Humans have always subtly modified their surroundings to better suit themselves; these actions range from the construction of dams to the domestication of plants and animals. While these changes are generally beneficial to the humans they affect, especially in the short term, they can have negative consequences for other organisms or, over time, for humans. In recent years, many controversies have arisen over the use of genetically modified crops. While the process of artificially breeding plants for improved growth is nothing new and the benefits of using genetically modified crops are many, critics argue that genetically modified crops could pose health risks, threaten small farms and jeopardize the delicate ecological balance. they thus endanger many other organisms (5). However, the benefits of using genetically modified crops for food production far outweigh the risks, and many of the risks can be mitigated with proper and thorough regulation and further research. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Using genetically modified crops for food offers many benefits. First, plants can be transformed to allow for reduced use of pesticides and herbicides. Farms using soybean and corn plants resistant to Monsanto's herbicides can use cheaper and more effective herbicides to prevent weed growth without killing the crop. Because these herbicides are more effective, fewer of them can be used to reduce the potential danger to consumers of the plant (1). Additionally, both of these attributes help reduce costs for the farmer, which can lead to increased profits for the farmer, possibly reducing the price of plant products, benefiting many low-income families. A long-term study recently completed by the University of Göttingen in Germany suggests that farmers who adopt genetically modified crops have significantly increased crop yields and profit margins, with profits around 68% higher than farmers who do not (3). Furthermore, crops can be modified to provide both better growth and better nutrition, possibly helping to reduce malnutrition in underdeveloped countries around the world. For example, tomatoes have been modified to provide longer shelf life and better frost resistance (5). From these initial results, it is possible that some crops could be modified to provide better growth in unfavorable climates, reducing the need for specialized environments, which would allow for better and more diverse agricultural growth in underdeveloped countries, which tend to have unfavorable climates for a diverse plant growth. This, together with the introduction of biofortified crops, such as “Golden Rice,” which provides high levels of vitamin A, can significantly improve the nutrition of individuals around the world, leading to a reduced incidence of disorders resulting from nutritional deficiencies (1 ). A third significant benefit, which has recently begun to emerge in the research community, is the possibility of “edible vaccines.” Vaccines can often be very difficult to produce and store, leading to prohibitive prices for those who need them most. However, new genes, which code for vaccine components, can be introduced into more plants..