By Aaron Zhao

Agriculture was always associated with farmers, but things have changed in the modern era. Fellow scientists from Bayer and other acclaimed corporations are hopping into the tractor. With more climate oddities, this duo needs to adopt a new method of growing and protecting their crops. Remember: we are their consumers. But we are also analyzers, and there is an urgent need to find out if their choice of GMO was the right choice.

What are GMO foods?

Its full name is pretty self-explanatory: genetically modified organisms/foods. To genetically modify an organism, you need to tamper with its DNA, which is the genetic code that defines the “natural” you (or lettuce, since we’re dealing with foods). Geneticists add new selections of genes extracted from a different organism that demonstrate the favourable traits. Let’s suppose a trait from another organism has the ability to independently manufacture a protein that kills pests that decide to bite it. Through DNA extraction, this gene is taken from the foreign organism and “inserted” into the lettuce, thus giving it a tough panoply against pests. Below is an incomplete list of what GMO plants are capable of:

• Defence against viruses and bacteria, allowing plants to grow proficiently and efficiently
• Produce healthier oils in soybeans
• Enhance laurate levels in canola (lauric acid is capable of killing pathogens)
• Combat drought with effective transpiration and absorption
• Gain higher nutritional value

The debate that GMO has aroused will affect everyone since it will change what will be available in the supermarket. Now, we need to tell environmentalists that they have painted the wrong picture. This delay has caused a great loss of time in advancing forward but it’s not too late to act.

Seedless watermelons kill, right?

One of the biggest beliefs people hold is that GMO foods are unhealthy for the human body and the environment.

We have been eating genetically modified foods for decades, and no lethal threat has ever been posed on anyone’s body. It is estimated that almost 75% of all foods on the shelf have some kind of genetically modified ingredient, yet you still stand healthily. 94% of soy in the US is GMed. You do not have to fear because the FDA is in charge of approving GM crops that are shipped to marketplaces near your house. I realize that the FDA’s medicine branch has become a monstrosity, but it’s foods branch have remains intact. If you don’t trust the FDA with their history, you can surely trust its colleagues: The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These three “biggies” work together in providing the safest GMO foods. The evaluation of a food product is comprehensive, including procedures like testing for dietary allergens and comparing their nutrition with their natural counterparts. Just the regulatory process can take up to 5 years. Please, the demographic who eat GM foods are perfectly fine.

Guess what, environmentalists? The Green Revolution wasn’t flawless. Pesticides and herbicides were used in plentiful amounts, which isn’t so green, is it? The runoff has contaminated soil and water and with the continuous use of weedkillers, weeds had developed resistance which caused crop production in certain regions to drop. Also, many farmers have found it more stressful to afford fertilizers and these weedkillers, which are not at all cheap. Sometimes, going all-natural isn’t the most auspicious path to take.

The Beetles

Global warming has benefited the agricultural industry with an increasing crop yield rate. But you know what will happen soon? The population of pests will rise in numbers at the highest reproduction rate you’ve ever seen due to the warmer climates. Your crops can take up any area at any acres, but these beetles will still wipe it out. Being an environmentalist means no pesticides or herbicides. They will regret it. Pests love food, but there’s something they love even more; warmth. Last year, around 12% of all crops were destroyed by pests and bacteria. Research led by Prof Curtis Deustch from the University of Washington concluded that the rate at which pests digest is accelerated at higher temperatures and causes them to be more destructive. Scientists predict that in the future, pests will be munching on 10-25% more cereals for every risen degree. The damage will be most evident in temperate zones. Since most of the wheat grown in the States are in temperate zones, an uprising of pests will incentivize farmers to find protection for their crops.

No money, no crops (and vice versa)

The disaster painted above is unavoidable if farmers can’t afford the seeds. According to Farm Aid, the cost of seeds has spiked up in the last 20 years since GM seeds were introduced and four companies have dominated the seed industry. These four companies; Monsanto, DuPont, Syngenta and Dow have an 80% share in corn and 60 % in all seeds.

The opposing side of the debate uses this to their advantage: farmers lose money because of the introduction of GMO and it creates unaffordable seeds.

We can no longer look at the problem with a pair of near-sighted eyes. Let’s face the stark truth:

More pests tearing at crops yearly doesn’t seem like a pleasant image. And more mouths will be roaming on this planet every year that goes by.

If we ban GM seeds, we’ll simply revert back to chemicals. Crop rotations and crop diversity are environmental methods but have risks as well. Crop rotation forces farmers to purchase more seeds of different species. Monsanto won’t be pleased if we ban GM seeds because they are a big distributor. Also, remember the farmers who support these magic beans? What do you think will happen if we limit or strictly regulate GM seeds? America’s genetically modified crops already occupy 39% of the total worldwide production and make billions yearly, according to GMO Answers. 92% of the corn in the US is already genetically modified. The world population is growing at an alarming rate; there will be 8.5 billion mouths to feed by 2030. Yes, food production needs to be regulated to avoid the emergence of health problems in consumers but switching to the GMO fast lane is crucial too.

Let me emphasize again. Now is not the time to be the turtle in the ancient fable.

Population and food consumption rise proportionally and quickly. Global warming has further impeded our endeavours. In the past, organic farming was very effective because their weren’t as many environmental and societal factors in play. Now that there are, we need to be time-efficient and keep up with the growing food demands of the world. I’m not proposing that GMO foods are the only path to take. I’m proposing that it is the best path to take.

Photo credit:
Raphael Rychetsky