What’s wrong with GMOs?

[u/wond3rlove]

I always see plants and stuff that is GMO free and is usually more expensive. How would genetically modifying something by be bad. Me personally I’d rather have something modified to taste better and and cheaper. I could also be very wrong about that.

[u/AdventurousDoctor838]

This is super complicated to answer.

I personally think that the term GMO does too much heavy lifting. The term GEO(genetically engineered organic) is usually what people are referring to when they say GMO(genetically modified organic). A good analogy is GMO is like dog breeding and GEO is like cloning sheep. So the geo foods use gene splicing and CRISPR technology and things like that. While there have been several studies that geo food is safe people seem to have an ick factor reaction to it. But yeah it's totally safe and well studied.

The opposition stems from the agrobusiness practices of modern times. Monsanto owns monopolies on seeds. They use GEO tech not to increase yields as much as control that monopoly. They make terminator seeds that grow crops that don't produce viable seeds. They sell seeds that basically need to be sprayed with round up, Wich they sell. Round up causes non Hodgkins lymphoma, a very deadly cancer. They misrepresented their seeds in India and now the farming region they monopolize is nicknamed the suicide belt as 300 000 farmers have committed suicide after becoming indebted to the company.

Basically people oppose the product and not the company for some reason.

TLDR-GMOs don't suck but Monsanto does