What are the specific disadvantage of GM tomato, corn & soybean?

Question

what are the specific disadvantages that come from Genetically modified tomato, corn and soybean?

Answer 1

Hi Shong,

This is a subject that is rife with public concerns, misinformation and ignorance... very controversial, to say the least!

The first BIG concern of opponents is that there is not enough information/study to adequately prove no harm will come to human from consuming GM foods.

As a result, GM foods (in the U.S.) must be labeled as such so that consumers may make an informed decision about their purchases.  However, another concern is raising its head over the last few years and that is the hybridization between GM plants and non-GM plants as a result of cross-pollenization (where the same crop (GM and non-GM) are grown in close proximity to one another).  The problem this causes is that an "organic" farmer (right now GM foods cannot be sold as organic) who has a crop of corn may, unknowingly be selling GM hybridized corn as a result of a nearby GM farm growing corn.

Corn and soybeans have generally been modified to resist pesticides so that more spray can be used to kill infestations without killing the plants (except for sweet corn that was modified to release its own insecticide).

Tomatoes have generally been modified to slow the speed at which the degrade (rot).

Maybe you can see right off (with the corn and soy beans) another problem many people have... the farmers spray more pesticides, which, in turn are soaked into the soil and drained off into our waterways.

Those chemicals that are soaked into the soil could conceivably end up in community aquifers from which people get their drinking water.

Those chemicals that runoff into our waterways could also end up in drinking water and they could also have an adverse affect upon beneficial aquatic life.

Most of the opposition to GM foods is because "they" do not trust that there has been sufficient empirical studies to prove that there are no adverse affects from the consumption of GM foods.

Also, local soil and water conservation districts probably have insufficient information regarding the long-lasting residual affects of higher concentrations of pesticides used by farmers.

I have included some links below that have additional information.

I hope this helps.

Hiking Tony

Answer 2

The main disadvantages are the huge costs of acquiring regulatory approvals for release of GM crops for agriculture.  Another disadvantage is the adverse and irrational responses that these products frequently receive from the press and activists.