by Genetically modified organisms also known as GMOs are defined as any organism whose genetic makeup has been altered with genetic engineering techniques. GMOs were first introduced in Mexico in the 1940s. In 1943, the Rockefeller Foundation set up the Cooperative Wheat Research Production Project with the aim of working with the Mexican government in order to increase the yield of wheat crops. The Rockefeller Foundation recruited many plant scientists to go to Mexico and experiment with thousands of different plants in order to provide a way to increase crop yield. These scientists used techniques of backcrossing which allowed them to create plants that expressed favorable traits such as thick stems that would not collapse. This program was a huge success as Mexico was able to produce six times as much wheat in 1963 than it did in 1944. Additionally, the country was then able to export grain, rather than just providing for themselves. Since GMOs were introduced in the 1900s, the practice of modifying the genetics of plants and other organisms has gained much traction across the world as countries and corporations felt the need to increase crop yield and provide food that can be produced using non-traditional methods. With the rise of GMOs and GMFs in the United States and across the world, the ethicality of such practices has been largely debated. This brings us to the question: do the benefits of GMOs and GMFs outweigh the potential health risks?
Genetically modified foods or GMFs are quite prominent in our world and are a large reason for exponential population growth. GMFs are essential to the modern food industry and to support our fast-growing world population, however, there are many arguments to be made against the practice of genetic modification. The main argument made against the practice of the genetic modification of food ingredients is the fact that there is little research regarding the long term effects of consuming such products. Those who oppose GMFs argue that if we do not understand how the consumption of GMFs impacts long term health, then it is unethical to produce these foods at such a large scale. While there is not a lot of research regarding long term health risks of GMFs, a major reason for this could be that food corporations who produce such foods would be impacted negatively if it was known that these foods cause negative health effects in the long-term. While GMFs allow for population growth, the use of GMFs benefit corporations the most as they are able to produce crops and other food products more efficiently, yielding higher profits. It therefore would not make sense if these corporations conducted long-term studies on the food that they produce.
In addition to the potential long-term negative health effects of GMFs, crops that are genetically modified could also have negative impacts on our environment. Many GMOs have traits that allow for more resistance to pesticides and herbicides. This allows farmers to apply more pesticides and herbicides to their crops without affecting the success of the crop. Overuse of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals negatively impact the land they are grown on and also can have negative effects on our water system. While GMOs are so common in modern society, the overuse of chemicals due to resistance to these chemicals as a result of genetic modification is certainly unethical and affects our environment in negative ways.
In the United States, it is estimated that 90% of all corn, cotton, and soy are grown using GMO seeds. This means that much of the food we consume contains GMOs. While GMOs are currently being utilized at such a large scale and are essential to the success of the modern food industry, we must consider the negative impacts on both human health and the environment. While it is difficult to say if GMOs are totally ethical or unethical in society, it is very important that more research is conducted on the topic to understand long term health effects and potential unintended consequences of the technique of modifying the genetics of organisms. Until more research is conducted on the topic, one can not conclude that the benefits of GMOs and GMFs such as efficiency and population growth outweigh the potential negative health effects and environmental effects. Those who are skeptical of GMOs and GMFs and their potential hazards should seek to consume natural foods that do not utilize such techniques in their production.