In 1982, the mechanics of agriculture was flipped upside down and inside out. The FDA approved the first GMO and about 10 years later, the first GMO hit the grocery stores. Since then, the argument about GMO’s has been a hot topic for environmentalists and scientists, and the debate is still unresolved. The positions taken by consumers, corporations, and farmers create a range of opinions, but to find a happy medium is challenging. Corporations, including GMO producer Monsanto, all advocate for GMO’s, due to the fact it creates higher yields for crops which can help feed malnourished countries. Additionally, the use of GMO’s will conserve resources and help crops adapt to the changing environment. As for the opposing side of the argument, farmers and environmentalists are scared for the future of agricultural production. The effects of GMO’s on our bodies remain a mystery and due to the fact that GMO’s are quite recent, there has not been one generation who has only eaten them. Therefore, the long-lasting affects are still unknown. Technology is rapidly developing and mostly for the good, however, changing the nature of fruits, vegetables, and grains, has the possibility to harm us and other organisms. GMO’s are more harmful than good and this is because of their negative impact on our health and our already damaged world. 

Why are GMO’s more negative than positive? The most prevalent issue is that GMO’s can possibly cause long term damage to the human immune system and affect some of the large organs in the body. However, because GMO’s are so recent to our population, there has not been a generation who has only been exposed to GMO’s, therefore the long-term affect is still unknown. One factor that drives this scare of human health is that some of the plant reactions, after being tampered with, will secrete more toxins than it did before, “There is concern that inserting an exotic gene into a plant could cause it to produce toxins at higher levels that could be dangerous to humans…. If other genes in the plant become damaged during the insertion process it could cause the plant to alter its production of toxins” (GMO: Harmful Effects). Human health is not the only concern for GMO’s, GMOs can also affect the wildlife around it. Birds, insects, and other plants have had negative affects after being exposed to GMO’s. Insects have gained antibiotic resistance. Altering the genes of plants can be helpful for crop production, but it can also have affects that many corporations looked over. Changing the genes of the food we eat can cause more human reactions after consuming it. For example, the intolerance of gluten has become evident in many homes and this is because this protein was not used in other foods until recently. Since it is so new, people’s bodies are now reacting to it and we can see that it is all a negative reaction. The same concept can be applied to GMO’s. The adding and taking away of genes can start up a new allergy which can not only be harmful, but can cause a great diet change for many people. With mass production of foods, another problem that can be created by GMO’s is the decrease in nutritional value. For example, compare a mass production of a GMO crop to a fast food restaurant. Easy to get, affordable, and fast, but not necessarily healthy. Although we are able to feed more people with the help of GMO’s, the nutritional value of the food is going down. This leads to one of the last arguments against GMO’s and that is the money and corporations behind it. Most GMO producing corporations have interest in only financial reasons and therefore do not care of nutritional value of their products. The higher the yield, the more money they are able to make. Monsanto and other corporations have too much power of our farmers. 

What is a GMO? A GMO is a genetically modified organism, whose genes have been altered to fit certain needs. These organisms can range from foods to insects to mammals. Specifically, in this argument, GMO’s are created to create lasting and sustainable crops. This biotechnology lets scientists take out or insert desirable genes that are naturally found within other plants. The most common way scientists are able to transfer these genes is the “gene gun” method. Through this method, scientists are able to “Fire gold particles carrying the foreign DNA into plant cells. Some of these particles pass through the plant cell wall and enter the cell nucleus, where the transgene integrates itself into the plant chromosome” (Methods of Gene Transfer in Plants). The most common enhancement on crops is to create insect resistant one. By inserting a gene that enables a crop to be insect resistant, the farmer is able to yield a higher crop and produce more food for them and the corporation he works for. Another common characteristic scientist wanted to add to most crops is drought tolerance. Drastic changes in weather can negatively affect a crop and can even wipe out all of it. Droughts especially effect crop production which leaves farmers with little food to eat and little to no food to give to the business they work for. Other changes can be disease resistant crops and even herbicide tolerance. 

The largest company that creates GMO’s seeds is Monsanto. Monsanto has been a hot topic for many, arguing whether or not they are a trustworthy corporation. While environmental activists say that Monsanto is untrustworthy, Monsanto themselves say that they are “An agricultural company, helping farmers large and small grow food more sustainably. From seed to software, to fiber and fuel, we’re developing tools to help growers protect natural resources while providing nourishment to the world” (“A Modern Agriculture Company.” Monsanto). What makes environmentalists so scared? Why has this massive corporation been the fuel to environmental protests and even documentaries? The answer is clear, it is because of Monsanto’s history. In 1901 during WWll, Monsanto started as an artificial sweetener company. Then, the owner of the company hands it off to his son, who expanded the company to the Monsanto Chemical company. By the Vietnam war, Monsanto’s chemical background was helpful and utilized to create Agent orange, a chemical that caused many health problems on the individuals exposed to it and environmental damage. Agent orange killed and disfigured millions. As Monsanto grew, they became the world’s top most herbicide creator and was the first to create a genetically modified organism. They have become a large and strong corporation who has now taken over the farming business. Round Up Ready, a brand Monsanto has created, has been forced upon hundreds of farmers. If a farmer saves a seed for his next crop, Monsanto will soon find out and sue them. By doing this, Monsanto forces farmers to buy new seeds every year. Farmers are unable to buy to buy other seeds because Monsanto has DOMINATED the market. Every move Monsanto makes is strategic and powerful, almost like a game of chess. They have been able to perform their own safety testing. “Agricultural biotechnology was firmly established as the new company’s strategic research focus in an effort to improve farmer livelihoods by increasing their profitability through yield enhancements” (“A Modern Agriculture Company.” Monsanto).

