Organic and non-Organic foods - 1100 Words

Organic and non-Organic foods (Other (Not Listed) Sample) Content: Organic and nonorganic foodStudent:Professor:Course title:Date:Organic and non-organic foodChrispeels, Maarten. (2014). Genetically Modified Food or Organic: Do We Have to Choose? University of California, San Diego. In the video, Chrispeels (2014) contrasts both genetically manipulated crops and organically grown crops. Although there are today more than 800 million people globally who are food insecure, food is more plentiful in the present day than it has ever been in the past. However, people worry about their food and there are protests about genetically modified foods non-organic foods all over the world in both developing and developed countries (Chrispeels, 2014). There are 2 sorts of food nowadays: (i) the genetically modified food, or non-organic; and (ii) the organic food. Organic food has become a vital economic sector that actually promotes an image of providing healthier food compared to other sectors. Organic food should be thought of as an industry. Activists have managed to create the image that GM foods come from the lab and are therefore suspect, and should not be bought, but organizations that produce them fight back and battle for their market share. Both genetic manipulation and organic are agricultural systems (Chrispeels, 2014). Which type of agricultural system is the best? To understand this, people need to know the vision for agriculture in society. These include ensuring that: (i) everyone has adequate food for a healthy life; (ii) malnutrition is absent; (iii) food comes from effective low-cost systems; (iv) food production is sustainable; and (v) farmers and farm workers make an honest living (Chrispeels, 2014). Genetically improved varieties account for about 50% of all productivity gains in the past 100 years. All the other inputs account for the other half. The father of genetics, Gregor Mendel, made the first crosses and he found that characteristics of plants and organisms are transmitted from one generation to another. His contribution played a significant role to genetic technology. Hybrid rice, the result of controlled crossing of two different varieties is increasing productivity of rice in Asia and other parts of the globe (Chrispeels, 2014). Non-organic, genetically engineered foods In genetic manipulation, scientists rely on a natural gene transfer mechanism. This has come to be understood as GM technology and the crops known as GM crops. The most successful genetically manipulated crops are the insect resistant cotton. Cotton farmers all over the world love genetically modified cotton that is insect resistant primarily because it cuts the application of insecticide by 40 percent, saves money and increases yield. They have to spray less pesticide and this crop decreases their costs (Chrispeels, 2014). The other example of successful genetically modified crop is the herbicide resistant GM soybeans which have been quickly adopted by farmers all over the world given that they simpli fy weed management and save money. In addition, they facilitate no-till practices thereby reducing the environmental impact of agriculture. Since there is no-till, there is less erosion (Chrispeels, 2014). GM crops are very much regulated. Government regulations have actually made it rather difficult to introduce GM crops. They are required to be approved by USDA, FDA, as well as EPA. In essence, every new GM crop is tested and/or approved on a crop-by-crop and gene by gene basis. Companies would only develop GM crops for which there is an adequate return on investment (ROI) and financial reward (Chrispeels, 2014). Safety of non-organic, GM foods According to Chrispeels (2014), every genetically modified food has been extensively tested and they are actually safe just as other foods in the marketplace. No case is known of a person who consumed non-organic foods and became even slightly sick. Non-organic foods can also be made into junk food like the organic foods. In essence, non-or ganic foods are as safe just as organic foods. Genetic modification with molecular techniques is a vital new tool for plant breeders. Better seeds genetically improved are the most significant input into agriculture. There is really no reason for not accepting foods from genetically modified crops and there is every reason for embracing them. However, this does not imply that GM technology by itself would feed the hungry or that agricultural practices cannot be improved (Chrispeels, 2014).Organic foods The organic industry, organic farmers, and the USDA agreed on rules that have to be followed to label food as organic. Certified organic farming makes use of (i) manures and allows only specific inorganic chemical fertilizers; (ii) pesticides that are traditional or found in nature; and (iii) all techniques of crop improvement except genetic manipulation (Chrispeels, 2014). Organic farming is driven by rules and not by outcomes, although outcomes are presumed in peoples minds. The se presumed outcomes are as follows: (i) food is tastier and healthier; (ii) chemical farming destroys the soil; (iii) organic is better for the environment; (iv) organic farming is more natural; and (v) traditional agriculture destroys biodiversity. Nonetheless, there is no evidence that support the wide perception among consumers that organic farming methods result in foods of higher nutritional quality. The tastiness of food is dependent on the time from harvest to preparation or consumption, and the time between harvest and sell. Both methods of farming are not natural. Neither GM agriculture and organic agriculture is natural since both contribute to the loss of biodiversity (Chrispeels, 2014). The claim that chemical fertilizer destroys the soil is refuted by the findings of a 150-year experiment in England. It was observed that chemical fertilizers do not damage the soils potential producti...