...With the production of genetically modified foods (GMFs) becoming more prevalent today, debates about whether it is right to use technology to create new forms of plant and animal life are on the rise. Proponents of GMFs believe these crops will reduce the use of pesticides and other chemicals, and are just as safe as traditional crops. Opponents, on the other hand, feel the use of chemicals is scarcely reduced in GMFs and fear contamination of traditional farm crops... It is possible that GMFs are not bad for us at all and might be rather beneficial to building a sustainable future for all forms of life (Castle, S., Modified Corn, 2014 February 11th) Genetically modified crops were born like cross breeding, it was introduced from a gene through a different organism. The beginning of GM crops was in 1977 when the discovery that soil bug Agrobacterium tumefaction’s can be used as a tool to inject useful foreign genes and DNA into plants. This microorganism, with additional help from other gene-implantation technologies such as electroporation, and gene guns, geneticists have developed a variety of different GM crops. Genetically modified crops can be altered to grow under many different conditions such as extreme cold, dry spells, or where there are high levels of salt in the soil. Unexpected cold and frost can kill young crops so, according to Deborah Whitman “An antifreeze gene from cold water fish has been introduced into plants such as tobacco and potato. With this antifreeze...
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...Genetically Modified foods are foods that are altered through introducing plants and other organisms with genes that do not naturally exist inside it, or are from another organism. This technique is used to change the content of the plant. This is done by taking the preferred genes out of one organism, and placing it in the genetic make up of another to get a satisfactory result. Then it is tested to be approved and to be sold to farmers. There are many arguments that can be made about this political issue including whether or not it should be used, if so how to regulate it, should it be labeled, is it safe, is it morally and ethically acceptable, what are the repercussions, and could it help our economy and others? It’s extremely important to understand the issues in todays’ society as they affect our children and us, and here I will guide you through my unbiased conclusions on the issue. It was first discovered in 1946 that it was entirely possible to transfer genetics between organisms, but wasn’t accomplished in plants until 1983. It was used to create a tobacco plant that was resistant to antibiotics. It was then that a domino effect like cycle was created as scientists began making tomatoes that would delay ripening after being picked, squash that was resistant to viruses, and soybeans resistant to herbicides. In 2011 the US had 25 genetically modified crops that were allowed to be commercially sold in stores without labels, and today 85% of corn, most soybeans, and just...
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...are putting in their bodies. California's proposition 37, states the requirement to label all food products that contain genetically modified organisms (GMO). It is important to the health of humanity to be aware of the harmful effects of GMO. Unfortunately, due to the dangers of the food they consume, that to them seem ''healthy'' as this Prop did not pass. Even organic food is not safe to eat anymore because there might very well be GMO in it. Why is GMO bad? I believe, in order to improve the culture of humanity and unify a healthy way living there must be a change in notifying people what they are putting into their uninformed bodies. Genetically modified organisms may have benefits that make food look better, taste better, more plump and juicy, or have more color than its original pure form. In order for GMO's to achieve this, the food must be changed in a laboratory by a specialized scientist. Companies portray their product to be all naturally grown and organic, but it's likely that they contain GMO unless there is a label saying there is no GMO. GMO's harmful effects that people need to be aware of are increase in toxicity, decreased nutrition, new allergens, cancer, and tumors. For example, Monsanto is the world's leading producer of GMO and scientists there have discovered cancer in their lab rats after the consumption of genetically modified corn. Food that has a label which say it has no GMO is usually more expensive and people decide to save money by buying other...
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...Genetically Modified Organisms Andre Thomas Soc/215 10-14-15 Dr. Melisha Plummer Genetically Modified Organisms Much has been written about genetically modified organisms. These are commonly known as GMOs. Genetically modified organisms have some positive attributes. However, GMOs also have adverse effects on animals, the environment and the health of the consumer. In order to understand why GMOs have these effects, it is important to know exactly what a GMO is and how these differ from the normal breeding farmers have done for years. The Free Dictionary defines a GMO as “An organism whose genetic characteristics have been altered using the techniques of genetic engineering.” It goes on to explain that modern science has the ability to modify the genetic makeup of plants and animals. Scientists can even transfer genes from one species to another. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/genetically+modified+organism Advocates of genetically modified organisms say that the use of the gmos could end world hunger they also say we could create plants and animals that are resistant to disease and tolerant to pesticides. They can also engineer plants to be drought resistant. They argue these changes would stop famine because the plants could naturally resist. The proponents use pathos to convince people they have the answer to world hunger. They show you pictures starving people around the world and tell you their “improved” seeds make hunger go away. Perhaps it could but the studies...
