Harvest of Fear

Should we Grow GM Crops?



1. What is a GM Crop?
A GM crop is a crop that has been genetically modified and sent to stores. Some will be labeled "organic" when sometimes it isnt purely organic.


2. List 2 arguments FOR the growing of GM crops
Some geneticist will say that, genetic modification couldn't be more natural. Plants and animals genetically modify themselves all the time. That's the basis of evolution. We've been genetically modifying plants and animals for years, it's the basis of agriculture

Biotech firms hold that every GM food crop is thoroughly tested for possible health effects. So we can make sure that


3. List 2 arguments AGAINST the growing of GM crops.
Raising GM crops is an uncontrolled experiment, with unknown consequences for surrounding ecosystems. One of their greatest worries is that GM crops could harm other wildlife.

GM seed firms invest heavily in research and development.

Engineer a Crop

4. Practice this simulation until you get the largest ears of corn. How many times did it take you?
It took me 5 tries.


What’s for Dinner?.

5. List two foods and desribe how they are being modified.
Petunias are being genetically modified for color and pesticide resistance. A variety of fruits are being modiified for modified sugar content and pest resitance.



Viewpoints

Do you think food should be labeled if it has been genetically modified? Why or Why not?
Yes, I do becasue people should have the right to know what they are eating and how it has been modified. You wouldn't want to eat food and not know where and how it was modified. It could have different impacts on people, because people could only want to eat organic food, and then they realize that the food they're eating is not organic. There could be people out there that are strongly against genetically modified food and could become furious if they find out that the food that was labled organic isn't organic at all.