Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are organisms whose genes were altered in laboratory conditions. The process of creating a GMO involves taking specific DNA sequences out of one organism’s genome and then putting them into another, which can be either related to unrelated to the former. This is mainly done to improve the quality of food available on the market. Almost any food can be genetically modified: meat, fruits, vegetables, etc. Many people argue that consuming products, which have GMOs may cause severe health issues. So far, there is no convincing evidence that there may be health consequences related to GMO consumption. Furthermore, the production of GMOs is more economically efficient, enabling farmers to produce more food at lower costs.
The main argument in favor of GMOs is that it is more resilient to various weather conditions and their production does not require farming methods that cause soil erosion. For instance, American farmers harvest almost triple the amount of genetically modified corn than Europeans (Uji 79). The reason behind this is that the corn is specifically modified to withstand herbicides, which American farmers use to destroy weeds whilst their European counterparts still rely on tiling (Uji 79). Traditional farming methods cause rapid soil erosion, which may shorten future crop harvests. Furthermore, since crops are more resilient, there would be no need to use lots of pesticides and fertilizers in their production (Hicks 68). The use of pesticides can negatively affect food quality and result in the loss of biodiversity around the farm fields (Agostini 2). Therefore, the usage of GMOs in crops helps to preserve the soil, avoid any food shortages, and preserve local biological diversity.
In conclusion, the implementation of GMO technologies into the production of food is beneficial in many ways. It helps to reduce costs and increase the quantities of harvested crops and, as a result, lower prices for its consumers. In addition, it does not require traditional farming methods, which cause soil erosion and, thus, lead to the loss of valuable farmland in regions like Europe.
Works Cited
Agostini, M. Gabriela, et al. “Pesticides in the real world: The consequences of GMO-based intensive agriculture on native amphibians.” Biological Conservation 241 (2020).
Hicks, Daniel J. Scientific Controversies as Proxy Politics. Issues in Science and Technology, vol. 33, no. 2, 2017, pp. 67–72.
Ujj, Orsolya. European and American Views on Genetically Modified Foods. The New Atlantis, no. 49, 2016, pp. 77–92.