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GMOs: The Corruption of Agriculture

In between primary school and high school, students learn about how plants grow. In fifth
grade, students are taught how to plant a seed. In seventh grade, students are introduced to
photosynthesis and the sciences of plant life. In tenth grade, students learn how every plant must
utilize nutrients and elements such as nitrogen and oxygen, which are broken down and used by
the plant for nutrition to sustain strong and healthy growth. However, there are aspects of a
plants life that are not included in the curriculum. Most pupils have not been educated about
modern agriculture. Americas farms produce $143 billion dollars worth of crops annually
(Major Crops). Crops like cabbage, potatoes, and corn are still grown using the standard
method every student learned in fifth grade, however, some unnatural alterations occur. The new
seeds are engineered in a laboratory, where they are unlocked genetically and strands of DNA are
altered to recreate a seed that is immune to herbicides and pesticides and grows superior. The
final step poses a threat for humans and the environment. Herbicides and pesticides, chemicals
that kill weeds and insects, are sprayed by the gallon over every inch of the produce. These
scientifically engineered, chemical washed foods are sold to the public with no warning of their
hazards. Genetically corrupting farm-grown produce and selling them to uninformed consumers
is called a revolution of agriculture by GMO corporations, but genetically modified produce
have proven to be perilous to the environment, businesses and humans health.
It is no secret that human beings threaten Earths natural environment with certain demise
in multiple manners. However, the topic of environmental harm has never before been associated
with intentional genetic mutations. Colin Tudge, a researcher at the London School of
Economics stated GM crops really do carry dangers that could be ironed out, given time, but
will not because the companies that develop them cannot afford to wait(Tudge 5). As a result of

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corporate impatience, entire species of organisms that seek habitat in and around farm
environments are threatened, and will be further endangered in the future by virtue of the
chemicals used in modern day agriculture. Due to the genetic modifications, farm grown plants
are able to resist even the strongest and most toxic herbicides and pesticides. Bees, birds, insects,
and many more crucial species have become endangered due to the fact that their customary food
is tainted with insect bio-weaponry. The result, however, has not only been endangerment of
insects, but the mutation of them. Organisms naturally evolve to survive and grow stronger, yet
the pesticides that nearly kill them allow them to build a resistance (Institute for
Responsibility). They develop immunity and eventually are able to consume the geneticallyaltered produce despite the chemicals polluting them. As a result, the chemicals will need to be
stronger and the GM produce will require incremental genetic amplifying to increase its
resistance. This perpetual reaction will create an agricultural environment of extremely
genetically mutated produce, adapted insects, and an appalling amount of pesticides.
There is a consequence that has already been made evident to both the attentive public,
and concerned researchers. Since the first use of genetically modified organisms in 1995,
monarch butterfly population has decreased by 21% (Germanos 5). The reason behind this loss
has directly been traced back to genetically modified organisms. GM plants are engineered to be
resistant to herbicides, allowing produce to be doused in said chemicals with no effect on the
focus plant, but the herbicide kills any weeds that would usually grow in that area. Milkweed,
which serves as the primary habitat and breeding ground for monarchs, grows naturally on farms.
The herbicides distributed suppress the growth of these weeds, leaving monarch butterflies with
no place to live or reproduce. A renowned researcher of this decline from the University of
Guelph stated, Our work provides the first evidence that monarch butterfly numbers in eastern

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North America are most sensitive to changes in the availability of milkweed on breeding
grounds, particularly in the Corn Belt region of the United States (uoguelph) The stronger that
herbicides, get the more likely milkweed is to be endangered, resulting in the inevitable
endangerment of monarch butterflies. If within nineteen years of the planets introduction to
genetically modified organisms, over one fifth of a species population has ceased to exist, what
declines have not been noticed yet, or have not yet started? A domino effect is bound to occur
when monarchs continue to decline. The unforeseen consequences of GMOs could result in
much more devastation for the environment than any scientist or environmentalist can predict,
especially considering the rapid increase of GMOs and their dominance in modern day
agriculture.
The characteristic that heightens the concerns regarding GMOs effects on the
environment is the irreversible aftermath. Byron Richards, a clinical nutritionist and founder of
Wellness Resources inc., stated in his book The Leptin Diet that The introduction of
genetically modified foods tampers with the essence of life in an experiment with an unknown
outcome and no real way to undo the damage (Richards, 47). The only indisputable result is that
once these changes are made they cannot be reversed instantaneously. The effects of GM
produce kills significant populations of insects, animals, and weeds that would take years to
repopulate if GMOs were diminished, but the genetic mutations are irreversible. Bob Shapiro,
Chief executive of GMO corporation Monsanto admitted in an interview that, the effects of GM
crops are not completely known and are, to some degree, unknowable(SWF news). The
statement by Shapiro raises already prolific concerns. The truth about GM produce are
suppressed by genetic engineering companies not just to hide their effects, but because their
effects are unknown even to the developers.

