Genetically Modified Foods
EQ: Are Genetically Modified/Engineered Crops Safe?
Background Information
-Genetically modified crops have one or more genes from another organism, like another plant species.
-Genetic Engineering is when genes are directly manipulated.
-Genetic modification and genetic engineering are similar to each other.
-A pesticide is a substance that keeps pest away.
-Herbicides are a type of pesticide.
-New pesticides have to be approved and registered to make sure they don't cause negative affects on the environment.
-There have been protests before about the safety of genetically modified crops.
Benefits
- Genetically modified crops have been extensively studied and found to be safe.
- Some are safer than organic foods
- Researchers have found no evidence that genetically modified foods pose no risks to humans or animals
- Research has also showed little to no evidence that genetically modified crops negatively affect the environment.
- With genetically modified crops, people use less natural resources.
- Some crops make more nutritious oils.
Dangers
- Most of the research is not documented.
- The genes from genetically engineered crops were found in the neighboring fields.
- The changed genes engineered into commercial plants escaped into populations of weeds and unchanged crops.
- Genetically engineered crops can become "super weeds"
- Weeds that were genetically enhanced are called "super weeds". Super weeds resist pesticides and continue to grow and reduce other crops.
- Farmers spray toxic herbicides to control the weeds. The spraying results in soil-eroding operations and hiring weeding crews.
Conclusion
I don't think genetically modified/engineered crops are safe yet. All of the research the articles have talked about is not shown, we only have their word for it. The genes from the crops are contaminating the fields around them so the farmers don't have a choice about farming genetically modified crops or not. The super weeds created by genes from GE crops kill off other crops in other fields, and resist pesticides. Spraying more pesticides on them causes eroding soil. Scientists should stop growing GM/GE crops until they fix the weed problem. When they do fix it, they should show the public evidence of the safety of GM/GE crops, not just their word. I believe that genetically modified/engineered crops can be safe but at this time, they are not.