Genetically modified food and Monsanto

These are foods derived from genetically modified organisms. Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques. Many people have objected about genetically modified food on several grounds, including safety issues, ecological concerns, and economic concerns raised by the fact that these organisms are subject to intellectual property law. Why is it done? Surely to improve the crop yield. With this new technologies we can make plants resistant to insects, drought, cold, companys pesticide Also it can make plants more durable. But, are these enough reasons to use GM Food instead of its possible problems? The first commercially genetically modified food was a tomato called FlavrSavr, created by Monsanto. Firstly, it was welcomed by consumers, however these tomatoes were very expensive and the sales fell. Since then, Monsanto and other companies have started to create more and more genetically modified food, and now, in some countries, we can find lots of these products in the supermarket. The United States and Canada dont require labeling of genetically modified foods. However in certain other regions, such as the European Union, Japan, Malaysia and Australia, governments have required labeling so consumers can choose between foods that have genetically modified, conventional or organic origins. One of the biggest problems of GM food is the intellectual property and patents. Seeds of these plants only can be used once and then farmers need to buy more seeds so they money is reduced and they are tied to the multinational companies. Terminator Gen is the responsible of this situation. On March 3, 1998, "Control of Plant Gene Expression" patent, named as TPS (Technology Protection System) was accepted in the United States. TPS is the result of technologies of genetic engineering and it modifies the DNA of the plants which have it. This technique it is kown as Terminator Gen and produces plants that have sterile seeds so they do not flower or grow fruit after the initial planting. This prevents the spread of those seeds into the wild, however it also requires customers to repurchase seed for every planting in which they use Terminator seed varieties. In recent years, widespread opposition from environmental organizations and farmer associations has grown, mainly out of the concerns that seeds using this technology could increase farmers' dependency on seed suppliers.

There are a lots of other problems, like possible allergies, but the World Health Organisation, said that GM Aliments commercialized now are not dangerous to human health. While it is evident that there is a food supply problem, the question is whether GM can solve world hunger problems, or even if that would be the best way to address the problem. Some experts said that in order to meet the demand for food in the developing world, a second Green Revolution with increased use of GM crops is needed. On the other hand, several scientists argue that there is more than enough food in the world and that the hunger crisis is caused by problems in food distribution and politics, not production. Surely GM food will be a potential alternative in the future food supply and maybe the only one way to supply all the food needed by humanity in years to come. Monsanto is the most important multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation. It is also the second largest producer of genetically engineered seed and it provides the technology in 49% of the genetically engineered seeds used in the US market. Monsanto's development and marketing of genetically engineered seed and bovine growth hormone, as well as its aggressive litigation, political lobbying practices, seed commercialization practices and "strongarming" of the seed industry have made the company controversial around the world and a primary target of the alter-globalization movement and environmental activists. In 2009 Monsanto came under scrutiny from the U.S. Justice Department, which began investigating whether the company's activities in the soybean markets were breaking anti-trust rules. In March 2008, French journalist Marie-Monique Robin released the results of her three years of research worldwide into Monsanto. She reveals numerous controversial facts about Monsanto. Marie-Monique Robin traveled the world to meet scientists and political figures in order to investigate the consequences of several Monsanto products. According to the journalist, most of these scientists actually lost their jobs as a consequence of their speaking out. Monsanto declined to participate in the documentary.