Article Disease­ defying spuds exiled from Europe †again...

Article: Disease ­ defying spuds exiled from Europe – again by Andy Coghlan The issue written in this article is regarding the banning and lack of approval for blight-resistant potatoes in the european union. Late potato blight, a potato disease caused by the the eukaryotic microorganism phytophthora infestans, is a significant cause for loss of crop and yield by potato farmers. Looking back to the past, the blight was responsible for the catastrophic Irish Great Famine of the 1840s causing eradication of their main food source, potatoes. As a result of the blight, potatoes become rotten and unsafe for human consumption. Late potato blight today is still a serious issue because it has caused the loss of $5.9 billion dollars of potatoes†¦show more content†¦In other situations, like devastating crop damage due to insect pests, proteins specifically toxic to the pests may be engineered in to cause fatality within the insect, as in the case of Bt corn. Opponents of g enetically modified crops, or anti-GMO, state that the health effects of genetically modified crops are unknown and potentially hazardous to human beings. This health effect is not known because the genetically modified crops are a relatively new technology and it would require an extensive period of time to study the chronic effects, if any, of the GM crops. Given the limited data available, it is reasonable that some individuals may caution the use of GM crops. However, given that there will be future case studies and evaluations of GM crops, it is unlikely that the GM crops will cause any different health effects than normal crops. Anti-GMO groups also state that GMO crops are costly for farmers and the consumers. In addition, these groups, like GeneWatch, lobby the government in support of anti-GMO laws. I support the case for genetically modified crops and organisms. Genetically modified crops are the fruit of countless hours of research by researchers who work tirelessly in the pursuit of a world in which food is more sustainable for human beings. The reason why I support the development of GMOS is due to the fact that in light of our continually growing human species, genetically modified crops are necessary to