About ten thousand years ago, corn was domesticated by Mesoamerican populations. This domestication was so successful that corn, which was initially a plant called teosinte, became an entirely different crop, now known as maize (Hirst). Today, humans' relationship with edible plants is much different than it was before, with most Americans rarely purchasing plants in their raw form. Technically speaking, Mesoamerican peoples altered the genetics of their crops, but today genetic engineering is completely different. Despite the fact that genetically modified organisms, often referred to as GMOs, could positively revolutionize agriculture, questionable practices and health risks prevent genetically modified foods from becoming a safe or sustainable option. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay What exactly is a GMO? As evidenced by the Mesoamerican people, among millions of other societies that participated in crop domestication, genetic modification of crops is not in itself bad. The basic concept of genetic modification – changing the biological composition and physical properties of a crop to increase agricultural efficiency – is absolutely fabulous. In fact, genetic modification has led to the popularity of many foods such as blueberries, sweet potatoes, grapes, and countless others. Genetic modification, in this sense, is one of the vital technological innovations in the history of humanity. But not all that glitters is gold, especially genetically modified apples. Today, over 90% of genetically modified seeds planted and harvested are engineered by Monsanto, one of the most controversial companies in the modern world (Tong). Monsanto's genetic modification doesn't happen in the fields, but in the laboratories. Monsanto's genetic modification does not take decades, but rather a few months. Monsanto's genetic modification does not depend on a natural progression, but rather on a decidedly unnatural modification. Instead of allowing crops to change over time with the help of human intervention, Monsanto rapidly and forcibly alters the DNA of common foods. These genetically modified seeds produce crops that stay ripe longer, can be tastier and generally more fruitful. Let's be real: it looks amazing! Unfortunately, genetic engineering under Monsanto is far from the utopian agriculture we all wish it was. For starters, Monsanto's background is more than questionable. A life sciences company until the late 1990s, Monsanto oversaw the production of chemicals, polymers, food additives, and pharmaceuticals (“Dark History of…”). Monsanto is a leading producer of PCBs, DDT and dioxins, not to mention the infamous chemical weapon Agent Orange. PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are classified as environmentally toxic, an organic pollutant, a probable carcinogen, and have been banned by the United States Congress ("What are the effects of PCBs on human health?"). While genetically modified crops stay ripe for an unnaturally long time and sometimes improve flavor, do you really want to consume a product from a company with this kind of history? Do you really want to ingest food made by the same company responsible for Agent Orange? Gradual genetic modification of crops could be, and historically has been, incredibly successful. But with companies like Monsanto this success is simply not possible. Our diet is vital to our most basic bodily functions; we shouldn't allow it.