Although there are many arguments against GMO’s, GMO producers have found reasons that help to support themselves as a company. The world is having an ever-growing population and although some countries like Japan are having a downward slope of population levels, major countries like the US, Europe, China, and India, are still growing in population size. A growing population can have many benefits for example more circulation of money and more people in the work force. However, because there are more mouths to feed, we are also overexploiting our world’s resources. Using natural gasses including coal and oil is only the start, overexploiting our land for crops has become one of the biggest issues for environmentalists today. Big corporations are cutting down forests and taking up open land so they create more crops to feed the population. Farms are also being over used, damaging the soil underneath the crops. However, with the creation of GMOs, technology has been able to alter the genes of organisms so they are less susceptible to weather and insects. Some crops have been modified so the harsh winters don’t affect them and other crops have been modified so pests do not damage the crops. With new genes, these organisms are able to create a higher crop yield. Stronger crops also mean less pesticides and therefore lowering the environmental damage that is caused by pesticides and other harmful chemicals used to support plant growth. Additionally, GMOS are not only used to feed the world, but it is also used to enhance the taste of our food and enhance the health of our food. With the creation of GMO’s, the newly modified food can have a longer shelf life and therefore lead to less food waste. GMO’s can also enhance flavor, for example, corn can have enhanced sweetness. Additionally, scientists are able to add natural antioxidants that will be able to boost diets in developing countries. “Our use of biotechnology can help crop growers to not only add a new gene to a plant, but they can similarly remove a gene. In this way, a specific allergen could be taken out of the plant, which means that a person who is usually allergic to the food can now safely consume it.” Lastly, not all GMO’s are used to be consumed. They higher the yield, the more things farmers and corporations are able to do with it. For example, corn, a very common GMO, is not just used to consume, but is also used for the creation of fuel, toilet paper, and even crayons. This is the argument that Monsanto and other corporations believe in. There might be some negative effects from GMO’s, but why worry when the benefits outweigh the cost?

Throughout the long debate of GMO’s over the years, people have been trying to find a common ground to make both sides happy. Although many people would like to get rid of GMO’s all together, we know that that is not very likely. Recently, people have come up with two main ideas that could help balance out the playing field. One of them is labeling GMO’s in grocery stores that way people are able to know what they are eating, and the second one is to keep high watch on the production of GMO’s and corporations who produce them. The Labeling of GMOs has been a specific argument for a while now and many think that this could be a step into the right direction in fact “A New York Times survey found that 93% of Americans believe foods containing GMO ingredients should be labeled to reflect that” (Food Safety News). People should have the right to know what they are eating and whether or not it’s genes has been manipulated or not. However, the larger corporations like Monsanto are against the labeling of GMOs. Some say they disapprove labels because if people did know what they were eating and were more educated, the more likely they would stop buying their produce. This was then lead to a decrease in business sales and corporations would lose money. Labeling GMO’s should be the next step because people need to know what they are consuming, especially when the health risks after consuming those foods are still unknown. Labeling is also a compromise because GMO creators will not have to come to a halt with their productions, therefore it will not stop GMOs sales all together. People should care about the production of GMO’s because people need to be educated “Consumers haven’t stopped eating GMO foods. They simply have more information about what is in their food and how it’s produced, which is how it should be” (Food Safety News).

  The general public is not educated about environmental and health risks that come along with GMO’s. Just buy labeling them in grocery stores, people will have a greater sense in what they are eating and how it can affect them. Pregnant Mothers need to know how eating GMOs will affect her baby, or parents need to know how GMOs will affect their child’s growth development. Technology is growing rapidly and changing the way we live our day to day lives. To be educated about this technology is just one step closer to understanding GMOs. The second plan of action is to highly regulate GMO’s and the businesses that create them. Since health risks are still unknown, “The best that is achievable under realistic circumstances is to perform as much testing on GM foods as possible prior to approval and marketing” (Can GM Foods Cause Allergies?).

Our world has been dependent on crops for hundreds of years, and utilizing what nature has to offer to help us live is also important. However, the difference between hundreds of years ago and now is the growth of technology. Scientists and corporations are teaming up to create a monopoly of their own, creating genetically modified crops. Although GMO’s can create a higher yield on crop production, GMO’s health risks are still unknown and their environmental effects are negative. Additionally, the largest corporation that creates GMO’s are manipulative and untrustworthy. Monsanto has farmers trapped and they force farmers to depend only on their corporation. To come up with a solution to this debate, we must find a median. Labeling and constant watch on GMO health risks are great ways to get started. Labeling GMO products in grocery stores will simply educate people on what they are eating, leaving the choice to eat the food to themselves. As for constantly watching out for health risks, this is to make sure that the foods corporations are creating have no short-term effects and no dangerous long-term effects. 
