I think almost everyone has heard a word GM crop before. It comes from genetically modified crop which means the plant that its DNA have been modified by using genetic engineering technique. Actually, I don’t know much about it, but last 3 months I learned a little bit about it, and I think it’s quite interesting.
According to BBC News article “GM crops: UK scientists call for new trials”, UK scientists want more UK field trials that have decreased from 37 in 1995 to one in 2012 and fewer EU restrictions in order to test and develop these GM crops which are said to help improving our health and solving global food supplies problems.
I know that scientists try to find a new way to solve problem about growing crop for food supplies. They use technology to create crops that have climate-proofing and anti-pest properties. Moreover, they grow faster and have larger sizes and higher nutrition than conventional crops. I think all of these things are very useful, and they can really solve food supplies problems in some countries. Besides they can help farmers to save a lot of money on fertilizer and pesticides.
Although there are a lot of benefits, I still think that these crops should have more tests. I have learned that Gm crops can also harm other insects and animal, or maybe they can harm us too. Some research said that these crops can cause allergy, so I think they are not safe enough. I agree with the Council for Science and Technology (CST) that said “GM crops should be assessed individually - like pharmaceuticals - taking potential benefits into account” because not all of the GM crops are dangerous. After I read this article, I know that at least 2 GM crops are safe – Purple Tomatoes and Golden Rice, they have been licensed in EU. The next problem is despite anti-pest properties, how we can sure that the insects are not get used to them and might become difficult to control in the future. And the last thing that we should worry is that GM crops are expensive, so though you said they were created to help people, people can’t afford them.
Finally, I think it’s a good start for people to find the way that can help us to solve food supplies problems in the near future, or maybe today. But I think scientists should develop GM crops to be totally safe and also at affordable price. I hope they will be successful in creating many good GM crops soon.
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Reference
Morgan, J. (2014, March 14). GM crops: UK scientists call for new trials. BBC News Science&Environment. Retrieved March 19, 2014 fromhttp://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-26554969
I like the idea of GM crops, which in principle are no different to the sort of genetic tinkering that humans have been doing for thousands of years, and which gave us modern dogs, rice, carrots, cattle and I suspect every other animal and plant grown in modern agriculture. The difference is that we now know that we are modifying genes, and, more importantly, we are become increasing skilled at how to directly modify genes in more radical ways than before.
ReplyDeleteJust one question that came to mind as I was reading Kloy's post: is it necessarily a bad thing if our genetic creations interfere with the natural evolution of insects or other living parts of the environment?
And I'm sure that GM is a better economic and environmental strategy than organic is.
Although GM crops have many benefits, They have some bad effects too. Not only GM crops might cause allergic, but also may destroy other plants which grow surround them! As GM crops have abilities to stay alive in unusual weather and also stroger than pests, this means they can spread wider and absorb mineral that other original plants need. So the other plants dying.
ReplyDeleteI think that GM crop can be benefit for farmer. However, I also agree with you that GM crop needed more test. I afraid that it might cause mutation of some species that consume the untested GM crop for a long time. Also, I wonder that the taste of GM crop will be the same or difference from the nature crop. Anyway, I think I'm not going to try or buy any GM crops now because I'm not sure about health's safety for a long term consumption.
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