GMO means genetically modified organism, or, in more modern terms, genetically engineered. Twenty years ago, GMOs were introduced to farmers and crop growers in an attempt to enlarge the quantity of crops, as well as to preserve foods past expiration dates.

When GMOs were first discovered, they was mainly used on fruit crops and other produce, but are now used in products as ordinary and everyday  as breakfast cereals. In the long run, the GE crops were an attempt to save American farmers’ money from having having to water crops daily, spray pesticides, and till soil. While this method did help them do this, it did not increase crop yields.

The mainstream controversy surrounding the utilization of GMOs involves the fact that they have the potential to pollute the bodies of us and animals with unnecessary chemicals that will cause our organs to deteriorate, as well as  an increased potential for future bodily ailments and disabilities, including:

• Cancer
• Obesity
• Gastrointestinal illnesses
• Kidney disease
• Autism
• Other possible allergies

However, a 388-page report carried out by a collection of more than 50 scientists, researchers and agriculture and industry experts over the course of two years supposedly reviewed more than 900 studies and data dating all the way back to the genesis of the GMO allowance.

Moreover, while GMOs did save money, they doubled as a pesticide for some insects, introducing herbicide-resistant weeds in the growing process, which in short means that certain species of weeds will grow surrounding the crops, that are immune to substances meant to eradicate them.

USA Today states that the primary use of genetic engineering is to make crops and other foods “more economically suitable”. The two most recurrent and favorable traits are pest resistance and the ability to withstand herbicides, which means that farmers would essentially be able to spray entire fields with herbicides and the crops planted within them would remain unaffected.

A more recent idea is to create plants that are drought resistant so they can be grown without scheduled or constant watering.

The scientific report, named ‘Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects’, was intended as a fairly objective overview of today’s research on GMO utilization safety, as well as the  social and environmental consequences of using them on popular crops, with a presumable inelastic consumer demand.

The following is a list of snippets of compiled findings from GEC: EaP on the production of Genetically Modified Organisms, and their footprints left behind.

Safe for Human Consumption

Despite thousands of claims that foods treated with GMOs are not safe for people to consume, The  Academy of Sciences began compiling disease reports beginning from the mid 90’s in the United States and Canada, as well as from the United Kingdom and western Europe, where genetically modified food is not usually included in the normal citizen’s diet.

The results were quite astounding.

No long-term patterns were discovered; however, the rate of contracting celiac disease (gluten intolerance) increased in both countries. Other than that, there was no correlation of Type 2 diabetes or obesity diagnosis to the consumption of the treated products.

Economic and Ecologic Effects

GMO usage has definitely saved farmers’ money, as well as copious amounts of time from tilling their crop soil and “losses to weeds and insects.”

However, while pest-resistant crops have decreased the population of insects in the midwestern United States, the use of herbicides has also brought about the existence or evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds. Moreover,  this usage did not increase crop yields, as some scientists speculated or assumed.

‘Not All Crops’

The study also found that the only commercially-grown American crops GMOs were used on are “cotton, soybeans, corn, sugar beets, canola, alfalfa and papaya, (in addition to small amounts of) zucchini and yellow summer squash, apples and potatoes.”

‘GMO-free’ – A Market Jackpot

A 2014 mass survey revealed that around 57% of Americans were worried these supposedly harmful chemicals posed health risks not just for them, but also their friends and family. Soon afterward, the food industry took notice;In 2015, Progressive Grocer found that, after food and beverage manufacturers began labeling their untreated products ‘non-GMO’ or ‘GMO free,’ nationwide sales rose to $10 billion that same year.

In the end, whether these growth agents are harmful or not, to quote food industry analyst Phil Lempert, “It’s an emotional issue, it’s not a science issue.”