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Though some claim they are not harmful, genetically modified foods allow crops to withstand herbicides being sprayed directly on them. Herbicides are harmful to the environment and the use of herbicides used on genetically modified crops has increased since GMO crops were introduced. Insecticide use has decreased, but Bt crops are modified to produce an insecticide in the plant itself. Thus, Bt crops may be harmful to friendly insects. There is also the issue of horizontal breeding (mixing the genes from one species with those of another species) and whether those changes will spread to species in the environment. Weeds developing resistance to herbicides used on GMO crops much faster than they would without GMO crops is also a concern, as is the need to use more herbicides to produce the same results after a number of years.
While some claim they do no harm to the environment, usage of glyphosate (Round up), which is the most widely used herbicide for transgenic crops up to this time (2014), has doubled since the introduction of GMO crops. At the same time, other herbicide use has not been reduced enough to offset the increased use of glyphosate. Herbicide use is not good for the environment. It is not known what effect the use of horizontal breeding and introducing forced genetic changes and breeding between species will have on the environment. Weed resistance to glyphosate has escalated since the introduction of GMO crops. While weed resistance to herbicides occurs when using non-GMO crops, its increase has been faster and more severe with the use of GMO crops.
There is no way to know what effects transgenics (GMOs) will have on the environment over the long term (50 years or longer). Since they have been grown commercially (1996), overall herbicide use has dropped slightly in the U.S. while the use of Round-up (glysophate) has doubled. Weeds have developed resistance, so new GMO varieties that are resistant to more toxic herbicides have been developed and at this time, are waiting for approval by the regulating agencies. Though the cause of bee colony collapse is not known, bT varieties (engineered to produce an insecticide within the plant itself) may be at least partially responsible for it. Though the toxin produced by bT varieties is supposed to be targeted to certain insects, it is not known if it kills other insects or has an effect on human health. In addition, it is suspected that insects are becoming resistant to it. The use of herbicides also have negative effects on soil and runoff can pollute the water, so unless the use of GMO varieties significantly reduce pesticide use, pollution continues to be as much as a factor as using non-GMO varieties. It is also not known if the transgene that was inserted artificially into GMO varieties will transfer horizontally to other plants, though many say it is no different than vertical breeding, which is how breeding occurs in nature.
Some concerns associated with GMO crops are:
- Unexpected damage to the genetics that could cause genes to turn on or off that are not intentional.
- The effects of horizontal gene transfer may have on the environment and that if negative effects occur, it might be impossible to control them.
- Possible harm being done to non-targeted insects by Bt technology.
- Herbicide resistant varieties causing more herbicides to be needed over the course of a few years.
- Development of weeds that are resistant to the herbicide, which require other types of herbicides which might be more damaging to the environment.
- Insects becoming resistant to the insecticide producing Bt varieties, causing the use of more insecticides.
- Health effects on animals and humans.
- GMO contamination of Non-GMO and organically-grown crops through cross pollination.
- Eventual lack of choice to eat non-GMO foods, which is actually already happening.
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Why are some GMO crops classified by the EPA as pesticides?
Some GMO crops are genetically engineered to produce a substance that kills insects when they is eaten by them. It is for that reason that some GMO crops are classified as pesticides by the EPA.
Why are GMOs considered a threat to biodiversity?
Organic crops are non GMO, but GMO crops of the same kind can cross pollinate with them, resulting in contamination of the organic crops.
What is true of GMO crops?
there have been no instances of genes escaping from GMO plants into other plants
What are the laws on growing genetically engeneered food?
In the United States, genetically modified foods have been declared to be "substantially equivalent" to non-GMO foods, so there are no differences in how they are grown. There are recommendations for GMO farmers to plant barriers of non-GMO crops to cut down on cross pollination of their crops with non-GMO crops, but these are just recommendations and are not enforced.
What effect does pollen from genetically modified plants have on organically grown plants when they are cross pollinated?
When organic crops are pollinated with GMO crops, the GMO gene can become a part of the organic crop, so the organic seed for the following year contains the GMO. Technically, since organic crops are not supposed to have GMOs in them, this contaminates the organic crops.
How do farmers grow GM food?
GMO foods are grown very much like non-GMO that are not being grown organically. The big difference is that some of the crops have been engineered to have resistance to herbicides like Round-up. For those crops, the herbicide can be sprayed directly on the crop without killing it; whereas, it cannot be sprayed directly on the non-GMO crops. Other crops have been genetically engineered to produce a substance that kills insects when they eat the plant. In that case, those growing GMO crops theoretically would not need to use pesticides, or at least not as many pesticides, as those who grow non-GMO crops.
What does the term initial isolation distance mean?
Initial isolation distance refers to the minimum distance required between a genetically modified organism (GMO) field trial and other non-GMO crops of the same species to prevent cross-pollination and maintain genetic integrity of the non-GMO crops. It is meant to minimize the risk of genetic contamination and maintain the purity of non-GMO crops.
What kinds of problems do genetically modified crops with transgenes pose for farmers who do not grow the altered crop?
One problem GMO crops pose for farmers who do not grow them is cross pollination of GMOs in non-GMO crops, especially those that are grown organically.
Can you give me two paragraphs in your own words about genetically modified food?
I can: Though GMO foods are widely grown in the United States and some other countries, they are not widely accepted by the consumer. Reasons for this vary. Many do not accept the claim that foods made from GMOs are safe. Another concern is environmental harm. There are some studies that back up certain concerns of the safety of consuming GMO foods and environmental harm, either from the modifications or the increased use of pesticides on GMO crops. The concerns are not likely to be resolved any time soon.
What is unchecked spread of GMOs?
Spread of GMOs is the unwanted cross pollination of GMO crops with non-GMO and organically grown crops. Unchecked spread means that it is being allowed to happen without measures to avoid it being taken.
What is one potential benefit to our growing genetically modified food crops?
In many parts of the world, hunger is not the result of lack of food in the world, but political and social issues. Unless those issues are dealt with and resolved, GMO or any other kind of food is not going to solve hunger in those areas. In addition, some countries that will accept non-GMO foods will not accept GMO foods, so GMO food will not help to solve the hunger in those countries.
Artificial selection example?
Think GMO crops. Not natural selection, we selected them artificially
