The real story about Genetically Modified Plants (Final Project)

By Justin McHugh
05/05/2019

   
      There is much misinformation about Genetically Modified Organisms, also known as GMOs.  This writing will focus on plant GMOs related to agriculture.  Some rumors have been spread that GMOs cause cells to mutate, but this is false (Norris, Harvard University).  These rumors really are not founded on any facts.  GMOs have been studied for decades and no harmful effects have been found.  GMOs can be created by selectively breeding a plant to insert a gene (cross pollination) or inserting genes through transgenic methods in the lab.                                                                                 The average large sized watermelon in stores is roughly 20 lbs. (Prakash, Online).  Before we created our current watermelon (GMO), the average watermelon was naturally around 50 mm, or 2 inches in diameter around 3,000 B.C. and prior.  If you can imagine a 2-inch diameter watermelon weighs nothing close to 20 lbs.  (Kennedy, Online).  Selective breeding is not random.  We have been doing it for thousands of years through agriculture, and we have dramatically changed the gene pull of fruits and vegetables,  and even native and wild type plants in nature. If you don’t want to eat anything that is connected to a GMO, you will starve to death.   Everything you eat is really a GMO.   If you eat meat too, a fact for you is that 70% of all livestock in the USA eat GMO plants.  One way or another you are going to eat GMO (Van Eenennaam, Online).

I Made varying sized flyers and posters of GMO Facts as seen
above

 Transgenic methods have been done for the last few decades.  A desired gene can be isolated and put into the DNA of the plant.  It could be for a trait such as insect resistance, height, a new vitamin the plant can produce, increased shelf-life, larger fruit, and manifold other traits.  It’s my supposition being a biologist that many of the myths and fears in genetic engineering or transgenic methods to create GMO plants is based off of mutation myths as mentioned above.  DNA and genes break down the same  in the body, it doesn’t matter what genes they are.  All genes consist of ATGC base pair patterns and no matter what the pattern they are in, they are digested the same.  GMOs never caused any harmful effects on pregnancy either.  Studies have been extensively done.  As prior mentioned, DNA is DNA regardless and digests the same.  It is the same thing in the body if you eat a GMO plant versus an organic product.   Why pay more for organic when you are eating the same thing!   Let’s not forget the fact that GMOs increased crop yields over the last 20 years and helped feed the world (Norris, Harvard University).  In addition, GMOs have reduced pesticide use by 8.1% over 20 years (Brookes & Barfoot).

      The closest connection I could get to my activism topic was through Sean Raspet and Lucy Chinen with nonfood bar, whom we seen an exhibit in the Paul Robeson Galleries at Express Newark. I love how  they brought science into the art of everyday activism by promoting their bars not only as a food algae based alternative, but an art exhibit.  The only other similar thing I found to this was in the "Free Range Grain Project" where they tested rice to see if it was GMO rice or not, however they were just against GMOs and are a group that wants more people to know what GMOs are in products by labeling, which is fair to ask (Interventionist pg. 116).
    There are many myths about GMOs and the majority of them are false.  GMOs are not harmful and for decades transgenic GMOs have been extensively studied by Universities and facilities like Harvard University.  The only downfall of GMOs is the lack of knowledge the general public has about them and how beneficial they are to our world.  

Hanging the posters (1st prototype)

The final product is out in the public:  

Bibliography

   

      Brookes, Graham, and Peter Barfoot. “Environmental impacts of genetically modified (GM) crop use 1996-2015: Impacts on pesticide use and carbon emissions.” GM crops & food vol. 8,2 (2017): 117-147. doi:10.1080/21645698.2017.1309490.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5443613/

     Kennedy, James.  Artificial vs Natural Watermelon & Sweetcorn.  Posted: July 14^th 2014. Accessed:  May 5^th 2019.  https://jameskennedymonash.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/artificial-vs-natural-watermelon-sweetcorn/

      Norris, Megan.  Will GMOs Hurt My Body?  The Publics concerns and how Scientists Have Addressed them. Harvard University.  Posted:  August 10, 2015.  Accessed: May 5^th 2019.  http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/will-gmos-hurt-my-body/

     Paul Robeson Galleries at Express Newark
  
     Prakash, Sheela.  How many Pounds of Watermelon do you need per person? Kitchn.  Accessed May 5^th 2019.  https://www.thekitchn.com/how-many-pounds-of-watermelon-do-you-need-per-person-234489

    

       Raspet, Sean.  https://thecreativeindependent.com/people/artist-sean-raspet-on-making-things-

nobody-asked-for/

      The Interventionists.  Mass Moca Publishers.  2004

      Van Eenennaam, Alison L. “GMOs in animal agriculture: time to consider both costs and benefits in regulatory evaluations.” Journal of animal science and biotechnology vol. 4,1 37. 25 Sep. 2013, doi:10.1186/2049-1891-4-37.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4015968/

For a link to "GMOs the Truth from an Activist and Scientist." Powerpoint

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