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...Biocentric Ethics Analysis Katherine Nagle SCI 362 Environmental Issues and Ethics Juliet Knowles December 23, 2013 Genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) are mankind’s solution to how the world supplies food. The effects are controversial, to all species. This paper will discuss inherent value, GMO’s the controversy, and insight into the difference between natural and GMO’s life, and how they are different. Inherent Value is the value that an entity has on itself, for what it is, or as an end. Many people value what they consume, some might say genetically modified organisms have made it harder for mankind to cure itself form deceases, as repercussion are unknown. GMO’s have been an ongoing debate for decades. While farmers fight to keep going they have been given an option to plant genetically modified seeds that might grow longer and more ample crops. World hunger and the pressure to produce a more ample harvest can not only cost farmers more, but can lead to lawsuits and accusations of mistrust between the producer of these seeds and the consumers. In 1986 genetically engineered tomatoes reduced many of the normal methods of preparation needed in preparing the growth of crops and made the tomatoes more resilient to many herbicides. The Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency did not seem too concerned over this new innovative technology. Eventually Bacillus thuringiensis was used in plants, an insect killer. This prevented...
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...Genetically Modified Organisms Technology, Society, and Culture Table of Contents Technical Aspect of GMO by Chad Dookie Page 3 Moral and Ethical Aspect of GMO by Ronald Claude Page 7 Cultural and Legal Aspect of GMO by Evangelina Ramirez Page 14 Environmental Issues of GMO by Donovan Collins Page 23 References Page 32 Technical Aspect of GMO by Chad Dookie Description of GMOs and the associated science Most of the populations that do shopping in the groceries to buy food for their family are not aware of the “naturalness” of the food. Groceries sell items such as; cotton seeds, rice, soy, sugar beets, yeast, cassava, papaya, bananas, food flavoring, potatoes, corn, tomatoes, squash, oils, beef, pork, chicken, salmon, peas, alfalfa, and honey. Notice that most of the items listed either came from a plant or an animal. Those are the top 20 grocery items that have been genetically modified. What are genetically modified organisms? A genetically modified organism is any living thing that has had their DNA tampered with. This can be mutating, removing, or adding genetic material into the organism. All of the items listed in paragraph one has had their DNA tampered with. Most times when people talk about genetically modified organisms, they mostly refer to plants that are genetically modified. You may be wondering how the animals listed are considered genetically modified. This is because scientists modify the plants that are being...
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...dangerous pathogens. (Krupke) The infamous Corn Bearer is finally thwarted in the year 1996 with the introduction of the Bt Corn plant. Bt Corn is a genetically modified organism, or GMO. It contains the Bt toxin from the organism Bacillus thuringiensis, a natural insecticide that breaks down the stomach walls of pests such as the European Corn...
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...What is a GM crop? According to WHO Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods derived from organisms whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally. But with this gift comes with a great burden. In this essay I will be discussing the pros and cons of GM crops, like is this going to revolutionize agriculture, increase yields and profit for farmers or is it going to bring a great amount of trouble like the evolution of super weeds and super bugs. Is this a giant leap for the future or is it a wolf in sheep’s clothing? The first commercial GM crop was Flavr Savr tomato created in California. Flavr Savr was engineered to slow the ripening process of the tomato and prevent it from softening, while still allowing the tomato to maintain red and juicy for longer. However the process of transferring genes for one organism to another is a time consuming processes as you have no control to where the gene will attach or even if the proportion of DNA it lands is the part you want. This combing all these factors together we can see that genetic engineering is a very expensive procedure. But even with all this complication we can still invest our money in to it as we can see the countless benefits GM crops have. Let us start with a simple advantage of GM crops it is the reduction of chemicals released into the environment. It is argued that, by modifying crops to resist certain pests or diseases, farmers can reduce or even eliminate the need to spray...
