Genetically Modified CropsFor years, farmers have battled pests, weeds, and diseases to grow crops. Many pesticides and herbicides have been used to solve these problems, only to later discover that they are harming our environment and posing a health hazard to animals and humans. I am constantly looking for new ways to improve agriculture. Genetically modified crops began in 1996 (Charmin 74-83). It appears that genetically modified crops have minimal effects on the environment and humans, produce larger harvests and could be the answer to world hunger. The primary use of genetically modified technology has been to allow farmers to use a broad-spectrum herbicide to control weeds and reduce the use of herbicides and pesticides and their negative effects on our environment. The National Research Council released a report that found genetically modified crops increased farmers' profits and cause less damage to the environment than conventional crops (Kilman n/a). By planting these types of crops, farmers have to work less often, which helps reduce soil erosion and costs. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the health of United States agriculture requires the simultaneous viability, or coexistence, of organic crops and genetically modified crops (Keifer 1241). The coexistence of these two crops has been threatened by gene flow. The modified crops spread their genes to the unmodified crops. This threatens the organic state and... middle of paper... Works CitedCharman, Karen. Genetically modified foods: promises and dangers. Mother Earth News 194 (October/November 2002): 74-83 ProQuest. Network. 18 Dec 2013Keifer, Joseph. Spinning a new shoot: Promoting agricultural health by encouraging the coexistence of organic and genetically modified crops in the wake of Monsanto Co. V. Geerston's seed farms and the deregulation of modified alfalfa. Emory Law Journal 61.5 (2012): 1241-1285. ProQuest. Network. December 18, 2013Kilman, Scott. Genetically modified crops get a vote of approval. Wall Street Journal (online) New York, NY, April 13, 2010: n/a ProQuest. Network. December 18, 2013Richardson, Sarah. Pandora's Picnic Basket: The Potential and Risks of Genetically Modified Foods. Discover 21.8 (August 2000): 89-90 Proquest. Network. 18 DEC 2013