The chances are, this week you will eat some genetically modified food, and you probably didn’t even notice. To some people, the idea of GM food has become a terrifying thought, it has been described as being Frankenstein food that defies the laws of nature, and is dangerous to health, and has unknown long term dangers when eaten by anyone. Such people would have GM food banned forever, and deny that it could have any benefits at all.
The reasons why companies like Monsanto have invested so much money in developing GM foods is that the additional production controls that they can impose on their harvests through the modification of the plants can increase their profits.
By improving the resistance to pests or disease offered by a particular strain of a crop, the farmer can ensure that a higher proportion of the crop finish the season in a saleable condition, and therefore increase the profit level that the farmer is able to achieve from his field.
GM crop strains have been developed that improve flavour, and appearance, allow crops to mature faster, and have a longer shelf life when they are completely ripe. It is these particular crops that people most object to, because these are the ones that they feel are messing with nature in some inappropriate way.
This is nonsense of course, in these cases the scientists are simply catering to the demands of the market or improving the yield of a crop in order to meet demand for hungry people. In an era when the traditional idea of a farm has been largely replaced by an industrial process, where efficiency at all levels is essential, and the product has replaced the harvest. The only danger of GM food is when the developer has the ability to deny the sale of a strain, or withhold it in order to offer a competitive advantage to a business at the expense of the hungry.