Genetically-modified plants should continue to be used in agriculture.

Here is my opening argument. Genetic modification of plants has taken place at virtually any point in the history of agriculture, through selective breeding since early prehistory (1). Plants and animals that are selectively bred are selected for certain traits that humans desire (1). Over the many generations of a specific type of plant or animal being selectively bred, more desirable genetic material is added by humans (1). One example that speaks for the usefulness of genetic modification is corn. According to the University of Utah: "The history of modern-day maize begins at the dawn of human agriculture, about 10,000 years ago. Ancient farmers in what is now Mexico took the first steps in domesticating maize when they simply chose which kernels (seeds) to plant. These farmers noticed that not all plants were the same. Some plants may have grown larger than others, or maybe some kernels tasted better or were easier to grind. The farmers saved kernels from plants with desirable characteristics and planted them for the next season's harvest. This process is known as selective breeding or artificial selection. Maize cobs became larger over time, with more rows of kernels, eventually taking on the form of modern maize. " (2) When one considers how widely corn is used as a food product (in excess of 67 million bushels of corn a year was the amount needed, by estimation, to feed the world's population growth as of March 2013; corn was also the most-produced crop in the United States in 2011), corn seems to be the epitome of the success of genetic modification; specifically, that of selective breeding, the traditional mode of genetic modification (1) (3) (4). Genetic modification has already proven to be a huge asset due to the success of corn, both to the world's food supply and to growers of corn. IN 2011, total cash receipts from total corn sales in the United States were around $63.9 billion (4). The five most-produced crops in the world, as of 2011, were: 1. Corn, at 822,712,527 tons 2. Wheat, at 689,945,712 tons 3. Rice, at 685,013,374 tons 4. Potatoes, at 314,140,107 tons 5. Cassava, at 232,950,180 tons (5) Corn's genetic modification through selective breeding has already been stated. Wheat is the product of a cross between three species of grass, and has been cultivated for thousands of years. Wheat's domestication supposedly occurred in 10,000 B. C. (6). Wheat is thus the product of genetic modification. Rice was one of the grains developed in early China through the selective breeding of several wild grasses (7) . Rice is thus the product of genetic modification. I could go on and on about selective breeding. I have successfully showed that genetic modification created the three-most-produced crops in the world in 2011, and have already demonstrated the success of corn, which was the most-produced crop in the world in 2011. Obviously, selective breeding is not the only type of genetic modification; there is a more efficient and faster type of genetic modification at the fingertips of humans- that being laboratory modification of genes. According to the University of Maryland's Medical Center: "Genetic engineering can be done with plants, animals, or microorganisms. Historically, farmers bred plants and animals for thousands of years to produce the desired traits. For example, they produced dogs ranging from poodles to Great Danes, and roses from sweet-smelling miniatures to today's long-lasting, but scent-free reds. Selective breeding over time created these wide variations, but the process depended on nature to produce the desired gene. Humans then chose to mate individual animals or plants that carried the particular gene in order to make the desired characteristics more common or more pronounced. Genetic engineering allows scientists to speed this process up by moving desired genes from one plant into another -- or even from an animal to a plant or vice versa. " (8) The last line in the quoted region above, I feel, is the most important. "Genetic engineering allows scientists to speed this process up by moving desired genes from one plant into another -- or even from an animal to a plant or vice versa. " Another important line is: "Selective breeding over time created these wide variations, but the process depended on nature to produce the desired gene. " By directly adding genes perceived as beneficial from one organism to another, as we can see, the goals of selective breeding can be attained more quickly and efficiently! Beneficial traits can be imported without the inefficiencies on depending on natural processes for desired results; thus, genetic engineering is merely a more efficient form of genetic modification than is selective breeding. The qualities that humans make use of in agriculture are imparted by genes. Adding genes directly rather than waiting on nature to provide them accomplishes the same goal, but faster. The definition I gave in Round One is the definition of "genetically-modified". By this definition, both selective breeding and genetic engineering accomplish the same thing. I have already shown how selective breeding has vastly benefited the entire world's population. Genetic engineering is simply better (more efficient and faster) than the original methods of genetic modification. In any case, by showing the usefulness of genetic modification in the past, I have made a strong case for the use of genetic modification in the future. As long as there is genetic material to be modified and used to the purposes of humans, humans can use genetic modification to their advantage, by eliminating undesirable traits, adding desirable traits, or eliminating undesirable traits AND adding desirable ones. I now hand the debate over to my opponent. I look forward to Con's opening argument! Sources: 1. . http://en.wikipedia.org... 2. . http://learn.genetics.utah.edu... 3. . http://blogs.marketwatch.com... 4. . http://www.epa.gov... 5. . http://www.businessinsider.com... 6. . http://www.allaboutwheat.info... 7. . http://www.flavorandfortune.com... 8. . http://umm.edu...