GMO's
Genetically Modified Organisms- A Horrible Idea
Harms the Enviornment
- Unknown consequences
- Could harm other wildlife
- Monarch butterflies eating milkweed covered in GM corn pollen 56% lived, while those feed milkweed in normal corn pollen all lived
- Insects will become super bugs resistant to pesticides engineered into GM crops
- GM crops can also become super weeds
- Viruses will snatch resistance traits from GM crops bearing genes from crop viruses.
- Causes new strains of viruses affecting new plants
Health Risks For People
- Unintentionally introducing new allergens
- Bacteria in our bodies may be able to pick up antibiotic resistance genes
- Because of the mass production, even sick chickens will go to the plant for processing.
Hurts Small Farmers
- Become indentured to big firms
- GMO crops may be too expensive for developing countries, causing bigger gaps between rich and poor
Reduces Plant Diversity
- Creates greater reliance on a few crops
- Diversification provides insurance against diseases, droughts, or insects
- Monocultures are more vulnerable to attacks
- May actually create less food
Unnatural
- Nature takes millions of years, why should we be able to make changes overnight?
- Mixing of bizare genes, such as flounder and strawberries
- Hurt eating styles, such as Kosher and Vegetarian... foods that seem innocent may contain genes from other foods
Profit Driven
- Deliberately over promoting benefits, and underestimating health, socioeconomic and enviornmental crops
- Concentrate on high volume crops, not ones that could help feed poor people
- Few seed companies control market- top ten control 30-40% of world sales
Poor Oversight and Regulation
- US produces most of the crops, and the three organizations that regulate them are too relaxed.
- FDA does not even regulate them.
- GM foods do not have to be labeled, so you do not even know what you are eating, and the food cannot be tracked.