Genetically modified food and its impact on the environment

Abstract

The presence of genetically modified food products within our food system has been a topic of discussion around the world. One source of controversy is whether or not the benefits of genetically modified foods outweigh the potential environmental impact of their production. One important environmental impact of genetically modified (GM) foods is the threat to biodiversity resulting from the genetic transfer from GM crops to native plant species. Another concern is that the increased use of herbicides like Monsanto Roundup will lead to a new generation of herbicide-resistant weeds that could hamper plant growth. Additionally, since GM crops can be resistant to pests as well, this can lead to pests developing resistance genes at a faster rate than normal. Pollution is another environmental issue, including the issue of increased underwater pollution resulting from GM salmon that can lead to the destruction of aquatic life. Many nations, such as the European Union, United States, and Australia, have policies in place that have allowed the entrance of various GM foods into our food system. However, researchers state that one of the problems involved in addressing the environmental issues surrounding GM foods is that there is no universally accepted definition of what constitutes environmental damage or environmental harm. Regarding GM foods, consumers place their trust the most in university scientists and farmers, followed by government agencies and environmental groups with a moderate trust level, and they place the least amount of trust in food producers and supermarkets. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the policies in different countries and the impact of GM food production on the environment. © 2014 WIT Press.