Encyclopedia of Opinion
Question
Are GMOs good or bad?
Position1 of 3›

GMOs are bad

GMOs come with legal/economic risks (research restrictions and lawsuits against farmers) and health risks (increased amount of toxic herbicide on the crops and unintended DNA changes). The increased use of herbicide and decreased biodiversity associated with GMOs are also harmful to the environment.

Supporting arguments · 4

  1. 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.
  2. GMOs are not natural
    GMOs have modifications that do not appear naturally. Genetic engineering can also cause unintended changes to the organism's DNA which can be difficult to test for and could be unsafe. People should not eat unnatural food.
  3. There are health concerns related to GMOs
    GMOs are not safe for people to consume. They could transfer antibiotic-resistant genes to the bacteria in our body, produce new toxins, or cause new allergic reactions. Also, a toxic herbicide is used more on GM crops.
  4. GMOs are harmful to the environment
    GMOs led to an increase in the use of herbicides, which have toxic chemicals that get into the water supply. GMOs also decrease biodiversity by homogenizing the seeds.