Genetic Engineering Of Crops

7 Pages 1759 Words

“Do you take insulin? Have you been vaccinated against hepatitis? Has anyone you know had a heart attack and been saved by a clot busting drug?” (Jaffe, 1) Genetic engineering has saved millions of lives worldwide and is nearly accepted by everyone in the medical community. The genetic engineering of crops has been used for centuries, but not until recently has it gained media attention. It gained their attention when DNA was manipulated or inserted into the crops. Before genetic engineering was capable of manipulating or inserting genes, genetic engineering was only able to express desired genes by breeding. Genetically engineered crops have provided benefits to US farmers such as herbicide resistant, disease resistant, and insect resistant crops. Although there has been a debate over the use of genetically engineered crops, careful regulation, not boycotting, can continue to provide benefits to consumers and producers.
The genetic engineering of crops has created a large controversy in the United States as well as the rest of the world. Critics of genetic engineering argue that it creates numerous risks and concerns. These include environmental and ecological issues, ethical issues, animal and human health risks, and social, economic, and control issues. Supporters of biotechnology point out the direct benefits to consumers and farmers especially in underdeveloped countries.
The genetic modification of crops in the United States began in the 1970s in California when scientists discovered recombinant DNA. Without going into too much detail, the recombination of DNA proceeds as follows: DNA responsible for a particular phenotype sought after is identified and isolated. Once purified the gene or genes are fused with other pieces of DNA to form recombinant DNA molecules. (Prescott, Harley, Klein, 320) In layman’s terms, it is cutting and pasting DNA to and from plants, animals, and bacteria. When crops are �...