Saturday 19 November 2011

GMO. Huh?

Some of you maybe asking: what is GMO, and what does it stand for? It is an acronym for Genetically Modified. There are a merit of different things that are genetically modified, from seed, to food to sheep.

Many people are very afraid of the word GMO for some reason, and I am not sure why. Just because it is genetically  modified does not mean it is automatically harmful. As well, may people are against it, and do not really understand why it can be beneficial. I am going to help those of you who are on the fence, become a little more clear in the advantages to genetically modified farming. 

Great example of how people are mis-informed.


1)Environmentally friendly! There is a lesser need for chemicals, as the seeds can be genetically altered to be resistant to pests; therefore, no more need for pesticides. 

2) It could make healthier food! Certain foods can be modified to contain more Vitamins and minerals that are important to the human diet. 

3) SOLVE WORLD HUNGER! Okay, that might not acutally be as true as it sounds, but i thought it would catch your eye. There is that little black cloud that reminds us that with the increasing world population, one day there will not be enough food to feed the world.  As genetically modified foods increase the yields of crops, more food is produced by farmers.

4) We can expand what foods can grow where, also helping reason # 3. We could genetically modify saskatoon berries to tolerate frosts, or for canola to require less moisture.

I am sure you could find ALOT of literature about the disadvantages of GMO food, but I wanted to give you a bit of insight as to why it could be beneficial to embrace the ever changing genetic technology world.

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