Catrina+and+Ashtin

=** GMOs **= = =

'We understand that the programme alleges that GM could save the world, and that the fact it hasn’t is a result of a western-led NGO movement that imposes its ideology on the global South. This has led to death and starvation across the world. So essentially the anti-GM movement is responsible for the hunger and deaths of millions.' - **New pro-GMO, pro-nuke documentary on UK TV**

The use of genetically altered food is a futuristic development which we should take advantage of to create multiple plants and/or animals more efficiently.

For example, the genetically modified fish Salmon is created by combining genes from the Chinook salmon and another fish, the ocean pout. The ocean pout gene works to encourage growth of the Chinook salmon. According to the manufacturer, AquAdvantage salmon reach market size twice as fast as traditional salmon.



Another example, U.S. farmers have planted an additional 4.9 million acres of genetically modifiedcorn this year, increasing the portion of U.S. corn that is genetically modified from 81% in 2003 to 85% in 2004. These statistics show that the use of genetically modified food is rapidly increasing in our daily life and, as a result, should be accepted by the general public because whether they like it or not, almost all crops grown on large scale farms will be somewhat modified to ensure larger crops or rapid growth for faster production and sales.



One last example of how genetically modified products are a benefit to society are the GM animals. Animal testing in the UK rose 6% on the testing of using genetically modified animals. Over 3.2 million animals tests were carried out in 2007. Testing on GM animals rose 5% on the previous year as researchers exploited the advantages of modified animals, particularly mice, as better models of human disease.The ability to breed genetically - modified mice that can be used to study the genetic basis of diseases including cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimers' has boosted the total number of experiments almost every year.

'We have entered an era of genetically modified foods, which are just that — genetically mutated foods that are not necessarily better for you. The health implications not only to humans but also to the environment is a hotly contested debate; the introduction of genetically altered food could have serious consequences, such as allergic reactions and increased resistance to certain antibiotics. Two of the prime targets for genetic engineering — soy and corn — are America's cash crops.' -**Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith, The Detox Strategy: Vibrant Health in 5 Easy Steps**

The use of genetically altered food could pose threats to our society as a whole by harming not only local cultures but by expanding into a worldwide scale.

An example of this would be the potential to inadvertently introduce allergens into foods. Plant genetics researchers must take care not to introduce genes for proteins that tend to generate allergic reactions. There is a risk of accidentally inserting allergenic products into transgenic plants.



Another concern within the U.S. is the fact that foods are not labeled to show whether they contain genetically engineered plants. The fact that GM foods are not labeled does not inform the overall population what they are eating, which could cause worry amongst the general public. Not knowing what you are ingesting is a very dangerous choice because if you eat a crop which contains an allergen without your knowledge, you could suffer the consequences by an allergic reaction or death for more severe cases.



<span style="color: black; font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">Lastly, not enough is known about whether genetically engineered plants are safe for human consumption. Researchers and biotech companies talk about the potential of genetically modified plants to deliver more nutritious food, more productive crops, and inexpensive medicines, but they have been slow to deliver. The challenge of delivering on bold promises, scientists face technical challenges that may be more difficult to overcome than they like to admit. Dealing with pest-resistance to crops containing pesticide genes; handling the problem of gene flow; designing terminator technology that protects the environment but doesn't harm the farmer economically-these are all problems that will challenge scientists for years to come.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">

Conclusion
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 13px;">In conclusion, the use of genetically modified plants could be used as an advantage to the population, such as genetically modified salmon which grow in size, GM corn which produces more kernals per stock, and GM mice which can carry disease and be used in the future to prevent certain illness', yet the downside of GMOs could cause major problems in society. Disadvantages like allergens being inserted into food accidentally, the lack of labeling on products which disables the population from knowledge they should have access to, and the lack of information about GMO production and safety poses a threat to our well-being. As a result, we are on the fence when it comes to GMOs; both the pros and cons set different statements with arguable points and direct information to support whether or not GMOs should be used.