GMOs are living plants or microorganisms (ie, bacteria) that had their genetic code changed in some way
- a gene is inserted into the DNA of the nucleus of a single cell
- the cell is treated with plant hormones to stimulate growth and development
- the cell starts to divide
- the resulting cells become an entire plant
Why we use GMOs:
- agriculture is vulnerable to 3 things: insects, weeds, and weather; most GMOs address the first two
- insects: GMOs repel only the particular type of insect that feed on them
- reduced the need for pesticides
- weeds: GMOs developed to be resistant to herbicides
- insects: GMOs repel only the particular type of insect that feed on them
- secondary benefits:
- lower costs
- less soil erosion (tillage isn’t as necessary for weed control)
- less pesticides
- GMOs also used to produce medicines and vaccines
- before GMOs, medicine was extracted from blood donors, animal parts, or cadavers; had the risk of transmitted diseases, inconsistent quality, and unreliable supply
- GMO medicines are more consistent and aren’t likely to be contaminated
GMOs and human health
- A lot of attention on whether GMOs are safe to eat; currently there is no data that indicates any harm
- over the two decades that GMOs have been on the market, there have been no health issues
- GMOs have undergone more detailed evaluation than any other group of plants we consume
- GMOs differ from a conventional plant by the addition of just one or two genes that produce one or two new proteins
- the origins and functions of these proteins are well understood
GMOs and insects
- pesticides are chemicals that will prevent pests from damaging plants, either by killing the insect or forming a toxic barrier around the plant
- pesticides can kill beneficial organisms; they’re costly to farmers; they can be dangerous to animals and workers
- GMOs solve this problem by modifying the plant’s protein manufacturing system to create one that is toxic to specific insects (their stomachs rupture)
- GM crops don’t harm honeybees or butterflies
https://ag.purdue.edu/GMOs/Pages/The-Science-of-GMOs.aspx
I have done a ton of exploration into GMO’s and admire your research into this topic. I’d be happy to meet and talk more about this – particularly the comment about GMO crops not harming honeybees = I’m not sure this is totally correct and it definitely speaks to what the definition of a GMO crop is = if you are talking Round Up (Glyphosate) then it has definitely impacted the bee population in very troubling ways. But GMO’s don’t always contain Round Up…