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...Literature Survey: The Prince Edward Island Incident By: Sheila Suyo Jaime Rivera Jacyn De Leon Jonas Magcalayo John Mar Rosqueta Jacem Borromeo In partial fulfillment of the requirements in Chemistry 11 under Ms. Mary Vanessa C. Nartia Prince Edward Island and the Philippines Pollution of rivers, streams, and lakes contaminate ground and surface waters, thus exposing the population to environmentally-related diseases. The relationship between polluted water and disease has now been firmly established and accepted. According to the World Bank, just under a third, or 31 percent of illnesses in the country, monitored for a five-year period were caused by water-borne pathogens. In the agriculture sector, application of agrochemicals (i.e. fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides) remains a common practice among farmers in rural areas. Intensive use of agrochemicals has been known to create and result to both environmental problems and diseases. The hazards accompanying this practice, especially those associated with persistent organic pollutants or POPs have been known for years and the knowledge of the extent of harm they cause has increased. According to a study by Dr. N. Maramba (1996), most farmers may be aware that pesticides are hazardous but there is a lack of awareness of exposure risks. Pesticide handlers are the ones most heavily exposed. In addition, exposure of households in farming communities may occur due to spray drift from nearby fields. This exposure...
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...Genetically Modified foods - Evils or Friends Genetically Modified Foods (or GM foods) are produced from organisms in which specific changes are introduced into their DNA through the methods of genetic engineering. Genetically Modified crops are available commercially since 1994. Majority of the gene modification of foods have primarily focused on cash crops which are in high demand such as soybean, corn, canola, and cotton seed oil. These crops have been engineered for resistance to pathogens and herbicides and better nutrient profiles (Wikipedia). According to an article by author Robert Shields, more than 26 percent of the cotton, 40 percent of the soybean acreage in the US was planted with GM crops containing gene for herbicide resistance by the year 1998. The application of Agri-biotechnology has increased by 60 fold since 1996 and by 2015 it is predicted that in about 40 countries more than 200 million hectares of lands will be planted by biotech crops (Maghari 1). The invention of agricultural biotechnology has caused social and ethical contradictions. There are extensive debates active in scientific circles as to how modern biotechnology can be used for planting high quality of high yield crops to meet the challenge of feeding the ever increasing population while protecting the ecosystem and human health. Genetically Modified Foods (GM Foods) have made a big splatter in the news lately. Environmental organizations and public interest groups have been actively protesting...
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...Genetically Modified Crops- A Sociological Study Group project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the Course Introduction to Sociology and Social Anthropology Course Code DC01 BA Social Sciences Submitted by Aashna Singh (100115) Priyanshu Barodia (100301) Abhishek Kumar (100564) Rupam (100568) Aila Bandagi (100277) Sashwatha Sridhar (100288) Kiran Johnson (100019) Souparna .V (100090) Minakshi Patel (100362) Vibhor Choudhary (100485) Tata Institute of Social Sciences Hyderabad 2012-13 CONTENTS * Introduction ……4 * GM Crops-What, How and Why? ……5 * Technology Used ……7 a. BT Technology b. Recombinant DNA technology c. Terminator Gene Technology * Health Impacts- ……9 a. Deaths and Near Deaths b. Viral and Bacterial Illness c. Cancer and Degenerative Diseases d. Antibiotic Threats...
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...Case 1: “Monsanto Attempts to Balance Stakeholder Interests” Dr. Obradovich Case 1: “Monsanto Attempts to Balance Stakeholder Interests” Harry Stevenson September 15th, 2015 Monsanto is one of the world’s largest industrial agriculture businesses, especially focusing on genetically modified products. The company specializes in biotechnology, modifying crops and genetic manipulation of organisms. These modifications help farmers by using less land and creating more crops, which equals more profits. Genetically modified (GM) food also helps create solutions to world hunger problems and is a rapidly growing product for famers. GM products have stirred up controversy everywhere they are distributed, and Monsanto, being a huge multinational corporation and a major producer, is at the center of the debate. Throughout the company’s history, Monsanto has been attacked with criticisms from governments, farmers and activists groups because of their controversial products. This case deals with the ethical implications of producing and selling a product without understanding the environmental and physical implications of the products. Monsanto claims that its products are safe, and the FDA has proclaimed that GM food is safe to consume but critics are not convinced and continue to try and stop the use of GM products. Monsanto has showed a clear disregard for ethical obligations in its history and continues to downplay the importance of environmental and physical risks to the...
