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Discuss the likely advantages and problems arising from the introduction of genetically modified agricultural crops.

Genetically modified agricultural crops have been an extremely controversial issue, since their arrival in the early 1990’s. Examples of genetically modified crops include soybeans, corn, cotton, and canola. The process of producing genetically modified organisms involve taking DNA from one organism, modifying it in a laboratory, and then inserting it into the target organisms genomes to produce new and useful traits. Due to an increasing variety of these modified crops it has led us to question how safe it is to consume these new forms of food. Many studies have been undertaken in order to ensure us that genetically modified agricultural foods are perfectly safe to be consumed. However, organizations like �Greenpeace’ and �Organic Consumers Association’, question these studies claiming that the real risks of genetically modified agricultural foods are yet to be identified. In this essay I will attempt to answer the questions raised, and identify the advantages and disadvantages of using genetically modified agricultural crops.

Genetically modified food is preferable in looks/taste/quality and duration as well as taking less time to mature. The first foods to reach the market, developed by this new technology were tomatoes and potatoes and were genetically modified to produce an insect killing protein. This means that they would last for a longer period of time because there were less chances of getting infected by the insects. Genetically modified crops that are resistant to pests increase the yield and decrease the cost of their growing because there is no need to use pesticides. This is important in developing countries that base their income in farming. Generally people prefer to eat foods that do not need contain any chemical pesticides in its growing process because of the potential health hazards. Cold can be sometimes devastating to farmers in due to it freezing the plant and destroying it. An antifreeze gene taken from a cold water fish, has been introduced to potato and tobacco plants to make them cold resistant in order for them not to be destroyed where they normally would. Food is also genetically modified to contain vitamins and nutrients. Vitamin A is very important to humans because the lack of that vitamin leads to serious malnourishment, blindness and even death. A genetically modified strain of rice that contains vitamin A helps countries that rely on rice for nutrients to get the amount they need from it. This rice was founded by the вЂ?Rockefeller Foundation’ a nonprofit organization and the institution hopes to provide it to any third world country that requests it for free. However, the grant that funded the creation of these rice strains was not renewed, maybe because of the organizations protesting against genetically modified food in Europe, so this “golden” rice might never reach the market. As the world population grows the land is being used to build new houses. This means that the farmers will have to find new places to grow their plants in locations previously unsuited for plant cultivation. Genetically modified plants that can withstand long periods without water or high salt content in the soil and ground water, will help the growing of plants in places that were unsuitable before. Pharmaceutical medicines and vaccines cost a lot of money to be produced and sometimes require special storage facilities which might be unavailable in third world countries. Scientists are working to create edible vaccines in tomatoes and potatoes. These kind of vaccines will be much easier to ship, store and administer than traditional injectable vaccines.

All these things mentioned above make Genetically Modified Agricultural food look more appealing and helpful to us. Although environmental activists, public interest groups, professional associations and other scientists and government officials have all raised their concerns and accused agribusiness for pursuing money without taking in mind people’s health. There are potential risks in the use of genetically modified agricultural crops. There is a possibility of genes being passed from genetically modified crops into their wild relatives in nearby areas and imparting properties affecting their survival and spread. Another thread is that pests may develop resistance to the toxins produced by genetic modification. There is also the thread of the transfer of genes form organisms that contain common allergens, such as peanuts and shellfish could cause allergic reactions. An attempt to transfer a gene from a Brazilian nut to a soybean plant was discontinued whet that an allergen protein would be transferred. Critics fear that the biggest gainers from this technology will be the agribusiness, the organizations that create genetically modified organisms for agricultural use. This costs a lot of money and businesses are patenting the organisms they develop, and it’s believed that this will increase their cost for developing countries and small farmers won’t be able to buy them. Activists claim that this technology can’t