Preview

GMO-Green Revolution

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2121 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
GMO-Green Revolution
TITLE: DISCUSSION ESSAY: GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD IS THE NEW 'GREEN REVOLUTION’ WITH ADVANTAGES IN AGRIBUSINESS AND CONSUMERS.
GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD IS THE NEW “GREEN REVOLUTION” WITH ADVANTAGES IN AGRIBUSINESS AND CONSUMERS.
INTRODUCTION
Genetically modified foods are foods derived from genetically modified plants produced by genetic engineering technology. The technology allows genes to be transferred from one organism into the other and can occur between unrelated species. The genetically modified food therefore contains modified features or characteristics expressed by the new gene. The Genetically modified (GM) food are produced due to their perceived benefits to both the producer and the consumer and has been regarded as the “green revolution” with the potential of solving food insecurity problems affecting the world populations.
Global commercialization of GM foods have been on increase with crops being produced on 282.4 million acres between 1994 and 2007 (Batisa, R and Oliveira M, M 2009). Despite this sustained growth of GM crops there have been concerns and controversies surrounding the use and consumption of GM foods and more fundamentally the social issue of acceptance of GM foods by people.
This paper seeks to discuss the benefits and risks of the genetically modified foods to agribusiness and the consumers.
Benefits of Genetically Modified Foods
Herbicide Tolerance (HT)
This is also called herbicide resistance mainly to glyphosate and glufosinate ammonium introduced in soya, oil seed rape (canola), cotton, maize and sugar beet (Pretty, J) and it is achieve through the introduction of gene from bacterium usually Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that expresses for the herbicide resistance. This allows the producer to apply any broad spectrum herbicide to the crop field to kill weeds without destroying the crop. It allows the farmer to reduce weed pressure off the crop thus getting high yields from the crop


References: Batista, R and Oliveira, MM 2009, ‘Facts and fiction of genetically engineered food’, Trends in Biotechnology, vol. 27, no. 5. pp 277-286. Available from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167779909000511 [25 March 2009] Food and Agriculture Organization 2003, Weighing GMOs arguments Against. Available from: http://www.fao.org/english/newsroom/focus/2003/gmo8.htm Monsanto, Do GM Crops increase Yield. Available from: http://www.monsanto.com/newsviews/Pages/do-gm-crops-increase-yield.aspx Pretty, J 2001,‘The rapid emergence of genetic modification in world agriculture: contested risks and benefits,’ Environmental Conservation, vol. 28. No. 3. pp 248-262. Available at http://www.cof.orst.edu/cof/teach/agbio/2004/materials/1BSTATUS/Environ_Conserv_emergence of GE in world ag.pdf [11 May 2001] World Health Organization, 20 Questions on GM foods. Available from: http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/biotech/20questions/en/
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Monsanto Harvest with Fear
    • 5210 Words
    • 21 Pages

    Monsanto Harvest with Fear

    Veeman, M., & Adamowicz, W. (2004). Genetically Modified Foods: Consumers ' Attitudes and Labeling Issues. Consumer and Market Demand Agricultural Policy.…

    • 5210 Words
    • 21 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Miss
    • 8881 Words
    • 29 Pages

    Miss

    Due to this, purchasing organic quality food has become much more popular and specific companies are stopping the use the genetically modified organisms as ingredients since consumers are purchasing other items that state on the packaging the product is “GMO Free”. This has caused major upheaval of the products that are being purchased. Analyzing what drives the need for genetically modified organisms as ingredients can help to illustrate business policies and government regulations as the policies are developed into legislation. Such technology would require government regulation and support. Of course, however, there are opposing viewpoints as well.…

    • 8881 Words
    • 29 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Gmo Informative Speech
    • 733 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Gmo Informative Speech

    With progress in various types of technology, especially in genetic engineering, farmers and scientists have changed the way in which food is grown and made, raising questions about these methods and their p…

    • 733 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The False Promise Of Gm Foods By Joe Pedretti
    • 776 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The False Promise Of Gm Foods By Joe Pedretti

    Have you ever heard about the term of genetically-modified foods (GM foods)? Or have you ever seen this kind of foods, like GM tomatoes, in the market? GM foods are the foods that contain the genes transferred from other plant or non-plant organisms. It might be the most controversial topic in the world now. In the article “The False Promise of GMOs”, Joe Pedretti wrote about the argument about the GM foods.…

    • 776 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Year 10 Science Genetically Modified Food Essay
    • 852 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Year 10 Science Genetically Modified Food Essay

    Genetic modified foods can be very beneficial to farmers who have loss crops from pests and insects that eat them. Originally farmers used chemical pesticide annually to kill pests however; they found that consumers would not eat the food as it was a health hazard. Also it had harmed the environment as the pesticide would poison the water supply. By having genetically modifying crops food can be protected from insects and pests. Bacillus thuringiensis(BT) Corn is an example of a genetically modified crop, which contains delta endotoxins and when insects are exposed to this the toxins will paralyse the insect’s digestive system and kill it. Hence GM foods can be very beneficial as the production of agriculture will be less damaged.…

    • 852 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Ics 309 Gm Foods Research Paper
    • 1316 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Ics 309 Gm Foods Research Paper

    Genetically modified food, also known as GM food refer to as animals or plants that had their genetic makeup altered to make them grow bigger, stay fresher and other benefits that will make human life more simple. The concept of genetically modified (GM) foods has existed for many years. Cross-breeding of plants, has been applied before with the purpose of transferring a desirable trait from one plant species to another. (World Health Organization 2002) However, a substantial amount of time is required to obtain a…

