Soybeans are one of the most widely cultivated and consumed crops in the world. Native to East Asia, soybeans have been cultivated for over 5000 years (Wang et al., 2012) and are presently found in every continent except Antarctica. This versatile bean is rich in nutrients and is a suitable soil fertiliser, perfect for human consumption, animal feed and non-food items.
Eventually, the emergence of modern biotechnology led to the creation of the first genetically-modified (GM) soybeans in 1996 by inserting a foreign gene into cells to improve quantity and quality (Skogstad, 2011). While proponents hailed GM soybeans as a paradigm-shifting discovery that can combat malnutrition, world hunger and boost farmers’ incomes, critics warned about potential
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Presently, one in nine people on Earth are undernourished, five million children die from hunger each year, and food production must increase by 60% to feed the growing world population that is expected to hit 9.6 billion by 2050 (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2014). Yet, global agricultural systems face added pressure to expand crop production using less land, water and fertiliser. This is arguably impossible to achieve unless agricultural biotechnology is permitted to genetically-improve crops, ensuring an abundant supply of food to meet the 2050 targets without increasing deforestation or soil erosion. Hence, EU countries like Austria and Germany will have to review their precautionary bans on GM soybeans or risk facing more serious environmental and social consequences in the future from continued cultivation of conventional …show more content…
Such a promising technology that reaps quantifiable health, environmental and social benefits should not be hindered by short-sighted speculations on side-effects that are unlikely to happen. Moreover, solely relying on conventional soybeans will be unsustainable in the long run due to food scarcity and agricultural pollution, potentially causing far more damaging environmental and societal consequences than if GM soybeans were cultivated. Hence, EU’s overly-cautious precautionary approach for GM soybeans should be
In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to reveal that my family and all of my neighbors are row-crop farmers, and we raise both GMO corn and GMO soybeans. It is our attitude that we are stewards of the land and of our animals and we would not do anything to either one like Katherine Paul describes. So, I still agree with Caplan that we should be using GMOs to produce food such as Golden Rice that could save billions of people from going blind or
Thus, it helps lower the risk of crop failure and makes crops more resilient to extreme weather (Mandel). This shows that GMOs can make crops healthier
Although GMOs have managed to do their job but here has been reasons as to how the chemicals in foods consumed on a day to day basis are unhealthy and unsuitable to live a long and fulfilling life. Now feel more informed about the GMOs dilemma, considering the insufficient amount of examination that has been accomplished and the accidental contamination of food products which posts an issue to the amount of money countries owe to citizens that have been affected. All in all, as of right now GMOs should be the item to think twice about when purchasing it at a local grocery
Genetically modified food, usually short written as GM food, is food which composed by artificial modified DNA, like insert genes from another organism. GM food is not newly introduced technology, the first scientist discovered genes can be transfer between organism was in 1946, the first genetically modified products first appeared in 1983. However, debates over the topic has never stopped. Some people hold positive view towards GM food, think that it can improve our world.
Most crops grown in the U.S. have been genetically modified and the use of GM seed continues to grow. 93% of soybeans, 94% of cotton and 88 % of corn grown in the U.S. were found to be genetically modified, based on 2012 statistics provided by the FDA. (Millstein 2). Moreover, the United States produces 40% of all GMOs in the world (Wunderlich and Gatto 2). With the United States producing a large majority of GM crops in the world, there is no way that the seeds can be 100% free of genetic modification.
