The discussion on GMOs or Genetically Modified Organisms has been a long-standing controversy. GMO foods have long since been a part of the agricultural industry, and although it is a common topic among the public, few know the realities regarding GMOs and the weight of its consequences. Although GMOs are a clever solution to yield more resources, the question lies in: at what cost?
In the nature that they have been modified, GMOs pose a concerning threat to the established balance within ecosystems. GMOs are largely modified in order to withstand the forces of nature (such as pests, weather, and soil) as well as the forces of man (such as pesticides, processing, and sale). The results of such enhancements have allowed for a higher yield of resources, as well as a more marketable product.
However, such enhancements have a downside. With GMOs modified to be resistant to herbicides and pesticides, cheaper, more toxic herbicides and pesticides have increased in use throughout the agricultural industry. This poses a variety of consequences, both immediate and long term. The most immediate concern lies in the safety of agricultural workers that are responsible for the harvesting and processing of these crops. Being continually exposed to toxic herbicides and pesticides has numerous effects on the human body. These workers often face higher risks of disruption to the endocrine (hormone) system, putting the body at an imbalance. This results in compromised functioning of various processes, such as metabolic function, hormone expression in the hypothalamus, or decreasing the effects of natural hormones within the body. Not only do these chemicals change body chemistry, but they also cause mutations that can become heritable, leading to a multi-generational effect.
Additionally, the reach of such effects extend further than those directly exposed. Herbicides and pesticides often seep into the ground and the environment that they are placed in, as a result, it's common for traces of these chemicals to be found in drinking water and other foods. Although this exposure is slower acting than those who are directly, the effects remain the same. Over time, the endocrine system will be disrupted, compromising hormone expression and effects.
Likewise, the environment and ecosystem that such herbicides and pesticides are introduced to inevitably begin to fall out of balance. Other plants necessary to maintain the ecosystem begin to fail and give way for the dominant GMO, offsetting the ecosystems resources. As a result, the animals that are not only affected by the chemical exposure are additionally compromised by the lack of shelter or food. In more extreme–though not far-fetched–cases, the ecosystem fully collapses, leaving behind nothing but the GMO that had overrun it.
Many of these problems regarding GMOs can easily be prevented with proper implementation of regulations and policies that mandate the use of herbicides, the extent of modification, and healthcare. However, the implementing of such policies comes at a cost for policymakers, farmers, and corporations. Thus the question still stands: at what cost? At what cost will implementing such policies take? At what cost will the agricultural industry continue to remain indifferent in the name of business? And the more important question: which cost outweighs the other?
Sources:
“GMOFacts.”Non, www.nongmoproject.org/gmo-facts/#:~:text=Most%20GMOs%20have%20been%20engineered,new%20organisms%20using%20synthetic%20biology.
“Weed Killers by the Glass: Chapter 1. Health Effects of Herbicides.” Weed Killers by the Glass, Ch. 1, September 1, 1995 https://www.ewg.org/research/weed-killers-glass/chapter-1-health-effects-herbicides#:~:text=Health%20Effects%20of%20Herbicides,the%20endocrine%20(hormone)%20system.&text=Alachlor%20has%20also%20been%20found%20to%20disrupt%20the%20endocrine%20system.
Mnif, Wissem; Ibn Hadj Hassine, Aziza; Bouaziz, Aicha; Bartegi, Aghleb; Thomas, Oliver; Roig, Benoit, “Effect of Endocrine Disruptor Pesticides: A Review” June 2011 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3138025/
US Fishing and Wildlife Service, “Impacts of Chemical Methods: How Herbicides Work.” Impacts of Chemical Method, February 2009, https://www.fws.gov/invasives/stafftrainingmodule/methods/chemical/impacts.html#:~:text=Persistent%20herbicides%20can%20remain%20active,significantly%20toxic%20in%20the%20environment.
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