Shaquwonna Jones' view on Assessing Natural Resources and GMOs

Environmental Studies

Warner Pacific College

July 29, 2014

            Assessing natural resources or thinking about societies role in establishing regulations to impact the culture and the lifestyle of today has not been a priority in my life. I had not given much consideration as to what should or could happen to improve the culture in my life. My area of interest is food and what needs to happen for people to have safe nutritious food like our grandparents enjoyed as children. Although in the test I found out that “our ancestors altered the gene pool of domesticated plants and animals through selective breeding by preferentially mating individuals with favored traits so that offspring would inherit those traits.” (Withgott, 2013) But many things in farming and raising livestock have changed over the years. Why can we not go back to way things used to be? It seems as though it would be an improvement compared to where the process of our food is heading with genetic modification.

            More and more foods are being genetically modified. Although genetically modified foods have a “better overall taste and quality”, there are more pros and cons of the GMO foods. (HealthResearchFunding.org, 2014) GMO foods have benefits for those who live in an area where natural resources are not available, so foods enhanced with the modifications may be helpful. Being resistant to disease is a benefit as well. As far as day-to-day processing of foods there are cons to the modification of foods. People are more likely to have allergic reactions to foods if the animal has eaten a GMO process food like corn or soy if they are also allergic to the corn and soy product as well. GMO food as has an impact on the environment, farmers and food security.

            Assessing the natural resources when GMO’s are easily transferred is important. “GMOs cross pollinate and their seeds travel. It is impossible to fully clean up our contaminated gene pool.” (Institue for Responsible Technology, 2014) Since the seeds travel there should be a regulation for those that choose to use the genetically modified substance. Currently a farmer can be fined if GMO’s are found in his harvest due to another farmers seed travel. I believe there should be a regulation or law in place to protect the farmer who is choosing to not use GMOs. The regulation would protect the culture of organic farming not necessarily or non-GMO farming. There should be an assessment often to protect the farms. When the seeds travel and contaminate the non-GMO farm then it affects those who want GMO free foods.

            Biotechnology has become a part of our culture in the area of modifying our food and animals. Although there are many benefiting from the culture some are suffering with the effects of the modifications. As the culture of agriculture evolves and grows I am looking to see more regulations to protect us as humans. The GMO research is all new to me but it seems to be growing. Organic farming is almost uncommon these days but I am hoping that the assessments done for the organic farms should be considered for the farms that use high pesticides and herbicides to find new ways to reduce the chemicals but continue to keep up with the demand of healthy food.

 Works Cited

HealthResearchFunding.org. (2014, 7 29). Retrieved from HealthResearchFunding.org: http://healthresearchfunding.org/pros-cons-genetically-modified-foods/

Institue for Responsible Technology. (2014, 7 29). Retrieved from IRT: http://www.responsibletechnology.org/10-Reasons-to-Avoid-GMOs

Withgott, J., & Laposata, M. (2013). Environment: the science behind the stories (5th Ed.). New York: Pearson Benjamin Cummings.