Genetically Modified Organisms
by Miika Jarvela
Why are GMOs bad?
Allergies
An unintentional effect of GMOs might be new allergens. The genes used in the crops can be obtained from organisms that are not similar to the crop. For example, a fish gene could be put into the plant. If one was allergic to fish, there is a chance that this GMO could affect them.
Small Farmers
The GMOs will significantly increase the gap between LDC farmers and MDC farmers. Because the LDC farmers will not have sufficient access to the GMOs, they will remain stagnant whilst MDC farmers will increase profits exponentially.
Environmental Damage
For all we know, GMOs could be the next DDT. We all thought that DDT was good for our crops, but now it is banned from use because it is too harmful. One known harmful effect is the effect of GM corn pollen on monarch butterfly larvae. The GM corn decreased the survival rate by 50%.
FDA
The farmers who grow GMOs for their crops do not have any standards or limits set on them. The FDA does not regulate any GMOs. Food companies do not have to label if their products are GMOs or not. If the FDA reviews the product and recommends something, the company does not have to comply. The GMOs can be dangerous, but they have not undergone enough testing and research.