Genetically modified organisms, also known as GMO’s, has been a controversial topic ever since society has began using them. A GMO is an organism that has had its DNA genetically altered in a lab (Lannilla, 2019). Some people are keen for GMO’s, looking at all the positives they can bring to the future, while others look at them as toxins that are unethical. The first ever GMO was discovered in 1983, and it was a tobacco plant that was antibiotic resistant. GMO’s promote more nutritious food, bigger quantities.
Introducing GMO’s to typical farming practices may have much more benefits than conventional. Altering seeds for the crops to be herbicide and pesticide-resistant is a double whammy in a way. Implementing herbicide and pesticide resistant crops will not only benefit consumers looking for chemical free food, but the species that are crucial for pollinating the crops and the surrounding ecosystem. Because as we all know the chemicals that are put in the crops are extremely toxic for ourselves and all the others species around. Another benefit that links to the previous is not having to actually do the work to spray. Mannion and Morse (2013) suggested that converting to GMO’s will influence agriculture in a greener way because it not using insecticides, therefore not having to use machinery to implement the chemical, leading to a smaller carbon footprint from farmers.
As the world continues to grow, we are in constant need for a higher productivity and accessibility of food. By using GMO’s scientist can alter many characteristics of food and make them more accessible for others. For instance, Uchida et al. (2005) suggested that scientist can create a gene for different type of plants, that will allow them to grow in unnatural conditions that may not suite the original type. Obviously, this will increase the accessibility of food around the globe considering some areas have trouble growing particular foods. There was also a project that suggested that if Golden Rice, a type rice that has had vitamin a altered in to its DNA, was sold to African and Asian countries that over 250,000-500,00 children would be saved from vitamin A deficiency per year. Secondly, since farmers can produce higher yields of crops, which are technically cheaper due to the lack chemicals they have purchase, therefore creating more affordable foods which the poor can obtain. With the technology we have, we can also produce foods that will last longer, saving money in the long run for consumers.
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Despite all the positive outlooks, GMO’s have some drawback. Leher and Bannon (2005) suggested that since all the producers of the food constantly add proteins that are not foreign to the native plant, it can actually bring new allergies to the human body. In contrast to that point, people have been trying different foods for thousands of years to see if it poisonous or not, others can do the same now. As for a moral stand point, individuals think that it is not ethical to alter a living organisms’ genes for a particular food. However, we live in a world that is constantly changing and adapting to new things, and if we don’t change our perspectives on things we will progress forward.
