Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are plants or living things that have been altered at a genomic level by scientists to improve the organisms characteristics. These characteristics include providing new vaccines for humans, increasing nutrients supplies, and creating unique plastics. They may also be able to grow in climates that are typically not suitable for the original organism to grow in. Examples of GMOs include virus resistant tobacco and squash, delayed ripening tomatoes, and herbicide resistant soybeans.
GMO's came with an increased interest in using biotechnology to produce fertilizer and pesticides. Due to an increased market interest in biotechnology in the 1970s, there was more technology and infrastructure developed, a decreased cost, and an advance in research. Since the early 1980s, genetically-modified crops have been incorporated. Increased biotechnological work calls for the union of biology and chemistry to produce improved crops, a main reason behind this being the increasing amount of food needed to feed a growing population.
That being said, concerns with GMOs include potential antibiotic resistance from eating a GMO. There are also concerns about the long term effects on the human body since many GMOs were recently developed.
Much controversy surrounds GMOs. In the United States, all foods containing GMOs must be labeled as such.