    • 1316 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    The Anti-GMO Movement
    • 1519 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The Anti-GMO Movement

    Genetically Modified Organisms, also known as GMOs, are “living organisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering,” (The Non-GMO Project). While genetic engineering has the capability of being beneficial to our society, The Non-GMO Project argues that it “creates unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacteria and viral genes that do not occur in nature or through traditional crossbreeding methods,” (The Non-GMO Project). GMOs are very prevalent in our contemporary food industry; The Non-GMO Project website states that “in the U.S., GMOs are in as much as 80% of conventional processed food,” (The Non-GMO Project). New traits are introduced to…

    • 1519 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    The Disturbing Truth about Genetically Modified Foods in America
    • 1725 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Disturbing Truth about Genetically Modified Foods in America

    Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) showed up in rural America in the mid 1990s. Many American’s are concerned for the farmers, the environment, and the potential health risks of GMOs and are demanding more studies and tests be done before allowing these organisms to be consumed. People around the world have protested for the right to safe food, however, nothing has been done to change government policies. U.S. biotech companies, like Monsanto, are the first to hold a patent on food and are making sure there are no restrictions to sending GMOs out into the marketplace. In this research paper, I will give you an in depth look into the GMO industry and the effects it has on the environment, the farmers, and our health.…

    • 1725 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    pros of gmos
    • 753 Words
    • 3 Pages

    pros of gmos

    Ever since genetically modified organisms (organisms with altered genes to promote a certain desirable trait; GMO for short) have been introduced to the market, large uproars of consumers, politicians, and activists against GMO’s have questioned the necessity and safety of them. But for what? Public and environmental safety has always been a major concern for them, yet, after continuous testing by the FDA, USDA, and EPA, these hypothetical problems have been proven to be just that, hypothetical. Another question presented by these anti-GMO activists is, “What’s in it for me.” To refute all these claims, genetically modified foods are, in fact, healthier for the environment than non-GMO’s, pose no real risk to human health, and are extremely necessary for developing countries with a lacking food supply.…

    • 753 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    The Worlds Evilest Corporation
    • 1505 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The Worlds Evilest Corporation

    Every night many Americans sit at the dinner table with their families, ready to dig in to their home cooked dinner. Their dinners consist of what they think is farm fresh vegetables, and meet that is healthy for them. Little do they know that the farm fresh foods have been genetically altered. According to Ronnie Cummins, The National Director of the Organic Consumers Union, Genetically modified food is a food product or crop that foreign proteins have been gene-spliced (Anonymous, 2002). Since genetically modified food has been introduced it has solved many problems with food supply, until now.…

    • 1505 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Genetically Modified Foods Argumentative Essay
    • 1428 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Genetically Modified Foods Argumentative Essay

    The controversial issue of genetically modified foods, commonly known as GM’s, has only gained the attention of millions, since it became a prominent and highly debated global issue. Genetically modified foods are created when the genes of an organism are engineered and modified to create a new or enhanced version of that organism. The process of using different genes from different sources to genetically modify foods led to public outcry and sometimes, praise. People in support of genetically modified foods claims it will enhance the quality of the food, improve the food’s resistance to pests and other harmful elements, lower food costs, and also increase food security for the future. However, those opposed to genetically modified foods claim…

    • 1428 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Arguments Against Gmo Foods
    • 746 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Arguments Against Gmo Foods

    All over the world, there are a lot of people who do not know what the term genetically modified foods means. In fact, genetically modified food means crops that contain genetic material that has been changed artificially so as to produce the desired properties. In addition, a fierce debate has been prevailing over the benefits and dangers of genetically modified foods. A number of scientists think that genetically modified foods are safe, contain more nutritional value, and are cheaper to produce (Dreifu, 2008). However, opposing experts in the field of genetics differ with these lines of thoughts and argue that genetically modified foods are a danger to organisms in our ecosystem. For instance, they argue that continued production of genetically modified food might result in harmful effects on consumers and the natural environment. For this reason, I agree that genetically modified foods have negative effects on human beings and destroy the environment.…

    • 746 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Controversy About Genetically Engineered Food
    • 844 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Controversy About Genetically Engineered Food

    Many of the social concerns can be intensified by misinformation and lack of accountability, which is widespread through the field of biotechnology. “The confusing array of claims, counterclaims, scientific disagreement and misinterpretation of research that is present in the media has led to considerable confusion and suspicion” (Maghari & Ardekani pg. 195). Health and environmental safety continues to remain in the spotlight of the GMF debate with supporters researching to prove its safety critics, to prove it’s harmful. “A handful of scientists even speculate that genetically modified crops… may be partly responsible for the increased incidence of illnesses such as asthma, allergies, AOHD, and gastrointestinal disorders” (Marsa pg. 42). Of course, while there are food & safety concerns, we must not forget the profit and power that comes along with the development of…

    • 844 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    GMO's Advancing the Market
    • 2211 Words
    • 6 Pages

    GMO's Advancing the Market

    Phillips, P.W.B., & Corkindale, D. (2002). Marketing GM foods: The way forward. AgBioForum, 5(3), 113-…

    • 2211 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Ethical Issues Associated with Genetic Modification Plant
    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Ethical Issues Associated with Genetic Modification Plant

    However, most consumers have doubts about genetic modification plants on a less easily defined level. Many consumers could not accept genetic modified plant due to personal, religious, legitimate health reasons. Moreover, ecological risks do arise when a plant is genetically modified. Question always require to answer are, do genetically modified plant represent the solution to world hunger, is it unacceptable risks to environment and human health, is it a means for improving equitable sharing of the benefits of technological advance.…

    • 693 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics