The third potential risk concerning GM crops is the potential disruption of the food web. This concern is based on the argument that a reduction of the number of major pests caused by insect resistant plants will increase the number of minor pests. There is fear that these minor pests will in turn become the new major pests (Zhang 2016). However, the main flaw in this argument is the assumption that there is an unlimited number of pests, and when we eliminate the danger of one, a new pest will simply pop up. In reality, there is a very small number of major pests to the most commonly grown crops. Once we address the threat of these major pests, the majority of the pest problem will be alleviated.
The biological arguments against GM in general …show more content…
GM technology is currently controlled by giant for-profit corporations such as Monsanto who focus on only on certain crops that generate the greatest profit. This focus on mass-producing only a few cash-crops results in a farming practice known as monoculture - the cultivation of only a single crop - which has negative effects on the environment. However, these issues relate only to the mismanagement of GM technology and do not serve to delegitimize GM crops as a viable option to combat global food shortage and create a more sustainable future by conserving natural …show more content…
Despite the arguments against them, GM crops are the food of the future. The ability of GM crops to increase yield per acre and increase nutritional value of foods directly combats the current global food shortage crisis. And as the population continues to grow, GM crops are the best and most effective way to meet the nutritional needs to the world without harming the environment. GM practices conserve natural resources because the focus on efficiency cuts down on the need for arable land and natural resources. GM technology has also extended the longevity of crops, which decreases the volume of food waste. While opponents of GM crops cite health and biological arguments against GM crops, the majority of these arguments are theoretical and lack the statistical evidence to disprove GM crops as a safe and effective way to feed humankind. While there is no problem with GM technology itself, there is, unfortunately, a widespread misuse of GM technology in the hand of corporate interests. Thus, moving forward, we must be maximize the potential of GM crops by utilizing the technology to feed humankind and protect the environment rather than to maximize profit. It’s time for the government to wrestle the monopoly away from