Short Essay On Superweeds

The main ingredient used in Monsanto produce is glyphosate. Companies are injecting the plants’ seeds with glyphosate, which alters the plants’ DNA. Glyphosate is an herbicide, the same chemical used in Roundup. It is toxic to plants. Glyphosates’ purpose is to kill off unwanted weeds. Companies are injecting chemicals, whose main purpose is to kill plants, into the DNA of our foods (Hamblin). The World Health Organization (WHO) cancer agency has declared that glyphosate is a “probable human carcinogen” (Hamblin). Research conducted by WHO shows that glyphosate increases breast cancer cell growth. Researchers determined that Monsanto’s Roundup is an “exnoestrogen,” which is an unknown estrogen that imitates real estrogen in our bodies. This manipulation of estrogen can cause several problems within our bodies, such as “increased risk of various cancers, premature puberty, thyroid issues, infertility, and more”

| Monsanto continues to grow with future acquisitions of other companies in the industry (i.e. Asgrow Agronomics, Holden’s Foundation Seeds, Corn States Hybrid Service, and DeKalb Genetics Corp.).- Monsanto expands its production of genetically modified seed products which are herbicide tolerant. These include, “Roundup Ready Canola,” “Roundup Ready Cotton,” and “Roundup Ready Corn.”- Monsanto is also the first company to introduce a dual genetically engineered seed with protection from both insects and herbicides (cotton and corn seeds).

“I am not a crook” said President Nixon. When President Nixon said this, he was talking about The Watergate. The Watergate was one of the biggest scandals and was also another example of presidents using their power for evil. The Watergate was when President Nixon broke laws The Watergate was significant because it was a big part of our history and it changed many lives for better and worse.

crops led to the rise of “superweeds,” which are resistant to the key active ingredient in

The threat of super weeds is very real. The most common herbicide used, glyphosate, is also used in the common weed killer Round-Up. This means that if these superweeds get in our front yards, they are going to be very difficult to remove. Over 62.2 million acres of farmland are already infested with these herbicide resistant weeds. Nevertheless,

Companies and researchers alternate the genetic structure of crops to withstand pesticides, non-GM weeds and insects can gradually develop a resistance to the chemicals. At this point farmers actually have to increase their use of pesticides. These practice causes weed populations to adapt to the herbicide and eventually become resistant to it. Once these superweeds emerge farmers must find a new herbicides and more potent products.

Monsanto’s Roundup Ready Soybean (RRS) is a genetically engineered variety of soybeans, which contains gene sequences from a cauliflower mosaic virus (CMV), a petunia, and a bacterium (Agrobacterium sp.) (Greenpeace, 1997). The two bacterial genes, in short, provide for resistance against Roundup, resulting in a crop of soybeans that can be sprayed with Roundup to protect it from weeds, while not injuring it. In 1996, U.S. farmers harvested about 1.2 million acres of Roundup Ready Soybeans, and although this crop represented only about 2 percent of U.S. soybeans, it will be mixed with conventional soybeans – unlabeled – to become part of as much as 60 percent of all processed foods that contain some soy-based ingredient (Bruno, 1997). In the United States, most consumers are likely to have already ingested small amounts of transgenic soy in such common food as margarine, chocolate, baby food, and

Not only are GMOs harmful to humans they affect many other communities. “GMOs are also responsible for killing off bees, bats, butterflies, and other pollinators, whose bodies are unable to handle the onslaught of altered DNA and chemicals that are characteristic of GMO technologies”(Bensen). This shows that GMO is not only an issue for humans but it directly affects the insect and animals communities around the plants. These are living organisms that these plants need for pollination. GMOs and the pesticides used on these crops to fight off the insects and weeds is creating more powerful weeds and insects called “SuperWeeds” and “SuperBugs.” “And this built-in resistance has allowed farmers to indiscriminately spray chemicals like Roundup on their crops without worrying about killing them. But this system is now failing, as the weeds and pests targeted by GMO technologies have mutated and developed resistance to crop chemicals and Bt toxin” (Benson). These chemicals are effective for a short period of time However these chemicals become ineffective, the offspring of the insects can be immune to the chemical. This creates a need for a new and stronger chemical mix. GMO seeds and destroy the soil and kill beneficial

