Genetically modified organisms make up one billion acres of crops worldwide, and recent debate has shifted from those crops to the neighbors of those crops.

“The main risk of GMO at the moment is contamination of non-GMO crops with pollen from other GMO varieties,” said Lorena Moeller, graduate student in interdepartmental plant physiology.

GMOs are organisms that have small amounts of DNA from other organisms, which allow them to produce proteins they couldn’t normally produce, said David Oliver, professor of biology and associate dean of research and graduate studies.

“This protein is either a useful product itself or provides the organism an advantage it didn’t have before,” said Lisa Lorenzen, director of industry relations and biotechnology liaison.

Lorenzen said green groups, who believe there hasn’t been sufficient testing on GMOs to prove they are not harmful, and members of the European Union, are protesting the use of GMOs. These groups worry about the impact they could have on biodiversity and the control of crops by large corporations. The main concerns of these groups, however, are the environmental and health risks.

Green groups believe GMO plants have antibiotics and this resistance can be passed on to humans and insects. The bacteria in humans’ stomachs are very easily transformed, and green groups say there is a possibility that the DNA of the bacteria could transform and cause humans to become resistant to the antibiotic scientists use to create the GMO. This has yet to be proven, however, Lorenzen said.

Sule Karaman, graduate student in agronomy and interdepartmental plant physiology, said more research in this area is beginning. One of those efforts is the Biosafety Institute for Genetically Modified Agricultural Products, founded at Iowa State, which provides science-based third-party evaluation on the issue.

“Efforts to evaluate benefits and potential risks of GMOs based on science have been under way,” Karaman said.

One local farmer is seeing the benefits outweigh the risks.

“I’m in favor of GMO crops,” said Darrell Geisler, a farmer near Bondurant.

Geisler and his wife, Malinda, farm about 1,200 acres of corn and soybeans. All of their soybeans and approximately half of their corn is genetically modified. A percent of their corn must be non-GMO, however, so pests won’t form a resistance.

With GMO crops, farmers do not have to handle as many toxic herbicides and pesticides, get more yield per acre of land and increase profit, said Ray Hansen, specialist at the Ag Marketing and Research Center.

“GMO crops have also drastically lowered crop production cost,” Hansen said.

Hansen also believes the quality of grain is better because there is less damage from insects and pressure from weeds.

“The public doesn’t realize these crops go through lots of testing before being released for commercial use,” said Coralie Lashbrook, assistant professor in horticulture. “I think they have the power to do really great things.”

Lorenzen said farmers aren’t the only ones to see the rewards of GMOs.

“Benefits to the environment include reduced tillage and therefore H2O conservation and reduced top soil loss,” Lorenzen said.