McEowen 1

Kyle McEowen
Ms. Hunter
Expository Reading and Writing
3 May, 2017

Benefits and Risks of Genetically Modified Organisms: Annotated Works Cited

Benbrook, Charles M. "Trends in Glyphosate Herbicide Use in the United States and
Globally." Environmental Sciences Europe. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 02 Feb.
2016. Web. 6 May 2017.

This article contains data on the history of Roundup's use in agriculture. Roundup, also
known by its chemical name Glyphosate, is a herbicide used extensively in agriculture to
kill weeds and other parasitic plants, improving crop yields. The data shows that the use
of Glyphosate has skyrocketed since the introduction of "Roundup-Ready" GMO crops
allowed farmers to spray it on their fields in bulk without damaging their crops. Dr.
Benbrook was a Professor of Agriculture at Washington State University, and his
research was backed by the USDA, indicating his work's credibility. While source nine
details the potential toxicity of Roundup, this article only covers the history and use of
Roundup, not its effects. This source helps the reader to understand the magnitude of one
potential side effect of GMO development, providing them with data on the widespread
use of a potentially harmful chemical compound due to GMO development. However, the
article itself takes no position on the topic of GMO use, only providing data on its effects
on agricultural practices.

Bradley, Kevin, et al. Management of Glyphosate-Resistant Waterhemp in Corn and

Soybean. University of Missouri Extension, University of Missouri, Oct. 2008.
Accessed 17 May 2017.

"Global prevalence of vitamin A deficiency in populations at risk 19952005." WHO

Global Database on Vitamin A Deficiency. Geneva, World Health Organization,
2009. 3 May 2017

This datasheet by the World Health Organization, the UN authority on global health,
provides statistics on the prevalence and impact of Vitamin A Deficiency in
impoverished nations. VAD can lead to health issues in pregnant women and children,
including blindness. This source displays the relative prevalence of VAD-related health
issues in several graphs, providing readers with a visual representation of the magnitude
of the issue, and which areas are the most affected. This helps readers to understand the
immense scale of the problems caused by Vitamin A Deficiency. This source takes no
position on GMO use, only providing data on a global problem. In contrast to source ten,
which uses data on VAD to argue in favor of GMO use, this source covers the biological
outcomes of VAD, and the causes of the disorder, giving a more clinical assessment of
the topic.
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Hakim, Danny. Doubts About the Promised Bounty of Genetically Modified

Crops. The New York Times, 29 Oct. 2016, Accessed 4 May 2017.

This article by Danny Hakim of the New York Times provides statistics showing that the
use of GMO crops has failed to produce increases in crop yields compared to traditional
farming over the last twenty years. It points to the production of rapeseed in the US and
Europe, with yields from US farms having grown at nearly the same rate as those in
France, where GMOs are prohibited. At the same time, the article shows that the use of
herbicides such as Roundup have increased in the US, with no net gain relative to
Europe, where herbicide use has dropped in recent years. The data provided on pesticide
use in this source is a stark contrast to the data in source five, which found that GMOs
greatly decrease the need for pesticides, whereas this article found non-GMO farming in
France has decreased pesticide use at nearly twice the rate of GMO farming, giving
perspective on the achievements of GMOs. While Mr. Hakim is not a scientist, the article
mainly uses data and statements from other, qualified individuals, making Mr. Hakim's
qualifications moot. As it is arguing that GMOs are ineffective, this source falls on the
anti-GMO side of the debate. This source provides valuable context to the reader,
comparing the yield of the same crop in two areas, only one of which allows GMOs,
giving readers a control group to measure GMOs against.

Hsaio, Jennifer. "GMOs and Pesticides: Helpful or Harmful?" Science in the News,
Harvard University, 10 Aug. 2015. Accessed 6 May 2017.

This webpage was written by a Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. student at Harvard University,
one of the most prestigious colleges in the world. The article provides an overview of
how GMOs have impacted the use of synthetic chemicals in agriculture. The article
shows that, since the introduction of GMOs, pesticide use has decreased as a result of
BT-toxin producing crops, which secrete a natural insecticide. In addition, the production
of glyphosate-tolerant plants has decreased the use of most synthetic herbicides in favor
of glyphosate, which is less hazardous to humans than previous synthetic pesticides. This
source provides the reader with data on the impact of GMOs on agricultural practices,
enhancing their understanding of the environmental effects of GMO use. Unlike source
one, this article provides data on the use of a variety of chemicals, as opposed to one
compound like Roundup. This article argues that GMOs have reduced the amount of
harmful chemicals used in agriculture, favoring the usage of GMOs.

"Insect Resistance to GMO Corn and Cotton Bt Crops with Insect Protection." Insect
Resistance to GMO Corn and Cotton Bt Crops with Insect Protection. Monsanto
Company, n.d. Web. 6 May 2017.

This webpage from the Monsanto Company explains the risks of pests developing
resistance to the toxin produced by BT corn, a genetically-modified crop. Insect
populations that feed on BT corn will eventually become immune to the toxin's effects
due to all non-immune individuals dying off. The resulting populations will require the
use of pesticides, negating the benefit of BT Corn. As the Monsanto Company is one of
the largest producers of GMO crops in the world, they strongly favor the use of GMOs in
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agriculture, and are legally required to report all instances of insect resistance to the
Department of Agriculture, meaning this data is almost certainly accurate. This article
shows that one of the key advantages of current GMO cropsthat they have less need for
pesticidescan vanish within a few years as resistance develops among insects.
Therefore, this article supports the anti-GMO side of the debate, informing the reader of
the problems already faced by GMO crops in maintaining their advantages. The topic of
this source is a strong contrast to sources ten and twelve, which highlight potential
benefits rather than current outcomes of GMO use.

