Genetically Modified Crops Persuasive Essay

Opening Statement:

Before genetic engineering, around the 1900’s, gatherers would find food from plants, and farmers would plant seeds that they saved from domesticated crops. Together, they were able to develop foods through the use of yeast and fermentation, and some farmers were even able to identify hybrids. Hybrids can be defined as plants produced through natural breeding between related varieties of plants. Genetically modified organisms and the use of hybridization has been around for thousands of years. The debate of whether genetically modified organisms are sustainable for the economy and whether they are efficient for the economy to use is continuously brought up in countless debates. For those of you who may not know, a genetically

Many organisms have also been modified, organisms such as bacteria and yeast, insects, plants, fish, and mammals. One reason why we support the use of GMOs for the economy is because the use of GM crops increases yield, also known as the agricultural output. Improving crop yield can be done through both breeding and biotechnology. Farmers needed to further their innovation, and find ways for more intensive farming. This lead the farmers to begin a quest for improved seed which would improve crop yield. In addition to an increase in yield, GMOs are also more advantageous for the environment. Many environmental issues are a constant problem and tons of money is spent trying to solve these issues. With GMOs, money is being saved because there are less environmental issues

For example, according to the Genetic Literacy Project, HT crops have helped more farmers adopt “no-till” and “reduced-till” soil conservation practices. Tilling the land is an issue because it requires farmers to run tractors more and damages soil and water retention. With the use of HT crops and GMOs, farmers can now escape the need to till their land. An additional factor, would be that the use of GMOs can help produce medicines. As mentioned before, GMOs are used for more than just crops. In medicine, genetic engineering is used to make biopharmaceutical drugs. The first genetically engineered drug approved for use was insulin, in the late 1970’s. In many less-developed countries, the need for medicine is at an all-time high, but the demanding prices make it difficult for them to be able to afford it. With GMOs making abundant amounts of medicine, it will be less expensive to purchase altogether. We believe that genetically modified organisms increase crop yield, help prevent environmental problems in order to save money, and lowers the price of medicine and health care. With this being said, we argue that genetically modified organisms bring positive economic impacts, and we should be encouraging the production and consumption of technologies that will help our economy