Genetic modification involves direct modification of DNA, a living thing's genetic material. Genetic modification is being applied to develop new benefits, such as increasing the shelf life, creating greater resistance to pests, or creating the ability for crops to grow in different environmental conditions. Conventional breeding involves the transfer of many thousands of genes randomly and takes many years to produce an organism with the desired characteristics. Through genetic modification, it is now possible to introduce one or a few genes more precisely into the organism.
Genetic modification is much faster than conventional breeding.
A specific, desired characteristic can be quickly added to make a plant resistant to disease or insects, to make an animal gain weight faster, and so on. Genetic modification also permits the transfer of genes that cannot be dealt with through conventional breeding, for example the transfer of a gene from a turnip to a cereal grain or from a bacterium to corn. The first use of this was in the 1980s to modify the E.coli bacteria so that it could produce insulin cheaply for those who suffer from diabetes. Genetic modification can be as safe as traditional breeding. When crossing two plants using conventional breeding techniques, breeders mix thousands of genes in order to acquire one or a few genetic traits.