When developed, GMO’s came with a promise that would aid in world hunger and strengthen the local economy. “The aim has been to produce crops with durable resistance to herbicides, to major insect pests and to fungal and viral diseases using naturally occurring plant genes, in order, it is claimed, to increase food supply and security.” (Cocklin, Dibden, Gibbs, 2007) However, strengthening the economy and finding a solution to world hunger can be accomplished through environmental preservation. With companies such as Monsanto, DuPont, and politicians putting their hands into the agriculture industry, we are being poisoned with corporate greed and political agenda offering a quick-fix without anticipating the long term impact of these decisions. “Currently, up to 92% of U.S. corn is genetically engineered, as are 94% of soybeans and 94% of cotton…. It has been estimated that upwards of 75% of processed foods on supermarket shelves…. contain genetically engineered ingredients.” (Alcoforado, 2008) With such a large amount of our crops being tainted, we lack of proper research to evaluate the long term impact to our environment. Even further, GM crops have been shown to disrupt the natural life cycle of our environment as in cases such as with the monarch butterfly. Even the loss of milkweed that Monarch butterflies depend on, (and other sources of nectar and pollen that wild pollinators require to survive) is an environmental side effect of intensive herbicide use associated with GE crops. (Pleasants & Oberhauser, 2013) Butterflies are in indictor of a healthy, flourishing environment. They are natural pollinators and work as pest control, and have been used in science to examine ecology and climate change. Even further, Researchers from the Department of Economics at the University of Essex
When developed, GMO’s came with a promise that would aid in world hunger and strengthen the local economy. “The aim has been to produce crops with durable resistance to herbicides, to major insect pests and to fungal and viral diseases using naturally occurring plant genes, in order, it is claimed, to increase food supply and security.” (Cocklin, Dibden, Gibbs, 2007) However, strengthening the economy and finding a solution to world hunger can be accomplished through environmental preservation. With companies such as Monsanto, DuPont, and politicians putting their hands into the agriculture industry, we are being poisoned with corporate greed and political agenda offering a quick-fix without anticipating the long term impact of these decisions. “Currently, up to 92% of U.S. corn is genetically engineered, as are 94% of soybeans and 94% of cotton…. It has been estimated that upwards of 75% of processed foods on supermarket shelves…. contain genetically engineered ingredients.” (Alcoforado, 2008) With such a large amount of our crops being tainted, we lack of proper research to evaluate the long term impact to our environment. Even further, GM crops have been shown to disrupt the natural life cycle of our environment as in cases such as with the monarch butterfly. Even the loss of milkweed that Monarch butterflies depend on, (and other sources of nectar and pollen that wild pollinators require to survive) is an environmental side effect of intensive herbicide use associated with GE crops. (Pleasants & Oberhauser, 2013) Butterflies are in indictor of a healthy, flourishing environment. They are natural pollinators and work as pest control, and have been used in science to examine ecology and climate change. Even further, Researchers from the Department of Economics at the University of Essex