Pros And Cons Of GMO Research

As people drive by corn fields, they only get a glimpse at stocks of green or gold, but there is more to them than just outward appearance. There are about 185.1 million hectares of genetically engineered corn, soybean, and cotton fields throughout the United States (“Pocket K No. 16”). Therefore, many are concerned about the effects of genetically modified organisms in today’s economy. GMOs were first used in 1982 when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first genetically engineered drug, Genentech’s Humulin, a form of human insulin produced by bacteria (“Background”). I first became interested in GMOs when I took Introduction to Agriculture my freshman year of high school. I have spent a great deal of time studying the effects

Some of these advantages could include increased agricultural productivity and reduced need for environmentally harmful pesticides (“GMO Crops”). Farmers began to use these genetically modified crops to produce a higher yield average. By creating a higher yield average, farmers are able to support more citizens. Being able to support more citizens, is an important part of the future. By the year 2050, the population is estimated to be near 10 million (Brazeau). Thus meaning, more food will have to be grown in a smaller space because people will need space for their homes. In 2016, the average corn yield per acre in Richland county was 147.0, creating a harvest of 10,422,000 bushels. Also in 2016, the average soybean yield per acre was 51.8, creating a harvested amount of 4,866,000 bushels (“USDA’s National”). GMOs help farmers become more profitable; subsequently creating more jobs. Therefore, as the population continues to grow, there will be enough jobs to support everyone. As we look at the impact GMOs have, we can as see the solutions that need to be

One way to make sure this happens is by continuing current research. Therefore, we would get a better understanding as to what GMOs really are. Another way that we can enhance the field of GMOs is by doing research on a wider variety of crops. Doing such research would allow new creations. New creations also allow us to expand GMOs to all aspects of crops and not just the ones that have been discovered so far. Such examples of expansion could include fruits and garden-ready vegetables. Most recently, in 2017 researchers released genetically engineered apples with non-browning traits (“Genetic Traits”). This will help apples stay fresher longer and have the ability to be shipped around the world without rotting. As technology continues to advance, so does the research that goes into experiments. Therefore, doing research before conducting experiments on new GMO products could benefit farmers and the