Regulating Genetically Modified Food

Without the discoverers of the structure of DNA, James Watson and Francis Crick, the door for alteration of genetic material of organisms by exchanging genes from one to another would never have been explored.  Looking at the genetic engineering through modifying agricultural food production, there are many advantages to genetically modified foods though there is always a debate over the risks that go along with GMO products. These plants have been genetically modified in the research laboratory to amplify desired traits such as increased resistance to pesticides or to improve nutritional content. The enhancement of desired traits has routinely been undertaken through breeding, conventional plant breeding methods can be very time consuming and are often not very accurate. The many benefits of genetically engineering crops are pest resistance, herbicide tolerance, diese resistance, cold tolerance, drought tolerance, nutrition, and pharmaceuticals. Some of the disadvantages are eviromental hazards which includes unintended harm to other organisms, reduced effectivness of pesticides, gene transfer to non target species, human health risks, and last but not least economic concerns. Genetically-modified foods have the potential to solve many of the world's hunger and malnutrition problems, and to help protect and preserve the environment by increasing yield and reducing reliance upon chemical pesticides and herbicides. Yet there are many challenges ahead for governments, especially in the areas of safety testing, regulation, international policy and food labeling.