Essay Example on Altering Genomes: A Practice Since Generations

The alteration of genomes of plants and animals is a practice that has been there ever since. For a generation, people have been altering the genetics of the organisms through artificial selection where a desired trait by the human has resulted in different species of animals and plants. This explains plants such as sweet corn and hairless cats. This alteration, however, happens only for naturally occurring variations in the plants and animals. The science of genetic engineering through technology has enabled; however, a specific change of the genes of the plants and animals to achieve more accurate results. This includes incorporating genes into another organism and may be entirely from unrelated organisms. For example, the genetics of kingdom Plantae can be incorporated into the genetics of country Animalia to achieve a specific char eristic.

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Genetic engineering in plants and animals is aimed at specific goals. In agriculture mainly, it is aimed at increased crop production, to reduce the cost of producing food, reduce the time for crop production so that plants and animals primarily for food take a shorter time to grow. Other reasons include reducing the resistance of a crop to climate and pests as well as increase medical benefits. The reason for all these desired effects is that the world population is growing very fast, and there needed to be interventions in food security to ensure that there is enough supply of food to all. Despite all the benefits that these genetically manufactured organisms have on the world, its introduction has met severe critic with some people discouraging it ultimately. The purpose of this paper is to provide an argument against the use of genetically modified organisms in agricultural production.

The first argument against GMOs is the potential risk it has to human health. Genetic engineering involves transferring genes from their natural states into other organisms. These changes can potentially change the metabolism rate of the body, its response to the new environment, among other adaptation features. Very little research has been done on the effect that the GMOs have on the health of the human being to guarantee safety.

The impact will not only be on the organism being transferred but may also influence the host in which it is being transferred to (Cavdar & Aydin, 2015). For example, if a gene is transferred to plants for increased reduction, such mutation may occur, which will consequently be hosted by the end-user, who is the consumer. For example, the reaction of the genes in the human body may introduce allergies to the person or also transfer antibiotic resistance genes to the individual. People end up having weaker immunities. It also causes imbalances in the ecology where previously undesired plants like most of the weed would proliferate into amounts that cannot be controlled.

The second argument is the unintended economic consequences of these GMOs. Since the establishment of genetic engineering and the genetically modified organism, there has been a struggle between companies owning the GMOs. So many companies have proceeded to court trying to defend their patterns in ownership of a particular GMO. This causes unnecessary conflict among the economic drivers in society.

Similarly, it disrupts the monoculture of the large plantation who are likely to dominate the market since they are the most significant users of the GMOs. The diversity produced by the small-scale farmers would be undermined since most of their production is the first-hand geriaction. Therefore, there would be friction in the economy due to the lack of consideration of these two conflicting groups as far as agricultural production is concentered.

The third argument against is the negative impact on the environment and the disruption of other species. Some of the plants are modified for insect resistance and control some of the insects. However, the GMOs can be very tragic in the case that it would affect some specified, which are of benefit to human beings. For example, the monarch butterflies, which may not be the main target of the GMOs. The insects that the crops are being designed to kill may also mutate their genes and developed a higher resistance. This would force farmers to apply another aggressive measure to protect the plants. This may include using more insecticide and an advanced version, which may have a tremendous effect on the environment, such as pollution and even degrading the soil.

The GMO products being fed to animals has effects also on the animals. For example, animals being fed with the Bt corn and the GM- cotton seeds have indicated some health issues such as early delivery, infertility abortions, and even death to some (Maghari, & Ardekani, 2011). The study for this was done on rats being fed with transgenic potatoes. The rats had excessive growth, and even some are having abnormal young sperms that affect the generations of the rats.

The fourth concern against GMOs is the uncertainties it brings to the future of agriculture. There is a genial conscious fear that the GMOs may only give a short-lived resolution to the food shortage in the agricultural sector. This is concerning the pesticides that were once introduced, and their effects on the degradation of ecologies have been seen over time. There are damaged ecologies that cannot be recreated against, and the fear is that shortly, the GMOS products may be out of control and have adverse effects that would be out of control.

Due to this, people for simpler agriculture, explaining some movements which have started, such as the green movement. In some countries such as the UK, GM products are highly discouraged in households and supermarket shelves. The GMOs also reduced the power of crop regeneration so that they cannot be used to grow other groups since the first version of the organism generation is weaker.

Objection

The is a thin line between GMO products and non-GMO products. The argument for this is that these products are a build-up of DNA whose component is the same, the four building blocks called the nucleotides (Knezevic, 2012). The movement of genes to other organisms, therefore, does not mean that the scientist is introducing another foreign substance. The aim here is that the genes produce the desired characteristic that is encrypted in them. Besides, the companies that provide these genes often go through very crucial scrutiny of the product to make the safety of the gene viable for human health.

To date, there are no human deaths that have been recorded, courtesy of the GMOs, and therefore, it is not harmful. The test that has been done is on animals, which genetic structure and functioning of the body may be different. There are animal diseases that do not affect human beings. Similarly, there are plants that animals eat and not harm them but prove to be deadly to human beings. This, therefore, shows that the fact that the games have affected animals would have the same effect on human beings.

GMOs also is the latest biotechnology in genetic engineering that has been there for ages. In the past, people manipulated food crops and animals through classic selection and fermentation. They did not understand the biology being these activities tat it involves changing genes and main to produce the desired effect. GMOs are just an advanced form of the classic selection were, the blending is not done blindly, but rather being more specific to the desired result. Therefore, it sees not deserve the negativity with which it is being addressed. It also saves the environment, which has been destroyed by agricultural activities such as the use of sprays. The GMOs, such as the Bt gene, contain substances that are toxic to insects in itself and, therefore, would produce healthy plants at the same time controlling insects.

Conclusion

In conclusion, in as much as GMOs have very significant effects on human beings, it is prudent that the negative consequences are not overlooked. This is because agriculture is not only about today but looks at the future and the challenges that the future generations would have. The long-term impacts of technological developments would be adverse than expected. The degradation of land and the environment exposes these dangers, which prompt for a second look at the sue of these GMOs. This should be done as a preventive measure to save the future generation and advocate for another less controversial method.

References

Cavdar, S. C., & Aydin, A. D. (2015). Consumer attitudes towards organic food applications, environmental issues, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Health, 41.

Knezevic, D., Kondic, D., & Markovic, S. (2012). Importance of genetically modified organisms. In Proceedings. Third International Scientific Symposium" Agrosym Jahorina (pp. 15-17).

Maghari, B. M., & Ardekani, A. M. (2011). Genetically modified foods and social concerns. Avicenna Journal of medical biotechnology, 3(3), 109.