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...11) Important when a cell divides- replication 12) Uses a start codon - translation 13) A stop codon is involved - translation 14) Ends with a termination sequence - translation 15) Begins at a promoter region - transcription 16)What are the two main types of cells? * Eukaryotes: animals, plants, yeast, algae, most multicellular organisms; yes nucleus * Prokaryotes: bacteria, archaebacteria, simpler organisms; no nucleus; no membrane enclosed organelles 17) Approximate size scale of bacterial cell (1 micron) vs. animal cell (10-100 microns) vs. molecules vs. virus 18) How does the cell fit 6 feet of DNA into each cell of our body? 19) How many chromosomes do humans have? What’s the difference between male and female chromosomes? 23; XX (female) versus XY (male) 20) Plasmids are the most important entity for biotechnology. They allow the insertion of foreign DNA 21) What was the first protein biotechnology to be produced in E. coli? 22) DNA: fingerprint of cell; coding material for everything in our body; way we look and act; genetic material of an organism 23) Nucleus: 24) Ribosome: Produce proteins, form muscles in the cell 25) Mitochondria: Produces energy in cell 26) Plasmid: miscellaneous DNA, important for biotechnology; circular piece of DNA in bacteria 27) Gene: Part of DNA that codes for...
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...Body 1 Full-body Scanners at Airports 1 The Health Effects of Genetically Modified Foods 2 Scarcity of clean drinking water 3 Introducing technology into the classroom to support learning 3 Conclusion and Recommendations 4 References 6 Introduction Global issues have strongly affected the daily life of humankind which impact social, economic, health and security concerns. For this reason, the aims of the research is to describe the causes and effects by conducting secondary research as well as considering the solution to the problems. The four global issues have been chosen comprising full-body scanners at airports, the health effects of GM foods, scarcity of clean drinking water and technology in the classroom with the purpose of better understanding of prevalent technology, reasons of insufficient water and the food we eat every day. I am interested in technology and I wanted to find out how the technology work in each industry and its effect therefore I chose full-body scanners and technology in education. For scarcity of clean drinking water, I am curious about on how the government solve the problem in order to make further improvement. To be honest, I am worry about my health and I am properly have eaten GM foods therefore I want to know the good and the bad of combined genes products. Also part of the purpose of this assignment is for me to learn about these issues in order that I could do something about them in the future. All the sources that have been...
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...GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS AND PUBLIC HEALTH DEBATE: DESIGNING PROGRAMS TO MITIGATE RISKS MOYE BONGYU University of Dschang, Cameroon GLORIA BILLINGSLEY Walden University MUSTAFA YOUNIS EMEKA NWAGWU Jackson State University ABSTRACT Human health is determined by both natural and artificial factors, amongst which what people consume is a critical variable. There is no consensus about the likely effects of the Genetically Modified foods/organisms (GMOs), but the fact remains that their effects on health are risky and highly unpredictable especially with the globalization tendency. The purpose of this study is to examine how the GMOs risks to public health can be reduced by policymakers enhancing public confidence in the GM foods. The Precaution Adoption Model (PAPM) has been selected to tackle this health problem. This model has been described and evaluation strategies analyzed on the basis of which success can be determined. BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION Human health is determined by both natural and artificial factors, amongst which what people consume is a critical variable. The proliferation of genetically modified (GM) food in the marketplace has resulted in heated public debate, scientific discussion and media coverage about their safety. Formerly, the use of selective breeding was commonplace but this was a sluggish and unreliable Public Administration & Management Volume 13, Number 3, 191-217 192 method. Genetic engineering now allows scientists to insert specific...
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