Genetically engineered crops raise issues

Posted by IronPlanet on Apr 30, 2012 6:34:00 AM

Genetically engineered crops have resulted in some amazing advancements in the field of agriculture, but several new problems have arisen that have some advocates calling for better regulation and control.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, several new developments are causing some farm groups to join environmentalists in the call for action against GMOs or "genetically modified organisms." The reason behind the shift in attitude is tied to a number of different incidents with genetically modified crops.

One big use of genetics is designing crops that are resistant to certain pesticides and herbicides. This allows farmers to get out their sprayers and simply coat their fields with chemicals designed to kill bugs and harmful plants with no worry of damaging their crops. However, these crops may have caused further issues.

Farmers now have to deal with "super weeds," or plants that are resistant to herbicides and pesticides through evolution. Somewhat like a virus, these plants were exposed to the chemicals and eventually developed immunity to it. Now, they've mutated into a type of weed that is much harder to kill.

Another potential problem is a new type of corn that actually turns its own starch into sugar. This eliminates a step in converting the corn into ethanol for use in cars. However, some farmers are worried that if this corn crop was to contaminate their field, the trait could be introduced into food. That would result in very mushy corn on store shelves.

In theory, these problems shouldn't occur - mainly because genetically modified crops are intended to be used in contained areas. However, something could potentially escape where it's supposed to be and introduce problems in unexpected regions. "Super weeds," for instance, largely occurred because pesticides got caught up in the wind and were carried to other parts of the country where the weeds reacted in surprising ways.

Whether farmers are completely organic or use genetically modified crops, they still need construction equipment to get the job done. The online auction site IronPlanet backs all its equipment with IronClad Assurance, allowing buyers to view full inspection reports before they bid.

Topics: Industry Headlines