GM: Genetically Modified or Genetically Mishandled?
Is it safe to eat GM foods? That may depend upon your interpretation of the abbreviation: genetically modified or genetically mishandled. Beginning in the 1990’s this question has been an ongoing point of contention amongst farmers, environmentalists, scientists, government officials, and everyday consumers. The main concerns regarding Genetically Modified foods in each of these demographics are human safety and environmental conservation. Ethically speaking, a sense of food security in poverty stricken regions is also a huge concern.
Developments in the genetic modification of food sustenance have and could continue to lead to an increase in agricultural goods and productivity. In areas of great social need, such as Africa, Genetically Modified foods may be viewed as a hope to an unanswered food crisis. Biotechnology has allowed for a greater production of food staples--using the same amount of land and water to support the increase in food production.
Further development has enabled a gene transfer of sorts between organisms. This can be especially beneficial for farmers looking to save time and money in their annual crop. It has been made possible to produce crops that contain varying DNA characteristics for favorable modifications-- a crop bearing an inclusive insecticide for instance. This is certainly an alluring modification any busy farmer may support.
These farmers, along with some scientists and government officials feel that there are no immediate food or safety issues regarding Genetically Modified foods, as not much has been held against the newly developing practices and procedures. On the contrary, many biotechnology critics and scientists disagree with the afore, feeling that there is not adequate testing or regulation in place to know whether or not the present practices of gene manipulation are safe. The government does not have a regulated labeling system in place for Genetically Modified food products. This allows for a certain degree of unaccountability to the public--both nationally and internationally.
Environmentalists have expressed that Genetically Modified foods are endangering humans as well as their environment. The uncontrolled experiment of sorts could certainly lead to the destruction of delicate ecosystems and wildlife.
At present, regardless of their stance on genetic modification, farmers, scientists, environmentalists, government officials, and everyday consumers would likely agree: GM could certainly be interpreted as Genetically Mishandled. Despite the potential benefits biotechnology has to offer, the consequences may outweigh the instant gratification/convenience factor. In the future, the government could pursue the testing and regulation of Genetically Modified foods, both nationally and internationally, before inadvertantly allowing something potentially helpful to become potentially harmful to both human and environmental safety.
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I just read a really plausible novel called The Prophesy Gene and the main characters uncover a number of unintended genetic mutations as a result of the 1980s Aral Sea environmental disaster in Central Asia and the unintended release of a genetically modified strain of anthrax. The author makes a pretty scary claim that mankind is stifling its own evolution by premeditated and accidental genetic engineering and mutations because we can’t possibly understand all of the consequences to ecosystems and dormant genetic sites and the food chain when we monkey with this stuff. For example, some people eat oxen that have grazed on mutated vegetation and their digestive systems irreparably stop working. Or some dangerous fungus that humans eradicate because it causes disease but they don’t realize that it also sequesters carbon monoxide and could reverse global warming. But, I think the best one is that if it wasn’t for scientist’s genetic meddling, humans might one day evolve senses that bats and sharks have like hunting by their internal sonar or the ability that butterflies and some birds have to navigate by the earth’s magnetic field. The book is by Stuart Schooler. His website is www.stuartschooler.com and there is a link to a blog and a YouTube video (http://vimeo.com/53365895)
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