1. Current Day Pros (Felipe B)
1.1. Crops can be modified to increase nutritional content
1.1.1. Lessens malnourishment
1.1.2. Decreases the amount poorer countries need in food to survive as one plant may contain many nutrients
1.2. Crops can be made to last longer
1.2.1. Longer shelf life
1.2.1.1. more food
1.3. Can be modified to need less water and pesticides
1.3.1. more environmentally friendly
1.3.2. Reduce cost production side due to less pesticides needed
1.4. Crops can be made to withstand more variable environments as well as output more fruit/grain
1.4.1. increases food output
1.4.1.1. Food becomes cheaper
2. The History of GMOs in Agriculture (Felipe B)
2.1. GMOs originated and developed mostly in 4 key revolutions
2.1.1. 1st "Neolithic Revolution" 10,000 BCE
2.1.1.1. Man learns how to cultivate plants and animals
2.1.1.1.1. Catalyzes the switch from a hunter gatherer lifestyle to a sedentary one
2.1.1.1.2. People utilize first genetic modification by selectively breeding plants and animals
2.1.1.1.3. People live longer with more food and civilizations develop in 5 hearths
2.1.2. 2nd Agricultural revolution 1680-1750
2.1.2.1. Farmers implement hybridization, crop rotation, and technology
2.1.2.1.1. Farmers become more productive so less people are needed on farms
2.1.2.1.2. Food output increases
2.1.2.1.3. Hybridization: mixing 2 different sets of organisms to form 3rd species with preferred traits
2.1.3. 3rd "Green" Revolution 1940-80
2.1.3.1. Farmers adapt the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and high yield, genetically modified crops
2.1.3.1.1. Aimed towards aiding poorer countries
2.1.3.1.2. Farmers more productive
2.1.3.1.3. High yield genetically bred/modified crops increase crop yields when used with fertilizers.
2.1.3.1.4. Biotechnology advancements in the latter end catalyze synthetic GMO production
2.1.3.2. Farmers in richer countries implement advanced technologies such as drones, synthetic GMOs, self driving tractors, and computer analysis
2.1.3.2.1. Farmers even more productive
2.1.3.2.2. Biotechnology advancements allow direct manipulation of gene expression
2.1.3.2.3. increases food output to keep up with rising populations
2.1.4. 4th "Smart" Revoltion
3. Dietary Needs (John D)
3.1. Better Nutrition
3.1.1. OVERALL: Higher quality foods can be distributed further throughout the world in even higher quantities, aiding the malnourished and enriching people's diets and deepening their pockets. Food security for the entire planet is also increased, especially food security for the poor, with hardier crops and higher yields.
3.1.2. Caloric Intake
3.1.2.1. Foods designed to produce a higher quantity of macronutrients to provide a higher caloric intake, thus reducing the amount of food necessary to consume. Can greatly help poorer areas where people do not have money to buy enough food.
3.1.3. Vitamins & Minerals
3.1.3.1. Golden Rice: a rice variety that was genetically engineered to produce a large amount of beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A). It has helped aid in vitamin A deficiency around the world, which kills about half a million children and causes another half a million cases of permanent blindness every year.
3.1.3.2. Fortified Tomatoes: some tomatoes have been genetically modified to produce antioxidants found in fruits such as blueberries and cranberries. These tomatoes, and the antioxidants within them, were found to increase the lives of cancer-susceptible mice by 30%, and have since gone to human testing. They also are believed to display anti-inflammatory properties and fight cardiovascular disease.
3.1.4. Macro Nutrients
3.1.4.1. Proteins
3.1.4.1.1. Fortified Animal Feed: some animal feeds (mainly cereals) have been engineered to contain much higher amounts of limiting amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) so that fewer supplements would be required for the livestock.
3.1.4.2. Fats
3.1.4.2.1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: these fats are mainly found in marine animals, but some crops are being engineered to produce them in amounts approaching that of fish. Omega-3s greatly improve brain development and function, cardiovascular health, and help stop deterioration of the nervous system. Poorer people can benefit from omega-3 rich crops because they could be much cheaper compared to the high price of seafood.
3.1.4.3. Carbohydrates
3.1.4.3.1. Carbohydrates are the main source of calories of most humans, and thus are important to our health and body function.
3.2. Higher Production
3.2.1. Higher Yields
3.2.1.1. High-Yield Maize: some maize crops have been genetically engineered to produce much more grain. Often, both the grain size and number are substantially improved, resulting in much higher yields than regular corn. Some maize has been modified to have increased total starch content within the kernels, improving grain yield and quality.
