The topic of genetically modified food has been hotly debated over the past ten years. For some people, the topic brings up ethical conflicts, while for others it brings up issues of consumer safety. When most people hear of this topic they tend to choose a side; either they are entirely for it, or they are against it. But in order to make an informed decision about it, a person needs to hear both sides of the issue. Opponents argue about the major health problems that could arise from altering the genetic makeup of foods and about chemical usage. Meanwhile, supporters argue about the potential economic benefits that this type of technology could bring to the world, and the overall benefits that it could have on foods. The two sides of the debate will continue to make their cases until a decision is made, and even then one side will continue to debate until facts come out that prove their case wrong. This leads people to ask themselves whether or not genetically modified food is healthy enough for human consumption. (Anderson 1) (SRTP). .
In order to get an accurate view of the situation, a person needs to know the background information behind the issue. The process of creating a genetically modified food is not a new idea. In 1970, a scientist named Norman Bourlaug bred wheat plants with short stems with wheat plant that had long stems, thus creating a wheat plants with a medium sized stem. He did this because at the time, farmers were losing half of their crops. By harvest time, the heads of the wheat became so heavy and the winds were so strong that the plants would bend over, thus ruining the wheat. Bourlaug won the Nobel Prize in 1970 for this discovery, and is credited for saving millions of lives in developing countries. If he had not created this hybrid wheat plant many farmers would have gone out of business and agricultural production would be far less then it is today. In the past two decades the process has become a little more advanced, but the simple concept is still there.