 to undergo a voluntary pre-market safety assessment. For those who choose to have their product reviewed, the FDA, at the end of the investigation, acknowledges that according to the company's own studies the product is safe, declares that the FDA has no further questions, and reminds the company that only safe products should be put on the market. Harsh, right? What about regulations? But do they really? Currently, companies do not have to label which products have been genetically modified, thus leaving the public ignorant to which foods are GMOs (in the European Union and several other countries GMOs must be labeled). An estimated 80% of products found in the average American supermarket contain GMOs.
Alfalfa (first planting 2011)
Canola (approx. 90% of U.S. crop)
Corn (approx. 88% of U.S. crop in 2011)
Cotton (approx. 90% of U.S. crop in 2011) Regulations (con.) Crop Yield GMO Safety GMO Safety (con.) Oftentimes, GM crops are hailed as increasing the annual crop yield. GM crops actually can decrease the overall yield. Several studies involving GM soybean and corn crops have found no growth in produce yield. Any increase in crop production in the past decades has been due to improvements in traditional breeding NOT GM crops. Beneficial to the Environment? Hardly. Genes from GMOs can be easily transferred to wild plants and native species (through cross-pollination) and result in "superweeds". Superweeds are weeds that are resistant to herbicides due to the genes transferred from the GMO. "Superbugs" could also develop as they too become resistant to the herbicides used. Furthermore, GMOs could possibly threaten the biodiversity of the ecosystem. Certain GM traits could create such enhancements to an organism that it becomes an invasive species, which then threatens the surrounding organisms. Environment (con.) Already, studies done in 2000, demonstrated the toxic effect of a certain Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacteria used in crops since it is toxic to a select few species of insects) corn variety on monarch butterflies. The corn's toxicity was lethal enough to kill a monarch's larvae. Luckily, that specific type of corn was not very popular and thus not extensively planted. However, had it been, the monarch butterfly population would have been at high risk of severe population decline. (ucusa.org) Pesticides GMOs are also promoted as reducing the amount of pesticides used in farming (pesticides include herbicides). Bt crops did display a reduction of pesticides used, but other herbicide tolerant GMOs did not. While Bt crops experienced a reduction of 62. million lbs of pesticides used, other GMOs showed an overall increase of 383 million lbs of herbicides needed. According to a 2008 report, herbicide use on GM herbicide tolerant crops rose 31.4% in the span of one year. (saynotogmos.org) World Hunger GMOs cannot solve the problem world-wide hunger. As seen previously, they do not increase crop yield or require less input to receive greater output. Even if they did, hunger is not a problem of lack of food but, rather, lack of proper distribution and the prevalence of poverty. GMOs are useless in this regard. Humans will have to look elsewhere to solve this global dilemma. Works Cited "GMO Myths and Truths." Http://www.saynotogmos.org/ud2012/fp-content/docs/GMO_Myths_and_Truths_1.1.pdf. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Apr. 2013.
"Environmental Effects of Genetically Modified Food Crops -- Recent Experiences." Http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_agriculture/our-failing-food-system/genetic-engineering/environmental-effects-of.html. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Apr. 2013.
"FAQ." Organic Agriculture: What Are the Environmental Benefits of Organic Agriculture? N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2013.
"A Collaborative Initiative Working to Ensure the Sustained Availability of Non-GMO Options." The NonGMO Project RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Apr. 2013.
"GMO Patents Squeeze Small Farmers." Rogue Valley Community Press. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2013 Papaya (most of Hawaiian crop; approximately 988 acres)
Soy (approx. 94% of U.S. crop in 2011)
Sugar Beets (approx. 95% of