Losey, John E., Linda S. Rayor, and Maureen E. Carter. "Transgenic pollen harms
monarch larvae." Mol. Breed 3 (1997): 169-176. 6 May 2017.

This article by Dr. John Losey, a Professor of Entomology at Cornell University,

provides evidence of the adverse impact of certain GMO crops on existing ecosystems.
Dr. Losey shows that BT Corn, which is genetically engineered to produce a natural
insecticide harmless to humans, has an adverse impact on mortality rates in Monarch
Butterfly caterpillars. Monarch caterpillars that ate milkweed found near BT Corn fields
were three times more likely to die before adulthood than those fed milkweed from
normal corn fields. This article falls on the anti-GMO side of the debate. It aids the reader
in understanding the issue by describing verified negative effects on the environment as a
result of GMO use, showing that the anti-GMO side's claims have a basis in fact. In
contrast to source five, which demonstrates how GMOs have reduced pesticide use in
agriculture through the use of BT Corn and other natural toxin-producing crops, this
article examines the problems caused by the new technologies.

Rangel, Gabriel. From Corgis to Corn: A Brief Look at the Long History of GMO
Technology. Science in the News, Harvard University, 9 Aug. 2015. Accessed 6 May
2017.

This source provides a timeline of the development of genetic engineering, and an

explanation of the techniques used by scientists to alter an organism's DNA. Unlike
source twelve, which provides an overview of a specific GMO rice crop, this source
evaluates the entire field, providing context and background information on GMOs. It
provides the reader with a better understanding of what GMOs are, how humans have
been shaping organic life to our benefit for thousands of years through selective breeding,
and how genetic engineering is different from past approaches. The author of this article
is a Harvard University Ph.D. student in the Biological Sciences department, meaning
this topic falls under an area of study where she has dedicated several years of her life; as
a prestigious college like Harvard is willing to put its name behind her writing, it is likely
that she has a strong understanding of the topic. As it is merely an overview of past
developments in genetic engineering, this article takes no position on the issue.

Richard, Sophie, Safa Moslemi, Herbert Sipahutar, Nora Benachour, and Gilles-Eric
Seralini. "Differential Effects of Glyphosate and Roundup on Human Placental
Cells and Aromatase." 113.6 (2005): 716-20. Web. 4 May 2017.
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This article describes the results of a study of the effect of Roundup, a common
herbicide, on human placental cells. The study found Roundup to be lethal to human
placental cells within 18 hours, even at concentrations below those found in produce as a
result of agricultural use. Many genetically modified crops have been designed to tolerate
Roundup, allowing for easier spraying of weeds. This could allow Roundup residue to
enter the human body via produce, which could have adverse effects on reproductive
health, especially in pregnant women. The researchers are all faculty of the University of
Caen in France, and are all specialists in agricultural and biological sciences. This study
supports the anti-GMO side of the argument, improving the understanding of the reader
by highlighting the potential adverse health effects of GMOs and their associated farming
practices to humans. This source is a contrast to source five, which only describes
Roundup as being less harmful to humans than other synthetic herbicides, while this
article examines the quality of the "improvement."

Tang, Guangwen et al. Golden Rice Is an Effective Source of Vitamin A. The

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 89.6 (2009): 17761783. PMC. Web. 6
May 2017.

In this study, researchers tested whether genetically modified rice, commonly called
Golden Rice, produced sufficient levels of Vitamin A for a human diet. In many Asian
nations, rice is a staple crop and a major part of most peoples diets, but it lacks Vitamin
A, deficiency in which can lead to poor vision and even blindness. The study favors the
use of GMOs, as it found the Vitamin A in Golden Rice can be metabolized by the
human body; this indicates that the rice could greatly improve nutrition in third-world
nations. The authors of this study were trained rice researchers and geneticists from Tufts
University, with no involvement in Golden Rice's development. Unlike source twelve,
this study does not explain the need for Golden Rice, instead examining whether it is
effective in its intended purpose. This information aids the reader in understanding of the
issue by showing that existing GMOs have the ability to greatly improve nutrition for
millions of people, providing concrete evidence of their potential.

United States Department of Agriculture. Pesticide Use in U.S. Agriculture: 21 Selected

Crops, 1960-2008. Economic Research Service, by Jorge Fernandez-Cornejo et
al, no. 124, May 2014.

"Vitamin A Deficiency." Golden Rice Project. Ed. Jorge Mayer. Golden Rice
Humanitarian Board, n.d. Web. 6 May 2017.

This webpage was created by the Golden Rice Project, the program which developed the
genetically-modified Golden Rice. It explains the impact of Vitamin A Deficiency on
children in developing countries, a problem Golden Rice has the potential to solve. Lack
of Vitamin A can result in blindness and compromised immune systems in children, and
in many developing nations, Vitamin A is severely lacking in the average diet. Naturally,
this source is strongly biased in favor of GMO use. However, unlike source ten, which
merely demonstrates that Golden Rice is effective, this source explains the problem that
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Golden Rice is supposed to solve, helping the reader to understand the potential of GMOs
in solving global nutritional problems.