Genetic+Farming

Wild animals & crops give us some food, but it often wasn't ideal for us.
 * Paleo Problem**

**Neo Solution** Our ancestors learned to breed them selectively & take care of them well so that they provided better food for us. Over time, domesticated crops and farm animals were very different from their wild ancestors. People changed them so much, they cannot survive in the wild anymore.



**MP4U: Genetically Modified Organisms** ==== Today we continue to selectively breed crops and animals but with an added new power. We can now inset genes from completely different species into the seedlings and embryos of another species to create new breeds. ====

What is Genetically Modified Food video
The Future of Food video

The possibilities for new imaginative gm crops are endless. [|Take a look at some amazing examples.] More examples here, too! Much more importantly, we can now modify crops to grow better in changing climates, to be more resistant to diseases and pests and to provide more nutritious food. This could make a huge difference for our future survival of our growing population:
 * Engineering GMO rice that can grow better in salt water (This article also explains how all crops are actually already engineered.)
 * [|gmo corn to end hunger in] Africa

But, most of the GMO crops we are using have more to do with profit than sustainability. Should we be designing plants and animals at this level to increase profits? Should we be mixing genes from completely different organisms? What if some of our designs result in food that is dangerous for us or our environment? Can we control it from spreading? Some countries are banning GMO's while others already consume many without thinking much about it. What do you think about this powerful innovation?

Despite concerns, GMO's are widely used and offer benefits. This series of articles on Grist delves into many of these issues.
Two videos showing the pros and cons of genetically modifying our food: **Pro GMO**

media type="custom" key="27525024" ====Read more about [|Ronald's research and the evidence for GMO organic farming here].==== media type="youtube" key="qtUM18XO_sc" height="405" width="500"

**Anti GMO - Greenpeace** media type="youtube" key="1H9WZGKQeYg" height="314" width="560"

**See how some people have used emotions rather than information to influence how people feel about GMO foods.** Do humorous videos like this help you understand & evaluate the innovation of GMO foods?

media type="youtube" key="MfTQergr29M" height="323" width="528" =Continue your research on GMOs at these sites:=

@http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood.shtml
=Possible Innovations:= - [|Labeling GMO's]: Should people have the right to know if their foods contain GMO's? Would this help us control GMO's better?