 564 || 594 || 5 || -11 ||
 * Total || 1,675 || 1,950 || 16 || 523 ||
 * [[image:http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/Images/blackspacer.gif width="500" height="2"]]

GMO's have transformed the food industry in many positive ways but many believe that the food at its natural state is the best way to be consumed.


 * Disadvantages of GMO's**

There are many positives to genetically modified organisms, but there are also many negatives. Pesticides is one of the negatives. Farmers have begun to transfer genes into crops that will resist certain pesticides so that the crop will survive and the pest will be killed(6). The disadvantages about this is the gene could be passed onto the pest then they could become resistant to the pesticide(6). Even though they are getting less pesticides in the environment, they are putting more poisons in us. We are eating the bug repellent now!
 * Pesticides**

Another gene they altered is making the produce resistant to herbicide so when they spray for weeds the produce is resistant to it. Advantage to this is we don't have to worry about weeds. Disadvantage is more foreign genes are being put into the food we eat. In 1994 the first long-lasting tomato was introduced. Scientists modified the tomatoes by taking out the substance that makes the tomato rot. When they first did this it made them resistant to antibiotics, which doctors and vets used to fight infections, if these genes spread to human and animal it would be difficult to fight. There are many more examples of advantages and disadvantages, but there are also controversies on labeling.

Labeling genetically modified foods is on the fence right now. It's between voluntary labeling and mandatory labeling and countries choosing which they would prefer(5). If the government believes that certain types of information is important they may require labeling. Certain characteristics call for labeling such as allergenic potential or nutritional content that are modified(5). How are we supposed to know the effect of genetically modified foods if we don't know the food is modified in the first place? Is the Government and different companies modifying for our health or their profit? Whether spraying pesticide or modifying it into the crops, what are the health effects for us? How can eating something that is supposed to kill pests be good for us?
 * Labeling**

In Arpad Pusztai article "Genetically modified food: Are they a risk to Human/Animals health", he states we need better testing on Gmos before we release it for human consumption(7). The Gmo food crops should have been tested completely before they were introduced(7). This modification is supposed to make the food more nutritious and beneficial, not just release it to the public and hope for the best. This food could carry unknown toxins or it could increase the risk of allergenic reactions. With all the different allergies we have today, one wrong gene replaced and we could have a very deadly product to certain consumers. Basically the genetically modified foods that we consume daily are not bad until proven otherwise. We are the science project anticipating on the effects that haven't reached the surface yet.
 * Lack of Evidence**

There is so much left to cover about genetically modified organisms such as medication, other crops and animal product. This is just an introduction to the the most commonly modified and most commonly used foods. Is changing the DNA in our crops going to have a long-term effect that is yet to be seen? Will producers turn back if health problems are discovered? Or is this all for profit? Do the benefits out weight the negative impacts of genetically modified foods? Only time will tell.
 * Conclusion**

4. Booth, Nicky. __Genetically Modified Corn.__ . 5. Carter, C.A., & Gruère, G.P. . __Mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods: Does it really provide consumer choice?.__ //AgBioForum//, //6//(1&2), 68-70. [|http://www.agbioforum.org]. 6.WWW. Bionetonline.org. __Four examples of genetically modified foods__[| http://www.bionetonline.org/english/content/ff_cont6.htm], 2002 bionet 7.Pusztia, Arpad. “//Genetically Modified food: Are they risk for Human/Animal health?”.// ActionBioScience.org, [|www.ask-force.org/web/Pusztai/Pusztai-GM-Foods-Risk-Human-Animal-Health-2001.PDF]. June 2001 8. Collier, Paul, et. al. [|"Can Biotech Food Cure World Hunger?"]. //The New York Times//. October 26, 2009. Retrieved November 3, 2011. 9. Maughan, S., & Foyer, C. H. (2006). Engineering and genetic approaches to modulating the glutathione network in plants. //Physiologia Plantarum//, //126//(3), 382-397. doi:10.1111/j.1399-3054.2006.00684.x 10. Farah, Hodan. //U.S. Food Consumption up 16 Percent Since 1970.// __Amber Waves: The Economics of Food, Farming, Natural Resources, and Rural America__. Nov. 2005.
 * Works Cited**
 * 1) BioScience; May2008, Vol. 58 Issue 5, p391-401, 11p, 2 Diagrams, 1 Chart
 * 2) Jacobsen, E.; Schouten, H. J. (2008). "Cisgenesis, a New Tool for Traditional Plant Breeding, Should be Exempted from the Regulation on Genetically Modified Organisms in a Step by Step Approach". //Potato Research// **51**: 75–88. doi:[|10.1007/s11540-008-9097-y]
 * 3) Journal of Development Studies; Jul2010, Vol. 46 Issue 6, p1026-1046, 21p

Jacobsen, E.; Schouten, H. J. (2008). "Cisgenesis, a New Tool for Traditional Plant Breeding, Should be Exempted from the Regulation on Genetically Modified Organisms in a Step by Step Approach". //Potato Research// **51**: 75–88. [|doi] : [|10.1007/s11540-008-9097-y]