The Problem Posed By GMOs For Farmers
Imaging, it’s 50 years from now, scientists know that Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) crops have benefits to our health and there is an abundance of food because GMO seeds produce more food than non-GMO seeds. Everybody seems to be a winner in the future, except for one group of people, the farmers. It is becoming increasingly difficult for farmers to keep their farms profitable enough to keep their businesses alive. GMO seed costs are increasing exponentially to where the cost to buy the seeds and the upkeep to keep them alive are getting closer to the price the farmers to sell them for. This could be happening because of the GMO seed market is largely dominated by one company, Monsanto. Or non-GMO farmers being sued for having GMO crops growing in their fields due to cross-contamination from neighboring farms growing GMO crops. This is a big problem that needs to be solved.
Without farmers, we have no food, and with the increasing costs to run their farms a lot of them will have to shut down or sell their farm. Equipment for farms are already a huge burden on the farmers, they do not need another money problem with the seeds they need to plant to keep up with other farmers. GMOs could have a big benefit to our health and others quality of living, but at what cost.
GMOs are a technology, and when a new technology is introduced it is usually very expensive. However, when time goes on the price for new technology goes down in price fast. This is because scientists and engineers find ways to produce their products cheaper and more effective than when they were first introduced. Most people would think that Genetically Engineered (GE) crops would follow in the footsteps of all the technology before it. The complete opposite is happening though. According to the U. S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service from 1995 to 2011 the cost per acre of corn seed went up 259 percent. This is just one example though; the price per acre of soybean seed went up a staggering 325 percent. Coincidentally at this time, the percentage of GE crop acreage went from 20 percent to between 80 to 90 percent. From 2000 to 2010 the price for GE soybean increased an outstanding 230 percent. Economists say that when four companies control over 40 percent of any certain market than that market is no longer competitive.
A competitive market is extremely crucial to our market. A competitive market gives the consumers buying power; they get to spend their money where they feel like it is best spent. This forces companies to make the very best products they can with a price that is fair for the consumer. When companies monopolize a market that buying power is stripped away from the consumer, and they can regulate the prices the way they seem fit.
