Should Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) Be Grown? (Debate Material for cons group)

I myself crearly state that GMO shouldn’t be grown because it makes more harm than good.

Definition
Genetically modified organism (GMO), organism whose genome has been engineered in the laboratory in order to favour the expression of desired physiological traits or the production of desired biological products. In conventional livestock production, crop farming, and even pet breeding, it has long been the practice to breed select individuals of a species in order to produce offspring that have desirable traits. In genetic modification, however, recombinant genetic technologies are employed to produce organisms whose genomes have been precisely altered at the molecular level, usually by the inclusion of genes from unrelated species of organisms that code for traits that would not be obtained easily through conventional selective breeding. GMOs are produced through using scientific methods that include recombinant DNA technology and reproductive cloning. (www.britannica.com)

The Birth of Modern Genetic Modification
An enormous breakthrough in GMO technology came in 1973, when Herbert Boyer and Stanley Cohen worked together to engineer the first successful genetically engineered (GE) organism. The two scientists developed a method to very specifically cut out a gene from one organism and paste it into another. Using this method, they transferred a gene that encodes antibiotic resistance from one strain of bacteria into another, bestowing antibiotic resistance upon the recipient. One year later, Rudolf Jaenisch and Beatrice Mintz utilized a similar procedure in animals, introducing foreign DNA into mouse embryos.

Although this new technology opened up countless avenues of research possibilities, immediately after its development, the media, government officials, and scientists began to worry about the potential ramifications on human health and Earth’s ecosystems. By the middle of 1974, a moratorium on GE projects was universally observed, allowing time for experts to come together and consider the next steps during what has come to be known as the Asilomar Conference of 1975. (http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu)

Regulation
1) PP no. 21 year of 2005
In Indonesia, Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 21 year of 2005 (PP No. 21/2005) on Biosafety of GMO, had been established. Biosafety of GMO includes environmental safety, food safety and/or feed safety. The enforcement of PP No. 21/2005 is to prevent potential adverse risks to biodiversity as a result of the utilization of GMO and to prevent the negative risks to human, animal, and fish health as a result of production process, preparation, storage, distribution, and utilization of GMO.

2) RI Government Regulation No. 69 of 1999 concerning Food Labels and Advertisements
In PP No. 69 of 1999 concerning food labels and advertisements generally describe the main parts of labels, food labels, names of food products, net weight and information on names or addresses, expiry dates, food registration numbers, information on food production codes and information on nutritional content . Advertising regulations, namely, advertising must be in accordance with the content of the ingredients in the product and do not lie to the public. The rules of genetic engineering are explained in section 12 of Article 35 of this PP. Section 12 explains the information about food irradiation and genetic engineering.
Article 35 explains about requiring the writing "genetically modified food" for genetically modified food products. Labeling is carried out on a food product that uses genetically modified ingredients or ingredients that are genetically modified foods. On the label can be placed a special logo of genetic engineering.

Why has GMO become controversial?
Many concerns have been expressed, but this is the most important and logical:

•Once plant genes have been changed, they will contaminate non-GMO plants and the process cannot be reversed.
•Changing plant genetics can increase the production of natural pesticides in plants called phytoalexins. Many of them contain carcinogenic (cancer triggers) and some damage to cells, tissues and organs in humans.
•GMO food can interfere with human reproduction.
•GMO seeds have been made "infertile", which will require farmers to buy new seeds every season and do not need to use re-seeding.
•Herbicide-resistant plants (containing 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, herbicide Lasso, Ramrod, Roundup, etc.) which will allow also high dosages of herbicides. This will result in higher concentrations in the soil and plants, which means it will be consumed by humans with higher levels as well.

