What Is the Harm in Growing Gmos?

What’s the harm in growing GMOs anyways?

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be either plants or animals whose DNA has been altered with genes from bacteria, viruses, etc.1 All GMOs are things that cannot be created in nature on their own; they have to be genetically modified by humans.1 Many GMOs are altered to be able to perform various functions, but most commonly known to tolerate herbicides and/or insecticides without being harmed.1 The question to consider is whether or not we should be genetically modifying organisms and what impact they will have on the populations future health.

In 1982, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first GMO. Shortly after that, in 1994, the first GMO was introduced to grocery stores.2 People have been consuming GM foods for approximately 20 years.2 The population has been consuming GM foods knowingly and unknowingly.2 Approximately 80% of the “conventional processed foods” in the United States are GM foods.1Almost all of these GM foods have been altered for herbicide tolerance.1 One of the most popular herbicides used worldwide is Roundup.1 Roundup is an herbicide used to kill weeds growing in residential lawns and in commercial crops (GM crops).1 Since Roundup was introduced as a weed killer, its productivity has increased nearly 15 times since it was first introduced to the markets globally. 1

Another consequence of GMO production is a bacterium known as Bacillus thuringiensis that is found in plants naturally, but more commonly known as Bt-toxin.3The Bt-toxin is a bacterium that is toxic and found in soil that produces “insecticidal toxins” and can be found in many genetically modified (GM) crops.3 Some of the major crops where the Bt-toxin is most prevalent are corn, cotton, soy and wheat crops.3

Bt produces a toxin that is primarily used because of its popularity amongst agriculturalists as a pesticide and herbicide.4 Monsanto’s Bt corn occurred because of a corn crop that was genetically...