Herbicide-Tolerant Crops Essay, Research Paper

Patrick Donahoe

Nats 104

3-9-00

Herbicide-Tolerant Crops

Crop management is a vigorous activity that changes as technologies are developed. Now that were in the new millennium, we are finding new and enhanced ways to improve things that effect us in our everyday lives like, industrial pollution, car pollution, waste management, and also the advancement in herbicide-tolerant crops. Much advancement have been taking place to make our crops better and safer to eat without damaging crops from herbicides, a chemical that destroys grass and weeds. This technology has opened a door in the genetic planting of crops all over the U.S. Companies are creating new ways to grow crops without the weeds that seem to be carrying chemicals that are affecting crops like, corn, potatoes, and soybeans. There is controversy with genetically altered foods due to the low percentage of facts and a lot of risks that go along with this process of this engineering.

Over the past five years scientists have been trying to genetically modify foods, and crops by removing and adding certain genes. This process gives them a greater shelf life and keeps the vegetables from bruising when in transit, according to GM’s proposal on the Internet. They also inform that the crops are less likely to loose their color and more importantly, retain more of their nutrients. In my opinion this gives the consumer a better product and reduces the amount of waste for the producers and retailers. Another benefit mentioned was that it is good for the consumers who need proteins, which are vital for their diets. GM states, “Proteins vital to our diets can be added to foods which don’t ordinarily contain them, which is important for people lacking them.”

This advancement seems to have others interested as well, even doctors. Experimenting with DNA, genes, and cells helps research human DNA and ultimately, the cures for disease. In Texas, scientists have found a chemical compound in the plant borage that produces gamma linolenic acid, which reduces heart attacks caused by cholesterol. This gene they can be transferred into crops that produce oils in foods such as margarine and ice cream, consequently making these fatty foods healthier and safer. This advancement in technology also has people doubtful on what these companies are doing to mother nature.

According to the Health and Consumer Protection Agency, genetically engineered food seems to have problems that they seem to believe is important to our health and safety. Genetically engineered foods containing genes resulting from bacteria and viruses are now starting to appear in shops, containing fish and animal genes, without consumer knowledge of what’s in the food that they are eating. To the Health and Consumer Protection agency, this promotes a problem that should be reviewed. Informing the public about what is being processed in the food is very important because it could prevent someone from getting sick from whatever gene he or she is allergic to. Because living organisms are highly complex, genetic engineers cannot possibly predict what the effects of these genes will do when placed into foods or vegetables. Scientists believe that bacteria will cause sickness to someone’s health due to the complex genes of plants and animals.

In my research I have found out that scientists who make genetically engineered food are in the right direction, but need more facts on what happens when you put plant and animal genes in foods. To me, this does not pose an immediate threat toward our health, but I do think that a label should be placed on any package on any genetically engineered product. I think what GM is doing is a great idea if it helps us find out more about our DNA and what genes can cure a disease for someone who is in need of a cure.

This type of advancement has good motives for making better, long lasting food. If you look at all the benefits from what genetically engineered food brings, it seems to cancel all the risks that are involved in this process. Even though we haven’t quite perfected this new technology, we still must look at what it does for science medicine and the study of human DNA. I think this is a great idea as long as the consumers safety is looked out very carefully.