Pros and Cons of Biotechnology

Biotechnology

Exploring the Pros and Cons of Biotechnology

In a world of rapidly developing technology, there are growing concerns regarding just how far it will impact out lives. Biotechnology is the newest trend in agriculture and food production. It features genetically modified plants and animal proteins that haven altered to suit some man made need. Many claim this will help sustainability efforts. However, the true nature of GMOs does show danger I regards to unhealthy toxins and hormones. Even worse, in the United States, food products that are modified do not even have to inform the customer, which places more and more people at risk daily.

Biotechnology is a new field in agriculture and food production. It is the scientific alteration of plants and animals in order to create the best characteristics for food production. Essentially, "many new plant varieties being developed or grown by farmers have been produced using genetic engineering, which involves manipulating the plant's genes through techniques of modern molecular biology often referred to as recombinant DNA technology" (USDA, 2014). Many foods are having their DNA altered so that they produce more favorable characteristics. They produce more food at cheaper costs. This is a complicated process that "involves the laboratory process of artificially inserting genes into the DNA of food crops or animals. The result is called a genetically engineered or genetically modified organism" (Center for Food Safety). More and more of these GMO products are hitting stores across the country each day.

There are some clear advantages in regards to these products being on the market. According to the research, "life science corporations proclaim, with great fanfare, that their new products will make agriculture sustainable, eliminate world hunger, cure disease, and vastly improve public health" (Cummins). They claim that GMO products will provide more food at cheaper costs. These foods are also more sustainable, since they are not wild and thus would not reduce wild populations to the brink of extinction. Many within the industry claim that the increased food production coming from GMO practices will help meet the goals to end world hunger as well because they can easily be adopted for use and production in developing nations, where hunger is a major problem. Due to these supposed benefits, the United States government has been relatively accepting of GMO practices in recent years. In fact, the "USDA supports the safe and appropriate use of science and technology, including biotechnology, to help meet agricultural challenges and consumer needs of the 21st century" (USDA, 2014). Thus, the GMO movement does have the support of the government.

Still, the processes involved with GMO practices are simply way to new to really understand what potentially negative side effects they may have. Here, the research suggests that "genetic engineering of food and fiber products is inherently unpredictable and dangerous-for humans, for animals, the environment, and for the future of sustainable and organic agriculture" (Cummins). The alterations to the DNA of these organisms have not been studied enough in large contexts in order to truly understand what negatives could come along with them. Additionally, there is research suggesting that the process of altering these organisms's DNA does have the side effect of producing dangerous and unhealthy toxins. Essentially, it involves the "unexpected production of toxic substances ... In genetically engineered bacteria, yeast, plants, and animals with the problem remaining undetected until a major health hazard has arisen" (Cummins). The issue here is that these products are automatically being marketed as safe, without the traditional testing process that goes along with new food on the market. This ultimately places the consumer at risk, especially in regards to individuals with certain allergies or sensitivities to foods and substances that may be a bi product of the GMO engineering process. Even worse, the major companies that are working to produce GMO foods "intend to use GE to dominate and monopolize the global market for seeds, foods, fiber, and medical products" (Cummins). Many opponents of GMO believe that the big companies are trying to create a monopoly and push out smaller, organic farmers with their mass produced and cheaper GMO products.