David Retherford

Persuasive Speech

SC105-01H, 8:00 a.m.

Professor Glen Williams

1 November 2017

Title: Are We Creating Frankenstein Organisms?

Purpose: To persuade the audience to embrace GMOs.

Introduction:

I. GMO…. Chances are when you hear this word, negative thoughts might come to

mind.

II. According to Wayne Parrott of Southeast Farm Press, GMOs, genetically modified

organisms, are organisms that scientists have modified by using a tactic such as gene

splicing, instead of waiting on nature to do it, which greatly speeds up the process

(Parrott).

A. An example of this would be adding a different protein to an organism to enhance

its nutritional characteristics.

B. With this being said, nature is still the largest gene splicer of all.

III. A variety of GMOs are grown around the world.

IV. GMOs are usually labeled by the media as unsafe and thought to cause diseases.

V. In reality, GMOs are very safe, as they are the most safety-tested food in history

(Parrott).
 A. Before GMOs can be released to the market, they must be proven as safe as the

non-GMO version.

i. This process takes over a decade long, and is repeated in numerous

countries.

B. The National Academies of Science, Engineering, & Medicine concludes that

GMOs have been proven to not cause any negative side-effects to humans

(National Academies of Science, Engineering, & Medicine).

1. The National Academies of Science, Engineering, & Medicine looked at over

900 hundred studies amassed over the course of twenty years.

VI. (Thesis) GMOs should be embraced because of their many benefits.

VII. (Preview) Now that we have established that GMOs are safe, let’s see how they

benefit farmers, the environment, and consumers.

Body:

I. GMOs benefit farmers.

A. GMOs produce higher yielding crops.

1. According to Graham Brookes and Peter Barfoot of PG Economics, from

1996 to 2012, GMOs have produced an additional 122 million metric tons of

soybeans and 231 million metric tons of corn (Brookes & Barfoot).

i. To help put this weight into perspective, the Great Pyramid of Khufu

weighs about 6.3 million metric tons, so roughly fifty-six Khufu Great

Pyramids.

2. PG Economics also mentions that the highest yield gains have been found in

developing countries (Brookes & Barfoot).

 3. Higher yields provide more available food.

B. This in turn, has led to increased income for farmers.

1. PG Economics’s report states that in 2012, farmers saw a net income increase

from GMOs of $117 a metric acre (Brookes & Barfoot).

(Internal Transition): Not only have GMO crops increased farmers’ income, but they also are

helping with pest and insect problems.

C. Built-in pesticides have reduced the need for additional pesticide spraying.

1. The National Academies of Science, Engineering, & Medicine concludes that

due to GMOs reducing pests, pesticide spraying on non-GMO crops has been

reduced as well (National Academies of Science, Engineering, & Medicine).

2. This saves money for farmers to spend on things such as extra seed or farm

equipment.

D. Drought resistant crops have been developed because of GMOs.

1. Hydration loss of the plant is reduced allowing for higher yields than non-

drought crops.

2. This also reduces yearly costs from irrigation as less water is needed.

E. GMOs have allowed for herbicide tolerant crops to be developed.

1. Herbicide tolerant crops allow sprayed herbicides to kill weeds without

harming the crop.

2. This increases the usage of no-till crops as farmers do not need to till the

ground to remove weeds.

i. No-till crops are crops that are directly planted into the ground without

working the soil.

Transition: Not only are GMOs helpful to farmers, they also help the environment.

II. GMOs benefit the environment.

A. GMOs significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

1. In 2012, the amount carbon dioxide reduced from GMOs was equivalent to

removing 11.9 million cars from the road (Brookes & Barfoot).

2. This is due to less fuel being spent on irrigating and soil tillage.

i. The increased practice of no-tillage allows the ground to retain higher

levels of carbon and water.

B. Because of increased yields from GMOs, less deforestation is required.

1. The report from PG Economics informs that without GMOs, in 2012, farmers

would have required 9% more of the arable land in the United States and 24%

in Brazil (Brookes & Barfoot).

C. As more no-till production of crops is allowed, soil erosion is being reduced.

1. Water is able to run across unworked ground without carrying the soil away

because the soil hasn’t been broken up.

Transition: While GMOs are helpful to the environment, they are also helpful to the consumer.

III. GMOs benefit the public consumer.

A. Because of higher yields, a larger abundance of food is available.

1. By 2050, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United

Nations, it is estimated that in places food production will need to double

(Siegel & Verity).

2. GMOs will help provide this additional food.

B. A larger abundance of food supply allows for cheaper prices.

 C. GMOs can help reduce food waste.

1. According to the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance, a potato that will not

bruise during shipping has been developed (U.S. Farmers & Ranchers

Alliance).

2. Apples are being developed that resist turning brown after being sliced (U.S.

Farmers & Ranchers Alliance).

D. GMOs provide many health benefits.

1. Kate Siegel and Suzanne Verity of WebMD state that bruise-free potatoes are

supposed to cut down on cancer-causing chemicals created when spuds

become French fries (Siegel & Verity).

2. Soybeans fats have been changed to be healthier like olive oil.

3. Meats are being developed with increased omega-3-fatty acids to provide

more health benefits.

4. U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance also mentions that a hypoallergenic peanut

is in the process of being developed (U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance).

i. Just think, one day people who have been allergic to peanuts all their

lives will finally be able to enjoy peanut butter!

Conclusion:

I. Today we have learned that GMOs are safe to consume and that they are

revolutionary to our world.

II. Whether they are used in America or developing countries, the benefits are wide

spread.

III. GMOs benefit the farmers, the environment, and the consumer.
IV. I hope you can now see and embrace the role GMOs play in our ever-changing world.
 Works Cited

Brookes, Graham and Barfoot, Peter. “GM crops: global socio-economic and environmental

impacts 1996-2012.” PG Economics Ltd, UK, 2014.

National Academies of Science, Engineering, & Medicine. “Genetically Engineered Crops:

Experiences and Prospects.” The National Academic Press, 2016.

Parrott, Wayne. "A Plant Breeder Takes the 'Mystery' Out of GMO Crops." Southeast Farm

Press, 2016, ProQuest Central,

https://library.semo.edu:2443/login?url=https://library.semo.edu:4836/docview/18140672

73?accountid=38003.

Siegel, Kate and Verity, Suzanne. “What You Need to Know About GMOs.” WebMD, 2016.

U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance. “What Are the benefits of GMOs, Both Today and in the

Future?” The Food Dialogues.