GMOs, also known as Genetically Modified Organisms, are organisms that have been grown with chemicals that enhance some characteristics of the organism.

Take chicken for example, in this scenario,  Starting from now the chicken is no longer just a chicken. Depending on what they are bred for, modern chickens are either “layers” or “broilers.” Bread to lay eggs, layers have been so dramatically altered that they can lay more than 250 eggs per year, while their ancestors that were in South Asia laid about two dozen annually.

They do not grow fast enough to be used for meat, however, which is why all of the non-egg-producing males of the layer breeds are killed soon after hatching. This is where the “broilers” come in.

There is a debate going around that concerns GMOs. Some people think GMOs are bad for the future of the earth, while others disagree and think food shouldn’t be something we tamper with. Here are some opinions on the topic:

“GMOs are good for people because they allow farmers to mass produce crops, thus decreasing the world hunger rate.” Explained Ali Srour a 10th grader who is for GMOs. “Some GMOs grow or produce faster than the regular food itself, meaning that having an increase in GMOs could potentially lead to a decrease in the world hunger death rate.”

Storm Cooper, an 8th grader who is against GMOs, claims “What’s the point in eating food that has been GM if it changes the taste in the food and has not tasted the real food itself? GMOs make your food taste good but it also destroys your body.  

“Isn’t there another way for our food to stay big, and rot less. Something that actually has to do with nature and the environment we live in?” Israa Awada, a 9th grader who is against Genetically Modified Organisms stated.

Amer Mohammad an 8th grader who is also against GMOs stated, “GMOs were only put into this world because, people are hungry, but not for food for the money and they want it fast. They don’t care about what their customers think all they care about is how fast they gain a certain amount of money at a certain time.

In reality, GMOs are genetically modified food are living organisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory through genetic engineering.

Written By Sara Srour.