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Are GMOs good or bad? Are GMOs good or bad?
GMOs are bad GMOs are bad
GMOs are good GMOs are good
GMOs are neither good nor bad GMOs are neither good nor bad
There are health concerns related to GMOs There are health concerns related to GMOs
GMOs are harmful to the environment GMOs are harmful to the environment
There are legal and socioeconomic risks associated with GMOs There are legal and socioeconomic risks associated with GMOs
GMOs are not natural GMOs are not natural
GMOs have been proven safe GMOs have been proven safe
GMOs can lower expenses for farmers and lower the price of food GMOs can lower expenses for farmers and lower the price of food
GMOs can help address world hunger GMOs can help address world hunger
GMOs are good for the environment GMOs are good for the environment
We don’t have enough testing for the long-term health effects We don’t have enough testing for the long-term health effects
All GMOs can’t be evaluated as one category All GMOs can’t be evaluated as one category
There are both good and bad aspects of GMOs There are both good and bad aspects of GMOs
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Are GMOs good or bad?
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GMOs are bad

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There are legal and socioeconomic risks associated with GMOs

GMOs are patented which restricts the ability for independent research. It also allows corporations to sue when farmers have GM seeds accidentally flow onto their farms. This threatens the livelihoods of non-GMO and organic farmers.
Center for Food Safety
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The Argument

Companies develop GMOs for several business reasons. One reason is that companies can charge much more. GMO seeds are much more expensive than non-GMO seeds. GMO corn seeds can cost $150 more per bag than non-GMO corn seeds.[1] Another reason that companies develop GMOs is that when a seed is genetically modified it is then able to be patented. There are serious legal and socio-economic risks associated with patenting crops. First, patent licenses prohibit others from researching those crops.[2] This restricts the ability of independent organizations and scientists to research the safety of GMOs. Second, the widespread use of GMOs is threatening non-GMO and organic farming. When modified seeds accidentally flow onto non-GMO farms, the GMO corporations (such as Monsanto) can then come after those farmers with patent infringement lawsuits.[3] This threatens those farmers livelihoods.

Counter arguments

Patents do not harm people. Corporations only go after people that purposefully infringe on their patent rights. Patents also don’t impede research. There has already been extensive independent research. GMOs were tested by more than 275 global independent science organizations that all came to the same conclusion that GMOs are as safe as non-GMOs.[4]

Proponents

Premises

[P1] GMOs are patented. [P2] Patents restrict the ability of independent organizations and scientists to research the safety of GMOs. [P3] GMO seeds can flow onto non-GMO farms. [P4] GMO corporations can come after those farmers with patent infringement lawsuits [P5] The use of GMOs is threatening the livelihoods of non-GMO and organic farmers.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P2] There has already been extensive independent research. [Rejecting P4] Corporations only go after people that purposefully infringe on their patent rights.

References

  1. https://modernfarmer.com/2013/12/post-gmo-economy/
  2. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/697749
  3. https://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/reports/1770/seed-giants-vs-us-farmers
  4. https://gmo.geneticliteracyproject.org/FAQ/are-gmos-safe/
This page was last edited on Thursday, 9 Jul 2020 at 02:09 UTC

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