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Although health and safety of the environment, animals, and people are the primary
reason to be alarmed when it comes to genetically modified foods, an effect on the economy,
small businesses and organic farmers is a larger concern to many people. Since 2007, the number
of farms in the United States has decreased by 400,000 due to the success of GMO enhanced
farms which drive less efficient organic farmers out of business (Recent Census). Organic
farmers have suffered the consequences of GMOs directly and severely. When GMO enriched
farms are adjacent to organic farms, seeds and chemicals are carried over by wind and
contaminate the organics. These farmers can not sell the product, and have sporadic growth of
GM produce corrupting their crops. If GM seed-producing corporations like Monsanto find their
patented seeds on any non-paying farm the company opens a lawsuit (OMG GMO). Monsanto
alone has won thousands of lawsuits, that often result in the bankruptcy of organic farms.
GM seed companies are making an effort to dominate agriculture completely by
attempting to force all farms to develop a dependence on GMOs. GMO corporations often
purchase farms that refuse to use their seeds to eliminate competition. Tiffany Kaiser, a reporter
for Dailytech news states, biotech seed companies like Monsanto have created a monopoly in
the seed business, buying smaller seed businesses and selling nothing but their genetically
engineered seed which results in a lack of diversity, and ultimately a loss of choice for
consumers (Kaiser 3). Retailers of farm produce want to purchase the least expensive product
available to increase their own profit margins, and organic-producing businesses have trouble
competing. With a lack of demand for organics comes a lack of supply from farmers. In the past
two decades, the market for organic farm produce began to diminish and GMO products started
to control the market. In this time, the price of the seeds doubled. This drastically increased the
price of the produce for consumers, which reached an all time high in 2012 (Recent Census).

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Once companies like Monsanto have established a monopoly of the agriculture business and all
competition has been eliminated, the price of farm raised produce everywhere will skyrocket
exponentially.
The concept of genetically modified foods is so large that individuals hardly notice it.
GM seed companies allow no transparency to the consumer and as a result these consumers have
no choice between organics and GM produce. Information on the genetically manipulated food is
restricted to those who research it independently, because any anti-GMO campaigns are quickly
dismantled by the corporations themselves who refuse to label their product. Sir John Scott, the
president of the Loyalty Society concurred that, Most scientists warn that it is likely to be
impossible to enforce labelling laws once many GM food products enter food processing
systems... I don't think many scientists would oppose labeling something clearly modified, but
the problem arises in the use of overseas ingredients which may have been modified"(Scott 3).
Scott explains why enforcing GMO labeling will be nearly impossible: it is simply too late to
develop a law that will harm powerful companies who will fight and spend millions to prevent
such laws. The four largest GM seed retailers alone have dominated 50% of the agricultural seed
distribution in the United States (FarmAid). GMO seed corporations open lawsuits against many
individuals, businesses or farmers who makes an attempt to interfere with their business or
exploit the consequences that accompany the consumption and growth of genetically modified
seed produce, claiming it disrupts their income and is not able to be directly proven.
Health advocates, humanitarians and other concerned individuals have abundant
reasoning for boycotting GM produce and advertising the negative effects of them to others. The
American Academy of Environmental Medicine urges doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets for
all patients. (Dean and Armstrong 7) They cite animal studies showing organ damage,

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gastrointestinal and immune system disorders, accelerated aging, and infertility. One accidental
discovery of the harmful effects of the genetically modified products was discovered by a farmer
in Harlan, Iowa. After switching from feeding his livestock organic corn, and beginning feeding
the GM corn, some of the cows would refuse to eat. The more recognizable effect was seen in his
pigs when their conception rate decreased by 30%, and increasingly often his pigs would give
birth to nothing but placentas filled with water, and afterbirth, but no piglets. Other farms using
the same GM corn reported similar occurrences. After switching back to organic feed, his pigs
began producing offspring at a normal rate, so in an attempt to see if the GM corn was the
problem, he switched back to feeding it to the pigs again. This decreased the conception rate by
70% this time.(Bartolotto 7) The concern in this test of GMOs effects was not that of the pigs
and livestocks well being, but how these effects might be reflected in human beings.
Genetically modified products do not only harm the ecosystem of farms, and the people
who manage the businesses, but the people who consume the farms produce. The most
dangerous thing about the consumption of genetically modified foods is what is unknown.
Because the process is so young, the long term effects have not been observed, only predicted.
With a potentially harmful, genetically altered, and chemically enriched product being consumed
in mass proportions by an entire nation and more, the consequences could be disastrous. Children
consume pesticides, herbicides and genetically mutated products throughout their entire growing
process, even before birth. The American Academy for Environmental Medicine conducted a
study and found that genetically modified food can leave material behind inside us, possibly
causing long-term problems. Genes inserted into GM soy, for example, can transfer into the
DNA of bacteria living inside us, and that the toxic insecticide produced by GM corn was found
in the blood of pregnant women and their unborn fetuses (Institute for Responsible

