Introduction

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a common topic of controversies and heated debates regarding their safety and impact. People often claim GMOs are poisonous to nature and humanity or harmful to the agricultural industry. Due to these issues, GMOs are often perceived through a lens of falsehood despite their proven advantages. Such foods often contain modified traits that exclude detrimental parameters or add beneficial qualities (Tagliabue, 2018).

Current social movements that oppose GMOs are harmful to the development of new mutagenized products that may help humankind sustain its needs for hundreds of years. This essay will discuss why GMOs are good for society yet attract many opponents. Scientific studies and regulatory practices related to GMOs clearly outline their positive impact, yet the delivery of this information suffers greatly from insufficient education regarding the actual effect of GM foods on humanity.

Benefits of GMOs and Related Educational Issues

First of all, it is apparent that GM products are a vital step in the development of society. GM cultures are more nutritious, take less land to make the same output as traditional crops, are less susceptible to diseases, and stay fresh for longer (Fernbach et al., 2019). This is the actual knowledge of the topic that is based on solid scientific evidence. These products are unable to enter the United States market without a strict assessment of their qualities conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (Pham & Mandel, 2019). Objectively, FDA-approved GM products are as safe as any other food on the market, and their spread is essential for humanity’s long-term survival.

The spread of GMOs is a vital part of humanity’s development and prosperous existence. Governments across the globe ensure that GMOs do not possess any detrimental effects on human health that are not present in their non-modified versions or amplify any existing ones. Considering the constant increase in the global population, genetic engineering is one of a few solutions that may help humanity resolve a growing number of challenges related to food accessibility (Teferra, 2021).

Moreover, further studies of GMOs are bound to make them less expensive and enable the natural spread of these seeds among communities in need. There are already examples of such situations, such as the prevented extinction of papaya in Hawaii due to a virus that was stopped by a genetically modified version of the original plant in the 1990s (Teferra, 2021). Considering the passing of more than twenty years that were filled with research on GMOs, it is safe to say that nowadays, the potential application of this technology exceeds such outcomes by a vast margin.

Scientific literacy is an essential part of the solution to anti-GMO movements. Educating farmers regarding the benefits of acceptance of GM seeds in their fields is a key part of the transition to biotech-augmented crops. In fact, small farming communities, especially in developing countries, suffer greatly from the frequent prohibitions of GMOs, as they lose access to biotech processes shared by contributors abroad (Tagliabue, 2018). Scientists must work closely with governments to highlight the benefits and battle conspiracies regarding GMOs.

In fact, many controversies around GM foods stem from baseless claims and disproven theories. In the past, research on GMOs was minimal, causing concerns among people regarding the long-term unknown effects of these goods on public health (Tagliabue, 2018). However, these fears remain grounded in the outdated information that was replaced by an extensive body of knowledge. It is necessary to confirm that there were individual cases where GM foods were not deemed to be safe, yet such products were quickly discovered through experiments and barred from entering the U.S. market (Tagliabue, 2018). Nowadays, the ideology of people who continue to propagate anti-GMO ideas has stagnated over time.

Claims of GMOs’ harmful nature continue to affect society, as the benefits of GM foods are disregarded in favor of publicity. Political figures and non-governmental organizations alike may use the anti-GMO narrative to their advantage since many people possess improper information regarding the value of GM foods. Tagliabue (2018) states that it is easy to portray mutagenized crops as detrimental and base one’s campaign around anti-GMO sentiments since “the public does not know what they are” (p. 66). Proper education is an essential part of a global campaign to increase acceptance of GMOs on markets, as they serve as a significant buffer against world hunger and similar related issues. By delivering this knowledge of product safety to the masses, agencies can decrease food prices, increase public health, and battle misinformation with high efficiency.

Counterarguments

Anti-GMO arguments are supported by research that has questionable objectivity. People who believe such studies may form their views on GMOs and consider them toxic, carcinogenic, purposefully harmful to humans and the environment, and even representations of a capitalistic society (Tagliabue, 2018). There are improperly conducted scientific experiments on GMOs that contain bias, small samples, and compositional testing (Pham & Mandel, 2019). Such data undermines the potential benefit of GMOs through conspiracy-like theories. It is vital to understand that the value of proof requires researchers to eliminate all possible sources of influence that are not relevant to the subject.

In the end, Pham and Mandel (2019) state that scientists “could not find evidence that GM foods cause a higher risk to human health than their conventional counterparts” (p. 3). Opponents portray the impact of these products on the global food market as unfavorable. People argue that corporations with access to necessary technologies drive competition in the agricultural industry into an unhealthy state (Tagliabue, 2018). However, they fail to admit that GM foods are beneficial for society and may spread freely among farming communities and companies, as the price of those seeds is bound to decrease.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is essential to deliver information regarding the actual situation around GMO products to the public in order to increase food accessibility, nutrition, and productivity of agricultural lands. There is clear evidence that proves the value of GMOs for individual farmers and companies alike, yet there is strong resistance to change among this community that is propagated by people who lack relevant knowledge. Due to insufficient education on the benefits of GM food, a large portion of society opposes the mass use of these mutagenized crops despite having no recent evidence to back their claims. This approach is harmful to humanity due to the constraints it puts on researchers, businesses, and final consumers, as their interests are influenced by unsupported theories.

Instead, governments must promote GMO initiatives on a federal level and fund courses that will deliver crucial information to the public in a clear and concise manner. The fact that the FDA approves numerous GM products indicates their scientifically proven safety and guarantees a positive impact on the well-being of communities. People must be enlightened on the strengths of GMOs versus traditional crops for the betterment of society.

References

Fernbach, P. M., Light, N., Scott, S. E., Inbar, Y., & Rozin, P. (2019). Extreme opponents of genetically modified foods know the least but think they know the most. Nature Human Behaviour, 3(3), 251-256.

Pham, N., & Mandel, N. (2019). What influences consumer evaluation of genetically modified foods? Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 38(2), 263-279.

Tagliabue, G. (2018). Counterproductive consequences of ‘anti-GMO’ activism. Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics, 18, 61-74.

Teferra, T. F. (2021). Should we still worry about the safety of GMO foods? Why and why not? A review. Food Science & Nutrition, 9(9), 5324-5331.