Implications for the Environment

Environmental impact of genetically transformed crops Positive or negative

Harvesting controversy and implications in India. The National Post, in its article, “The myth of India’s ‘GM genocide’: Genetically modified cotton blamed for wave of farmer suicides,”The myth of India’s ‘GM genocide’: Genetically modified cotton blamed for wave of farmer suicides

This chart shows the national trends in cotton yield (kg per hectare).

Crops posing human health and biosafety Top two biotech crops 1.Corn 2.Soy These are the key ingredients in processed foods from cereal to chips to cookies.

Advantages 1.Some GMO plants are made to be insect resistant 2.Less chemicals are used reducing possible contamination and pollution 3.GMO food is possibly engineered to be more nutritious.

Disadvantages 1.The Brown University warns that herbicide resistant genes from commercial crops may cross into the wild weed population, Thus creating “super weeds” that are impossible to kill. 2.According to Iowa State University antibiotic features that are built in GMO’s might get into the human organism and make regular medicine less effective. 3.GMO food can possibly cause allergic reactions.

Human allergic reactions due to GMO’s – Due to the labeling controversy – The more GMO alterations in processed foods the more mutant resistance. – Medications used to counteract the allergic reactions.

Moral and Ethical Implications 1.National Origin 2.Religious Moral effects Right and Wrong 1.Ethical Reasoning 2.Does it matter who’s on the other side of the coin?

Agribusiness Corporations for Financial Gain According to the UNEP, The research and development of global genetically modified organisms is led by six large multinational life science companies independently or in collaboration with the Advanced Research Institutes in the industrial countries.

1.Monsanto 2.Syngenta 3.Aventis 4.Crop Science 5.DuPont. 6.A number of developing countries (Brazil, Argentina, China, India, Malaysia and the Philippines) have significant research and development programs in biotechnology and transgenic crops.

Company – 2007Seed sales (US$ millions) % of global proprietary seed market Monsanto (US)$4,964m23% DuPont (US)$3,300m15% Syngenta (Switzerland)$2,018m9% Groupe Limagrain (France)$1,226m6% Land O' Lakes (US)$917m4% KWS AG (Germany)$702m3% Bayer Crop Science (Germany) $524m2% Sakata (Japan)$396m<2% DLF-Trifolium (Denmark)$391m<2% Takii (Japan)$347m<2% Top 10 Total$14,785m 67% [of global proprietary seed market]

Genetic engineered plant breeding has changed over the years depending on profit. The new plant organisms and genes in plants involve using the same kind of plant, a different kind of plant or a different organism, such as a microorganism.

Wheat is a common GMO crop. Farmers want to make money, but want to take pride in their crops. Photo Credit Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images