Harvest of Fear

SHOULD WE GROW GM CROPS?
1. What is a GM Crop.
A GM crop is a genetically modified crop.

2. List 2 arguments FOR the growing of GM crops
a.) Stop the need and therefore use of chemicals that act as insect and weed killers.
b.) Genetic engineering is natural because that's all evolution is.

3. List 2 arguments AGAINST the growing of GM crops.
a.) Genetically engineered food is feared to cause allergies and diseases with things like how the food will resist our anti biotics and cause disease-spreading bacteria that are immune to out antibodies (my rebuttal to that, normal food pose the same risks: i.e. peanuts and salmanilla, what if genetic engineering could ERADICATE that threat? Trial and error would have to occur, but at least it offers a possible solution.)
b.) Small farms will go out of business with the wide-spreading, powerful, super-fast growing, market-mad companies taking all the consumers. (I've got no rebuttal for this one.)


ENGINEER A CROP
4. Practice this simulation until you get the largest ears of corn. How many times did it take you?
Three times.


WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
5. List two foods and desribe how they are being modified.
a.)Coffe beans: they are attempting to be genetically modified so that the trees yield decaffinated beans which would then avoid the need to decafinnate the beans later, saving money.
b.) They are attempting to engineer a potato so that it doesn't absorb as much oil when it is fried. Also, on that same note, scientists are trying to create oils that are healthier because they have fewer saturated fats.


VIEW POINTS
Do you think food should be labeled if it has been genetically modified? Why or Why not?
I think so. If genetic engineering provides a huge boost in the economy and gives the companies who manufacture the foods more money, then they should be able bit the bullet and spend the money on labeling the food as genetically engineered or not. Some people, despite arguments for genetically modified foods, do not want to ingest GM crops and companies should respect that. ANd why I am saying that genetically engineered farmers should be the ones to put on the sign that says "genetically engineered" instead of others saying "Not genetically engineered" is because everyone says that GM crops will give a huge boost in the economy and will yield a larger sum of money for the companies who produce GM crops. People also say that small farms will be put out of business due to the take-over of genetic engineering and therefore won't have the money to waste on the label.