Should the genetic engineering of agriculture be allowed?

Should the genetic engineering of agriculture be allowed?

Discuss.

 

Yes. According to Scientific American, 80% of US crops would fail without genetic engineering. The entire world would go hungry.

 

It's good that we have genetic engineering but there's one fatal flaw. All genetically engineered seeds have the same genetic structure. If there happened to be a pathogen that were to infect this crop or plant, all of the plants of the same kind would be infected. How does that promote the success of genetically engineering crops?

 

More genetic engineering? If a pathogen were to appear, while that year's crops would take a hit, Monsanto or someone would have a team set up to create a new crop and patent it as soon as they can.

 

Yes but that would take time and also requires the destruction of the entire set of crops. Isn't it counterproductive? There's also a chance that the genetically engineered crop may cross pollinate with other crops, spreading the vulnerability of the disease to other plants.

 

Technically, the GE company can sue the crops for cross pollination.

More realistically, those are problems the industry has to face, but they are not as bad as a long term loss of about 80%, compared to the 10 or 20% a pathogen would cause.

 

Are you being sarcastic?

No, we shouldn't allow any sort of genetic engineering.

 

I think it should be considered purely based on interest alone.

Would it not be incredible to try a new food that no one else has tried before?

 

The fact that the big businesses' genetically modified seeds are grown & planted so close to non-genetically modified agriculture is absurd. When those modified seeds are carried by the wind, to said unmodified agriculture and cross-pollinate, and then the farmer gets sued by
the business for "using" their genetically modified seeds, really grinds my gears. So all in all, no, it shouldn't.

 

^^^^we thinks alike I was going to say the same thing

 

No, they shouldn't be allowed because GE crops haven't been tested enough for us to eat.

 

Currently? No.

In the future when the process is more developed? Of course.

Why should we NOT further the health and solidity of our population?

 

Sarcastic? Hell no! this is entirely legitimate. Let me go check what issue It's in.

 

April 2011 Issue.

 

Not tested? This hasn't been medically tested, sure, but It has been tested by being on consumer markets for 20 years, and not a single case of disease is known to be directly caused by the genetic modification. The fertilizer on the other hand, is some REALLY nasty stuff. Make sure to wash all of your veggies XD

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food#Health_risks