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Technology). These observations profoundly display how little GM seed producing companies
care about the consumers. Traces of chemicals designed to be lethal to weeds and insects are
found regularly in peoples bodies, and the bodies of newborn children.
Infertility, cancer, birth defects such as Downs Syndrome, and many other critical
diseases began to increase in parallel to the growth of the GM food market, and have been
increasing since(Savage 5). Despite these consequences, GM food producers have not felt any
backlash. Any and all lawsuits against major GMO seed producing companies like Monsanto fail
because the process is so complex that no direct link between human health defects and GM
crops can be made. These businesses insist it is pure coincidence, Although statistics show an
undeniable relationship. Soon after GMOs became common, the number of people with three or
more chronic illnesses jumped from 7% to 13%, food allergies skyrocketed, as well as autism,
reproductive disorders and digestive problems (Institute for Responsible Technology). The risk
of these disorders developing has become a major concern for children, who begin consuming
genetically modified foods before their brains and bodies are fully developed. The genetic
mutations mixed with herbicides and pesticides can stunt physical and mental growth, as well as
affect developing immune systems which greatly increases the likelihood of a chronic illness in
the future.
Producers of genetically modified organisms are at fault for the deterioration of the
environment, unemployment of organic farmers and the deficiency of organic produce. They are
responsible for countless numbers of health complications and disorders in human beings. Major
corporations have dominated a business that has always been the substructure of the American
economy and culture. In the process, their own avarice has lead them to sacrifice an entire
nations well being. Transparency is scarce when corporations govern entire markets, and

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Americans freedom to choose what they consume diminishes with each genetically modified
seed that is planted in the contaminated soil. Every American consumer will feel the calamities
of GMOs, whether in their personal or familys health, the dramatic increase in prices of food,
or the mutation of the environment around them. A monopolized agricultural industry means no
competition for high quality foods, that corporations govern the prices of all consumable
products, and that organics will be scarce and expensive. The future of agriculture is bleak and
inconsiderate of what the consumers desire. The producers of genetically altered produce and
diminutive poisons are not concerned with the chemicals that will invade the bloodstream of the
sick, the elderly, the children or unborn fetuses. They lack the compassion of small organic
farmers to protect the worlds vulnerable. In order to reinstate the transparency of American
agriculture and encourage healthier humans, a more sustainable environment, and successful
individual businesses, consumers must boycott GMOs and support organic farmers. It is every
citizen's responsibility to choose which companies they fund. The most effective way to
eradicate GMOs is to slowly cut off the corporations capital from the source. This way organic
farmers thrive and the United States agricultural business can be restored to its traditional and
beneficial methods.

Work Cited

Bartolotto, Carole. "A Farmer's Perspective on GMOs." The Huffington Post.

TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2015

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Dean, Amy, D.O, and Jennifer Armstrong, M.D. "Genetically Modified Foods."Position Paper::
The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM). AAEM, 8 May 2009. Web. 11 Jan.
2015.
"FarmAid." Family Farmers, Good Food, A Better America - Farm Aid. N.p., 12 Oct. 2013.
Web. 13 Feb. 2015.

"Institute for Responsible Technology." - 10 Reasons to Avoid GMOs. IRT, n.d. Web. 12 Jan.
2015.
"Major Crops Grown in the United States." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 11 Apr. 2013.
Web. 11 Feb. 2015.

Kaiser, Tiffany. "U.S. Farmers Realize." DailyTech - U.S. Farmers Realize Disadvantages of
Genetically Engineered Seed. Dailytech LLC, 5 Oct. 2012. Web. 13 Jan. 2015.
"Recent Census Years." USDA. USA.gov, 12 Dec. 2012. Web. 15 Jan. 2015.
Savage, Steve. "GMO Labeling And." Biology Fortified Inc. Biology Fortified, 04 Apr. 2012.
Web. 14 Jan. 2015.
Scott, John. "Quotes from Scientists and on the Dangers of GE Food." Quotes from Scientists
and on the Dangers of GE Food. Organic Consumers, 04 Apr. 2014. Web. 14 Jan. 2015
SWF News interview, San Francisco, 27 October 1998
Tudge, Colin. "Quotes from Scientists and on the Dangers of GE Food."Quotes from Scientists
and on the Dangers of GE Food. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.