3.2.1.2. Higher yields results in more food produced. More food produced results in lower prices and lots of supply. This means that poorer people can buy more food to enrich their diet at cheaper prices.
3.2.2. Less Labor Necessary
3.2.2.1. Fewer Pesticides
3.2.2.1.1. Some crops can be genetically modified to produce natural compounds that repel or kill pests. This can allow farmers to spend much less on pest control, aid the environment by releasing fewer harmful chemicals into the ecosystem, and result in healthier organic products that don't harm us when we consume them.
3.2.2.2. Less Water Needed
3.2.2.2.1. In areas where water sources are few and far between, crops needing less of it would drastically reduce the labor and capital needed to irrigate crops.
3.3. Hardier Crops
3.3.1. New areas where it can be grown around the world
3.3.1.1. Crops that are engineered to withstand hotter and colder weather, wetter or more arid environments can be grown in many more places on Earth. This can result in more agriculture, especially in places that desperately need it because of their harsh climate. This gives the people who live in these places a much more diverse and rich diet.
3.3.2. Less likely to die from environmental factors, resulting in a failed harvest
3.3.2.1. Crops that are already grown in an environment are less like to fail. This results in more food present in that area and increases food security for the people there, especially subsistence farmers who may not have the materials or equipment to care for crops during a period of harsh weather.
4. Environmentalism (Oliver B)
4.1. Monocultures
4.1.1. Banana Republics
4.1.2. Farms in the United States are moving towards becoming a monoculture
4.2. Sustainability?
4.3. Biodiversity
4.3.1. Many GMOs are modified to be resistant to herbicides, so more can be used without killing crops
4.3.1.1. Herbicides remain in the soil for up to 6 months after usage
4.3.1.2. Herbicides kill local plants and animals, limiting biodiversity
4.3.2. Less biodiversity can lead to monocultures, which are unsustainable
5. Commercial Agriculture (Oliver B)
5.1. Agribusiness
5.1.1. GMOs make commercial agriculture more efficient
5.1.1.1. Higher food output
5.1.1.2. Produced foods last longer
5.2. Developed vs Developing Countries
5.2.1. Developed countries have smaller and smaller populations producing enough food to feed the entire country
5.2.1.1. Leads to food surplus
5.2.2. Developing countries mostly unable to see benefits from GMOs due to the expenses associated with them
5.2.2.1. Places that most need a food surplus (such as sub-Saharan Africa) do not see one
6. Current Day Cons (Oliver B)
6.1. Cons
6.1.1. Allergies
6.1.1.1. New Allergens: Moving genes from one organism to another can create new allergens
6.1.1.2. Some genes in GMOs are taken from common allergens
6.1.2. Lower biodiversity in ecosystems
6.1.2.1. Removing a pest from an ecosystem could also be removing another animals food source
6.1.2.2. Some GMOs are toxic to other organisms in an ecosystem
6.1.3. Possibility of new diseases
6.1.3.1. GMOs are modified using bacteria. Some people fear that usage of these bacteria will lead to new diseases
7. Ease of Farming (Mary F)
7.1. Farmers do not have to plant as much because each seed yields more
7.1.1. Increase output 20%
7.1.2. Farmers do not need to take care of as much land
7.1.2.1. Lower land costs
7.1.2.2. Less land to take care of means less people that need to work, so the farmer can lower their labor costs
7.1.2.2.1. If not as many people have to work in agriculture, they can work in other places and make a higher wage, which is important in developing countries
7.1.2.3. The land that no longer needs to be used for agriculture can be developed into more urban areas
7.1.2.3.1. Urban areas have more job opportunity
7.1.3. Farmers could make more profit using the same amount of land
7.1.3.1. Farmers using GMOs saw an average of 68% increase in profits
7.2. Some GMOs are modified to resist pesticides and herbicides so farmers do not have to spray chemicals
7.2.1. The use of pesticides can hurt the environment so not needing them is a good thing
7.3. Genetically modified seeds are stronger and hardier and do not require as much care
7.3.1. GMOs can survive even when the conditions are not favorable
7.3.1.1. A guaranteed harvest ensures that people will have enough food no matter what, which is important in developing countries
7.4. GMOs can mature at a faster rate
7.4.1. Farmers can plant more often
7.4.1.1. Increase output
7.4.1.2. Increase profits