Bad for You and the Earth

Today 60-70% of the foods in the US are genetically modified organisms (GMO's). However, are these gene-altered foods safe to human? Based on numerous researches, the answer to this question is no. The researchers have found that GMOs jeopardize food security and the environment, all of the countries in European Union have banned the production and selling of GMO foods. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) should be banned in the United States due to their negative impacts on human health and the environment.

Great percentage of corn and soybean in America contains a gene from soil bacteria called Bt, which breaks open the stomach of some insects. Bt is basically a pesticide exist with the corn people eat. Monsanto, the main producer of Bt corn, claims that Bt "would be completely destroyed in the human digestive system and not have any impact consumers" (Smith). Monsanto donates billion of dollars to the government each year to ease the regulation on GMOs. Even though the researchers of EPA found that Bt could be harmful to human body, the EPA ignored the warnings. Several researches have found the negative impacts of Bt, studies show that, "About 500 people in Washington state and Vancouver showed allergic and flu-like symptoms while they were exposed to the spray when it (Bt) was used to kill gypsy moths" (Smith). The effects could be worse when the corn consumed by people.

Many genetically engineered (GE) seeds are designed to produce pesticide in the crop itself, or increasing of spraying of herbicides. The heavy use of the weedkiller Roundup, a glyphosate herbicide, has led to the rapid increase of the new "superweeds". Research conducted by The Organic Center claims that, "Excessive reliance on glyphosate has spawned a growing epidemic of glyphosate-resistant weeds, just as overuse of antibiotics can trigger the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria" (Benbrook 10). As a result, more herbicide is needed to prevent the growth of weeds. The increase of herbicide use increased in people's exposure to toxin and environmental pollution.

Well-known food corporation such as Monsanto and Tyson Foods would argue that GMOs can ultimately end famine since it reduces the cost of producing food. However, consider the harmful effects created by GMO foods, it is necessary to stop producing them in order to keep ourselves healthy and to keep the Earth clean.




Work Cited


Smith, Jeffrey M. "GMO toxins in women and fetuses." AMASS 16.1 (2011): 12+. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 19 June 2013.
 <http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/ovic/AcademicJournalsDetailsPage/AcademicJournalsDetailsWindow?query=&prodId=OVIC&displayGroupName=Journals&limiter=&source=&disableHighlighting=false&displayGroups=&sortBy=&search_within_results=&action=2&catId>

Benbrook, Charles. Crops on Pesticide Use in the United States: The First Thirteen Years. Rep. Nov. 2009. The Organic Center. 21 June 2013.
 <http://www.organic-center.org/reportfiles/GE13YearsReport.pdf>.