GMO Crops: Friend or Foe?

Genetically modified (GM), also called genetically engineered (GE) or biotech crops, are plants that have had changes made to their genes that do not happen naturally through mating or recombination. The process involves incorporating genes from many organisms, including bacteria, viruses, or different animal or plant species, into the DNA of the target organism. The objective is to incorporate distinct attributes or qualities that bolster the crop's immunity against pests, diseases, herbicides, and environmental pressures or raise its productivity.

The first genetically modified crops to gain commercial approval were developed in the early 1990s. The Flavr Savr tomato, engineered for a longer shelf life, was one of the first GM crops to hit the market in 1994. Soon after, insect-resistant cotton and herbicide-tolerant soybeans were introduced.

GMOs are different from genetically selected, hybridized, or selective breeding. Genetic selection involves human interaction but is not done in a lab. “About 10,000 years BC, people harvested their food from the natural biological diversity surrounding them and eventually domesticated crops and animals. During domestication, people began to select better plant materials for propagation and animals for breeding, initially unwittingly but ultimately to develop improved food crops and livestock.” (Wieczorek et al., 2012). Plant varieties are chosen for a multitude of reasons. Some of these include color, pest resistance, shorter growing season, heat tolerance, etc.

Many of the most common plant varieties today result from genetic selection, hybridizing, or selective breeding. Most seed packets are labeled “hybrid” or may have a new or unique breed name. However, GMO seeds and crops are currently not required to be labeled. If you do not wish to use GMO seeds, heirloom seeds are a perfect option. Heirloom seeds are the original genetics, farmed to retain the original species’ genetics. They are grown organically to preserve the species.

Below are some of the common reasons megacorps have used to justify GMO crops. I’ve included updated research that contradicts these claims:

1. Pest and Disease Resistance: One of the primary reasons for genetically modifying crops is to make them more resistant to pests and diseases. However, this has not reduced the use of many chemical pesticides, specifically glyphosate. GMO crops that are resistant to glyphosate have allowed the increased application of the pesticide in place of tillage (i.e., chemical mowing instead of tillage, aka no-till).

   “Contrary to often-repeated claims that today’s genetically-engineered crops have, and are reducing pesticide use, the spread of glyphosate-resistant weeds in herbicide-resistant weed management systems has brought about substantial increases in the number and volume of herbicides applied. If new genetically engineered forms of corn and soybeans tolerant of 2,4-D are approved, the volume of 2,4-D sprayed could drive herbicide usage upward by another approximate 50%. The magnitude of increases in herbicide use on herbicide-resistant hectares has dwarfed the reduction in insecticide use on Bt crops over the past 16 years, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.” (Benbrook, 2012)

   Some biopesticides, like some strains of beneficial microbes registered with the EPA (like some species of Bacillus and Trichoderma), would not be in these pesticides that make plants and bugs resistant. Bt corn, a GMO corn that includes Bacillus Thurengensis in its genes, is another instance of a biopesticide that has not yet caused resistance.

2. Herbicide Tolerance: Some GM crops are engineered to withstand specific herbicides (think roundup-resistant crops). Since these crops are resistant to herbicides, farmers can then apply these herbicides to control weeds without harming the crop. Continued and increased glyphosate usage led to resistance in many species of grasses and weeds. “Plants may develop resistance to herbicides over time [12].  Weeds that have developed resistance to herbicides such as glyphosate may require higher amounts of glyphosate and perhaps other herbicides to keep them in check, and this means that herbicide-tolerant crops will be exposed to higher levels of herbicides as well.” (Hsai, 2015)

3. Improved Nutritional Content: Certain GM crops advertise to contain enhanced nutritional profiles. However, every source on the nutritional differences between GMO and non-GMO crops states there is no difference in nutrition. Although there may be little to no difference nutritionally, pesticide-resistant crops will be exposed to higher levels of pesticides than non-resistant crops. This should be an obvious conclusion since the crops exposed to pesticides survived and ended up on our tables, meaning they will have more pesticides than crops that died and didn’t make it to market. (This is such a strange statement, but there is literally no research on this topic!)

4. Environmental Adaptation: Genetic modifications can help crops adapt to challenging environmental conditions, such as drought tolerance, which is crucial in regions prone to water scarcity. These are also called abiotic stressors. Genes can be selected for and included to resist abiotic stressors.

   “Conventional plant breeding has not been proven that successful in addressing abiotic stress mitigation so far. The reason might be that the traits are controlled by a number of genes present at a quantitative trait locus (QTL). At this juncture of time, we cannot ignore the potential of this technology for the genetic enhancement of our horticultural crops to combat various production constraints like biotic or abiotic stresses and fruit quality improvement. Transgenic technology provides a potential technique for genetic enhancement using desirable trait of interest in plants.” (Parmar et al., 2017)

GMO Labeling

Regarding labeling laws, the regulations surrounding GM crop labeling vary widely from country to country. Some countries, like the United States, do not require specific labeling for GM products, instead opting for voluntary labeling. In contrast, many European countries have strict labeling laws mandating the disclosure of GM ingredients in food products. Consumer demand for choice and transparency is frequently the driving force behind these labeling laws.

In the United States, the debate over GM labeling led to the passing of the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard in 2016, which requires disclosing GM ingredients through labeling or digital means. (FederalRegister.gov, 2018) However, this law allows for various disclosure methods, including QR codes, which some argue may not provide sufficient transparency for consumers.

The labeling of GM crops remains a contentious issue worldwide, with proponents of labeling arguing for consumers' right to know what's in their food and critics suggesting that it can stigmatize GM products without scientific justification. Non-biased research needs to be conducted to support one side or the other. As the technology and the debate surrounding GM crops continue to evolve, so too will the regulations and labeling requirements in different regions, reflecting the ongoing discussion about the benefits and potential risks associated with genetically modified crops. Remember that it was a huge fight to get the standards created in the first place.

As a consumer, I believe we should have clear labeling so we can make choices with our purchases. If we don’t know what we are buying, how can we make a choice?

Sources

Benbrook, C. M. (2012). Impacts of genetically engineered crops on pesticide use in the U.S. -- the first sixteen years. Environmental Sciences Europe, 24(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/2190-4715-24-24

FederalRegister.gov. National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard. December, 2018. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/12/21/2018-27283/national-bioengineered-food-disclosure-standard

Hsaio, Jennifer. GMO’s and Pesticides: Helpful or Harmful? Harvard University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. August, 2015. https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/gmos-and-pesticides/

Parmar, N., Singh, K. H., Sharma, D., Singh, L., Kumar, P., Nanjundan, J., Khan, Y. J., Chauhan, D. K., & Thakur, A. K. (2017). Genetic engineering strategies for biotic and abiotic stress tolerance and quality enhancement in horticultural crops: A comprehensive review. 3 Biotech, 7(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-017-0870-y

Wieczorek, A. M. & Wright, M. G. (2012) History of Agricultural Biotechnology: How Crop Development Has Evolved. Nature Education Knowledge 3(10):9. https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/history-of-agricultural-biotechnology-how-crop-development-25885295/