In the article, “The Green Monster: Could Frankenfoods Be Good for the Environment?”, by James E. McWilliams, GMO’s are thoroughly discussed and examined in recent history and current events. This paper will discuss the author, his past and present, his credentials, and otherwise relevant information, as well as the GMOs themselves and the flurry of activity surrounding their controversial existence. James E. McWilliams, an author and professor of history at Texas State University, hails from San Marcos, which is thought to be one of the longest inhabited lands in the Americas, as well as a foundry for culture and history, which might explain his choice of study when he pursued higher education. After attending Georgetown, where he majored
The world may be in danger of Monsanto controlling what it puts on its dinner Tables We may no longer have much of a say in what types of foods we bring to our dinner tables, thanks to the continuing efforts of the biotechnology giant, Monsanto. Monsanto is a multibillion dollar agricultural company, pioneering in the field of biotechnology. As defined by Monsanto, biotechnology is “...the process of using living organisms to improve qualities of a plant by such as the plant’s ability to protect itself against damage or improving upon its ability to grow and produce.” Monsanto has gained control of our dinner tables through various means, it has taken control of the worlds seed supply, it uses bully tactics to gain a hold on farmers, and
For years, the health and safety of genetically modified foods have been debated and researched by scientists, but the question still stands: should genetically modified foods be allowed for consumption? The process of genetic modification involves inserting a gene from bacteria or a virus into an organism where it would normally not be found. The purpose is to alter the genetic code in plants and animals to make them more productive or resistant to pests or farming techniques. Genetically modified organisms, more commonly known as GMOs, have been a controversial topic of debate for a number of reasons. The ethics behind genetically modified foods come into question due to an abundance of short and long-term effects from the process, many of which are still unknown today.
Before one dives into the battle of good versus evil, one must first fully understand the concept of genetically modified foods. Genetically modified (GM) or genetically engineered (GE) foods have been modified in order to develop favourable characteristics. Genes are transferred from various organisms to fruit and vegetable plants and are responsible for generating favourable characteristics, such as resistance to pests and insecticides (Milano and Carol, 2007: 8-11). Many people are pro GM foods due to their positive effects such as larger yields and decreased pesticide use, but not everyone is convinced. GM foods are a relatively new phenomenon and
What do a tomato, soybean and a french fry have in common? They are all some of the most commonly genetically modified foods sold on the market today. By using the genetic information from one organism, and inserting or modifying it into another organism, scientists can make food crops stay fresher, grow bigger, and have the crops create their own pesticides. Nevertheless, the technology to modify genes has surpassed its practicality. Genetically modified foods need to be removed from everyday agriculture because of the threat they pose to human health, the environment, and the impact on global economy.
The labelling of genetically modified foods is seen as wholesome common sense, and it should be required to have the information on the back of every product. People have been manipulating the genetic makeup of plants for numerous generations using the process of traditional cross breeding. Genetically modified crops have been traded, grown and consumed around the world, including Australia since 1996. The progress and advancement in this field has impacted the way we view the deeper issues of this technology. While genetic engineering crop property has been gradually increasing, so have concerns, in that producing and eating genetically modified foods may pose unexpected environmental and health hazards.
Even if we produce enough food, world hunger is present, because it will remain present as long as there is poverty, not being solved by reducing food scarcity, as there was never a scarcity present. Now having addressed that the production and distribution of genetically modified foods throughout the world is only innovation ruining the future of agricultural production at the cost of others for personal gain, it is safe to say that this should not be continued. This practice will only continue however until newer generations rally against the companies producing them as a force, with the sacredness of humanity and crops and seed being their
Some experts claim that GMOs can solve the world 's hunger problem, however, it is not a black and white question, meaning that it is not a simple question to answer and people have different opinions on whether it is positive or negative for our country. A GMO (genetically modified organism) is the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. The foreign genes may come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans. This can cause problems, that can be extremely dangerous, nevertheless, it can help plants protect themselves from certain diseases or animals.
Monsanto has introduced a wise alternative of planting crops to farmers with its products, known as transgenic seeds and herbicide Roundup. At first, the company states that the biotech seeds will help farmers save time to kill insects and save money to pay for insecticides (“Monsanto,” 2015). However, the statements become contradictory when the company increases the price of soybean seeds by 24% (Baird, 2015), causing farmers to pay more, as they were prohibited to save GM seeds due to the 101 utility patents (Smith, 2010). The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate three ways in which Monsanto leaves negative impacts on farmers, food consumers, and the human health. This paper will focus on seed monopoly, control of the global food supply,
As Monsanto is a multinational company whose products are consumed by the food industry, it has to strictly emphasize on its moral obligations concerning the society where their products are being sold. Such moral obligation includes providing best quality of seeds to the consumers and betterment of farmer’s life (Stern, 2011). For this purpose Monsanto ensures high yielding properties of their seeds and it would prevent against insects eating their precious crops. This would ease the farmers in keeping their crops safe and reduce their hassle to sprinkle pesticides for crop safety. On the contrary these genetically modified seeds reported in causing health related issues on consuming the food grown from them.