Genetically modified crops are being developed to produce their own pesticide. This will bring the rapid appearance of resistant insects. Even worse, these pesticide producing plants have killed some beneficial insects and pests that many farmers use in their crops. For example, inserting a gene from a snowdrop, a perennial herb found in Europe and Asia into a potato, made the potato resistant to the green fly, but killed lady bugs that feed on green flies.

Many varieties of genetically engineered crops have been designed to decrease the need for chemicals, particularly pesticides. Herbicide-tolerant varieties are among the most widely used type of genetically-modified crop, which enables farmers to use a single herbicide to eradicate weeds rather than rely on a cocktail of pesticides and herbicides. Eliminating weeds in this fashion also decreases the need for soil tillage, which can negatively impact soil ecology. (Ford,

In in an interview done by Live Science Anne Yonkers said "We should be using the precautionary principle with GMOs, and assume that GMOs have to be demonstrated to be good rather than assume that they are good.” (Yonkers 5), modified crops accelerated the evolution in weeds at an incredible rate making them develop resistance faster. A common weed called Palmer that grows near soybeans evolved to be resistance to glyphosate an active ingredient in many weed killers such as Roundup. Do to how resistance this strain is it has spread to more than seventy-six countries and that is just the palmer weed; twenty-four other glyphosate resistant weeds have appeared in eight-teen different countries as well. Some farmers lose more than half their yield and while forcing others to go bankrupt cause of the massive money loss. With malnutrition being a very real problem can modified food be a possible solution?

Furthermore, superweeds are created, which are resistant to that specific herbicide. To then kill the superweeds, a different kind of herbicide has to be used, which additionally harms the environment. Due to this, many amounts of herbicides have to be used. In addition to the GM superweed being bad for the environment, it is also bad for the economy as poor farmers can’t afford the GM soybeans. Without the GM soybean, the conventional soybeans do not possess the genes which make them resist herbicides and harsher weather. This will result in a smaller amount of soybeans to sell, which will then make the farmers without the rights to use GM soybeans have less income. As a result, the farmers without the GM soybean are unable to make the soybeans cheaper as they would then not make any profit. Although the GM soybean is mainly bad for the economy, it is also good as some farmers profit from this. The GM seeds allow the farmers to have more harvest as fewer soybeans will die due to weather, other plants or insects. As a result, these farmers will be able to sell the soybeans at a cheaper price, making more profit, as there is a greater quantity of

The most fundamental reason for high costs and low quality plaguing the US Healthcare system is the fact that there is a lack of collaboration and shared patient information between the different healthcare providers. This lack of collaboration results for multiple reasons. For example, Primary Care Physicians (PCPs) are faced with drastic increase in overhead costs. Because of the increase in overhead costs coupled with the current system of insurance reimbursement, PCPs are forced to see more and more patients per day which in turn results in less time for each patient. Moreover, there are multiple rules and regulations forced upon them by the insurance companies and to fulfil those requirements, extensive amount of time is consumed which

To prevent resistance to herbicide, farmers are required to vary herbicide use and practice crop rotations.

        In reality, the Scarlet Letter is many things. It has all the characteristics of a modern-day soap opera, but it is way more than some television show cast on ABC. It could be a sermon being shouted from a church attendee, but no; the Puritans are surely not the heroes in this novel. It could be a story of failure, for there are many failures cast upon the main characters, or it could be a story of revenge from an angry husband. And, maybe it could even be a story of creativity-- the attempt of one to see their artistic side in a community who disapproves a mind of imagination. The novel could mean a multitude of things, only noticed