For many years, biotechnology has been implemented into the agricultural world. With it being introduced to agriculture and food processing over 4,000 years ago by using enzymes from an animal’s stomach to store milk and make cheese, many different uses for biotechnology have been discovered. Vaccines have been made using genetically engineered (GE) crops since the 1980’s by inserting antigenic proteins that fight infectious pathogens into certain fruits and vegetables. Pest-resistant crops were also created in the 1980’s by adding genes to plants so dangerous pesticides are no longer needed. In the 2000’s, foods with extra nutrients were created to help the areas of the world that didn’t have access to the required vitamins or minerals. There are many different viewpoints and debates on the subject of biotechnology and its use in agriculture. One of the major topics on this subject is how biotechnology affects the environment and the risks associated with it as new discoveries are made. The subject on how the environment is affected and whether further research should be done is very controversial. Some believe that the negative impacts on the environment far outweigh the products discovered, while others believe that research on the topic of agricultural biotechnology are more important.
When discussing the topic of biotechnology and its inclusion in agriculture, many think of GE crops and how they impact an environment. Although GE plants make up a large portion of this area of science, there are other factors such as biofuels, the previously mentioned pest-resistant crops, plants made for rough environments, and more. Each one of these discoveries have a different environmental effect, whether it be good or bad.
Those who argue for the implementation of biotechnology in agriculture don’t believe the risks associated with it are impactful. Regarding the subject of GE crops, many believe that these plants aren’t harmful to the environment. With biotechnology and the insertion of genes into vegetation, there is no longer a need for pesticides that are harmful to the environment. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) was first discovered in 1911 and later became known as a biopesticide. Over time, certain strains of Bt were inserted into plants to make resistant vegetation. With the rise of modified crops, “the use of pesticides on the [genetically modified] crop area [has been] reduced by 618.7 million kg” (Brookes 13). Because of the use of resistant vegetation, there is no need for insecticides that can poison nearby soil, water, and other crops. Spraying fields can also impact nearby non-plant organisms such as fish and birds. Studies conducted by the U.S. Geological Surveys (USGS) on rivers throughout the country in the late 1990’s showed that over 90 percent of fish and water samples contained either one or more pesticides. The soil is also affected as beneficial microorganisms in the ground are damaged by sprays. With the use of pest-resistant crops, these issues can be avoided. Because these plants replace insecticides and don’t have the damaging side effects, they are healthier and better for the environment.
On the matter of biofuels, some believe that they are beneficial to the environment. Biofuels will replace fossil fuels that release greenhouse gases and speed up the process of global warming. While they do release greenhouse gases, the amount produced is significantly less that fossil fuels. According to the National Renewable Energy laboratory, 78.5 percent fewer carbon dioxide discharge is produced from biodiesel compared to petroleum diesel. Biofuels are renewable and sustainable, allowing use for much longer than oil, coal, and other non-renewable energy sources.
While many people argue for agricultural biotechnology, others believe the negative environmental impacts outweigh the importance of the discoveries made. With GE crops, some believe that they are harmful to the environment. Across the U.S., millions of farms are dealing with “superweeds” that are resistant to herbicides. As normal plants are fertilized with herbicide-resistant plants, the next generation of plants have the resistance genes. This happened with Monsanto’s “Roundup Ready” trait as weed species inherited the traits. As a result, many farmers reverted back to using herbicides that might kill the weeds. This action leads to resistant insects as some in the population sprayed survive and produce resistant offspring, forcing new insecticides to be made.