FACTS
a) GMOs don’t live up to the hype
GMOs often don’t even do what they’re supposed to do. You’ve probably heard that “we need GMOs in order to feed the world,” on the presumption that only GMO crops have a high enough yield to keep up with a growing population. The trouble is, that simply isn’t true. Studies on certain GMO crops have found little to no yield improvements, and long-term studies of organic farming show that organic can match conventional agriculture’s yields.
In other cases, biotech companies claim that their GMOs have nutritional benefits, or will solve some other pending crises. Take “golden rice,” which is supposed to cure vitamin A deficiency in the developing world. Unfortunately, it doesn’t: the beta-carotene in golden rice can’t be absorbed by the body unless combined with certain fats and oils, which is not helpful for people living in poverty with a limited diet. Plenty of non-GMO foods, like carrots and sweet potatoes, are rich in vitamin A and don’t require millions of dollars to produce and grow. Golden rice makes for good PR, but it won’t solve the world’s nutritional problems.
Other times, GMO crops serve no practical purpose at all – at least for the people who eat them. Do we really need science to stop apples from turning brown when we cut them? Non-browning GMO apples are purely a marketing scheme, a way to make produce look fresher than it actually is and to make life easier for processors who want to sell cut-up apples to fast food chains.

b) More GMOs means more chemical use
Many GMO crops are specifically engineered to resist certain weed killers, such as the potentially carcinogenic Roundup, so planting GMOs means that farmers end up using the associated chemicals, and using them in more ways, when they use GMO crops. Those chemicals end up in the environment and threaten the health of farmers and farmworkers, as well as the communities they live in. The system for making sure these chemicals don’t end up in our food is extremely weak.
What’s even worse is that, because of increased chemical use, the pests are catching up. Over time, weeds and insects evolve a resistance to the chemicals we use against them. The more we use, the faster they adapt. Many common herbicides are no longer effective on our farms, which leaves biotech companies to encourage the use of harsher chemicals, which the pests will eventually adapt to… leading to an arms race of dangerous chemicals where people and the environment will inevitably be the losers.

c) GMOs and organics can’t coexist
Trying to keep a farm GMO-free is harder than you might think. Some GMOs don’t stay put where they’re planted. It’s quite common for them to contaminate neighboring farms, or even farms many miles away when pollen from GMO crops drifts on the wind. Seed supplies can be contaminated with GMOs, too. In 2013, an Oregon farmer found GMO wheat in his field – an unapproved crop that hasn’t been field tested since 2005. This is a serious problem for organic farmers, who are not allowed to use GMOs.

d) The research is biased
There is a great deal of research out there about the safety and effects of GMOs – but far too much of it is conducted, funded or otherwise influenced by the biotech industry. Disturbingly, this includes research done at public universities. When GMO advocates claim that there’s a “scientific consensus” about GMOs, or that leading scientific organizations are on their side, they’re often cherry-picking points from reports that cast the debate in a more nuanced light. We need more truly independent long-term safety research into the effects of GMOs on our health and the environment.
There are plenty of good reasons to be concerned about GMOs. But for consumers who are concerned, it’s not always clear in the marketplace where these crops end up – and biotech and food companies are fighting tooth and nail to stop new requirements that GMO foods be labeled.

e) In many developed countries, the anti-GMO movement is increasingly widespread
It has been done because it endangers physical and metal development, also triggering diseases including cancer and several other dangerous diseases but not directly sick, but requires a long term. In Indonesia, these products have been widely circulated, especially in imported fruits and imported meats and imported vegetables, and even imported packaged foods. Because it is widely protested in developed countries, this type of food has finally been “thrown away” to developing countries which have weak food laws and import laws, including Indonesia.

Solutions
- Using a intercropping system if there is not enough land.
Polyculture suitable farming system is a way of farming by involving more than one type of crop in one farm. The purpose of doing polyculture is to get high and maximum production with existing land. Because farming with intercropping, the main plant will continue to grow properly and intercropping will also continue to grow without disturbing the main plant.

- Organic Farming
Organic farming can achieve ecological balance through agricultural system patterns, habitat building, maintenance of genetic diversity and agriculture. Those who produce, process, market or consume organic products must protect and benefit the environment in general, including land, climate, habitat, biodiversity, air and water.

- Giving Education for Farmers
Explain them precisely the good and bad impacts of the farming or gardening system they use