Evaluation Of The Perceived Risks Of Genetically Modified Crops In European And American Contexts

In the past, farmers have utilized many methods such as artificial selection in order to produce a desired crop. In recent times, biotechnology has made its way into agricultural practices and genetically modified (GM) crops became a hot topic issue. GM crops are generally not so different from their conventional counterparts and studies have shown that GM crops do not pose a risk to human health, but Europeans generally feel more antagonistic towards GM crops. This thesis will evaluate where these differences stem from, and why the European Union has chosen to regulate the same technology in such different ways compared to the US. The methods of production, sociocultural opinions, and past regulatory failures in a country such as the madcow disease outbreak have majorly influenced the opinion of a populace on acceptance of a novel food