This week I want to cover a topic that usually elicits a strong reaction from people. My intent is to talk about GMO’s so that we can all have a better understanding of what they are, how they are made, and how they are used. My intent is not to convince anyone one way or another regarding GMOs, but to elevate everyone’s understanding of them so that we can speak about them in a more educated way to the people around us.
GMO stands for genetically modified organism. It might sound obvious, but products that are not organisms cannot be genetically modified. I’ve seen ads for salt stating that it is non-GMO. Salt is a mineral and contains no DNA; therefore, it cannot be genetically modified.
Gene modifying technology has come a long way. It used to be done using the particle gun method. Tiny metal particles were coated with desired DNA and blasted at plant pieces, hoping that the genetic modification would take. Methods of genetic engineering now are very specific and only target the desired genes. The naturally found Agrobacterium tumefaciens is the bacteria used to insert genes from one species into another. CRISPR is a new technology that can also be used, which edits the genes already existing in the organism. CRISPR can turn on, off, or delete genes.
There are 29 crops that have received approval for use. Not all of those are still in production. Sometimes advertising that says a particular crop is non-GMO is misleading, because a GMO version of that crop doesn’t exist. Labeling products as non-GMO also implies that non-GMO is superior. GMO crops undergo extensive testing before hitting the market to make sure that they are safe for consumption. In the US, corn, soybean, and cotton are by far the most common GMO crops.
So, for what traits are GMOs normally modified? Herbicide tolerance is a big one. Herbicide tolerant crops allows farmers to use fewer herbicide applications and use conservation tillage, which captures more carbon in the soil. Insect resistance in crops reduces the amount of insecticides used on a crop such as corn, and improves the quality of the product brought to the market. Disease resistance has been done too. A GMO papaya saved the Hawaiian papaya industry after papayas were nearly wiped out by a virus. Some modifications can make a crop contain more vitamins, or last longer on the shelf, resulting in less waste.
GMO crops have provided benefits, but there are negatives too. There are cases where pests have become resistant to pesticides due to reliance on individual pesticides. Pesticide resistance means that pests present an even larger problem than they did before. The companies that manufacture these GMO crops have patent rights to the seeds, which means that farmers can’t keep the seed from the crop they grow. Some farmers have gotten in trouble and taken to court because their neighbor planted GMO and it cross-pollinated with their crop. GMO crops are a tool that farmers can use to feed and clothe the world, but just like any tool, if it’s used improperly it will be broken. Therefore, the responsibility is on people to be good stewards of the resources that we have, to achieve the goal of feeding and clothing the world.
If you have questions about GMO’s contact your County Extension Office or email me at Jacob.Williams@uga.edu.