Graduation Speech Essay - 530 Words

It amazes me that we are finally here! Throughout the years, I have often thought about this moment. How it would feel to be with all of you, in our caps and gowns, finally graduating. I remember as a child, thinking about what I would look like when I was all grown up, how I would act, who I would love and what kind of person I would become. And now here it all is, were ready, were done with high school, and I couldnt be more thrilled or scared! We go through this twelve-year metamorphosis, and then one day, we wake up and its over, our ascent into adulthood has come. Were ready to face all that life has to throw at us, to make a life for ourselves, outside of school and childhood, to go to college, take a year off or get a job. Yet†¦show more content†¦I remember when I was in kindergarten, thinking that the first graders were so old, finally making it to my first grade class, and going home crying on the first day of school, having thought that I would learn to read that day. We have all these hopes and dreams as to what school and in turn life will be like. We didnt know what first grade was going to be like, just as we dont know how our years ahead will be. Last fall, I wrote in an article for our newspaper that senior year had been a let down: that there had been a lot of disappointments, and that it had not lived up to what I had expected. Now I say that senior year has been exactly what it should have been: a mixture of good and bad times, all coming together to create a year of great variation, each moment being different and changing. Each moment being fleeting. Weve had so many firsts. First dances, first dates, first kisses, first concerts and our first car. I think about all the times that I have had with my friends, playing tennis, going to movies, dressing up for spirit days, getting lost going to concerts, basketball games. And yet in all of the good times, I find that I, like most of you are desperately ready to graduate. We are ready to go out and make a life outside of high school. We, are ready for change. As easy as it is to retreat into memories of our high school past, of childhood fun, and new experiences, we need to embrace change. Embrace adulthood, allow ourselvesShow MoreRelatedGraduation Speech : My Graduation Essay1022 Words   |  5 Pages My Graduation A Graduation ceremony is one of the major steps in life, it marks the start of new changes in our lives. It ushers us into growing up and be responsible for our actions. It marks a new dawn of embracing life experiences, cultivation of good work ethics and eventually culminates in chasing our dreams. On my graduation day, I woke up to the sweet aroma of the breakfast my sister was making. I sat down to eat when the food was ready. It took me about 2 hours to finishRead MoreGraduation Speech1128 Words   |  5 PagesSasenarine Tomby Graduation Speech 2011 Good afternoon [name of members of the head table], teachers, parents, students, fellow graduates and distinguished guests. I must first and foremost thank God for this blessing and honor to stand before you today as Valedictorian of the Class of 2011. Yet, today is not only my day to shine. Every graduate present here is deserving of high praise and recognition and I would like to congratulate each of you on reaching this milestone in life. IRead MoreGraduation Speech650 Words   |  3 PagesCongratulations everyone, congratulations. If youre participating in this graduation ceremony, youve taken the next step toward your future goals and dreams. For those of you that just finished your transfer degrees, congratulations. To those of you that came back to school after a few years off to get a better education, congratulations. To those of you that came to get a certificate or learn IT or computer programming so you can get a better job, congratulations. Now that youre moving onRead More Graduation Speech Essay1010 Words   |  5 PagesLadies, gentlemen, parents, friends, family, staff, fellow students: Instead of taking up more time and reading my speech, it is available to you at http://www.olen’s_speech.com. Thank you. No, just kidding. But seriously folks... Today we are gathered here to celebrate our graduation from 12 long years of schooling. The education granted to us has been a privilege. One so graciously given to us by the citizens of our state, by our community, and by our parents. Today would not beRead More Graduation Speech Essay1009 Words   |  5 Pagesyou might ever sit through. Most of us, though, and I regret that I am in this group, will sit through many more ceremonies -- ceremonies longer and more tedious that this or anything else you can imagine. If you think this is bad, try a college graduation. Think, that is, attend a wedding. And, if just for a moment you think that that is bad, just be thankful you have never attended or will attend a Bar Mitzvah. The only ceremony I think anybody would truly enjoy attending is a funeral. But, onlyRead MoreEssay on Graduation Speech830 Words   |  4 Pagesthe senior class president. A few weeks ago, I was told that I would be speaking at graduation. I was asked to put together a speech for tonight -- Ive become experienced at speech writing over the past couple of weeks. The speech that you are hearing is the fourth one Ive written, the recycle bin needs to be emptied at home and I need a new highlighter. Thank you, Mr. Mier, you get an A+ for your help as my speech teacher but an F for saving trees. Tonight Id like to talk to three groupsRead MoreAn Example of a Graduation Speech653 Words   |  3 Pageswriting papers, doing homework, taking an occasional pop quiz, and of course taking countless exams, it is that time that we all anticipate†¦Graduation! Purpose Statement: Since the majority of us are seniors, and graduation is a little less than a month away, I am going to provide you with some historical background information and some fun facts about graduation in order to make the occasion even more meaningful than it already is. Road Map: Most of you could probably agree that high school wasRead More Graduation Speech Essay1516 Words   |  7 Pagesstudy abroad, and with the great help of the Turner family, Ms. Joy Fitzpatrick who is the international student program coordinator, and my parents, I entered America as an international student on March 11, 2001, only one week after my high school graduation in Japan. It seems as though yesterday when I saw my host mom crying at the airport to see me landed to America safely, as if she were welcoming back her own daughter. I still recall the very first class I took. I was so scared and nervous thatRead More Graduation Speech Essay1115 Words   |  5 Pagesthis graduation speech, several people suggested including a profound quote offering â€Å"encouraging advice to the young graduates†, and then there were others who said, â€Å"eh don’t worry about it, no one listens to those anyway.† Fortunately, I was actually able to take from both suggestions and found a happy balance. You see, I won’t tell you today to: â€Å"Dare to dream† or â€Å"Find your own vision† or even to â€Å"Strive for excellence,† or any trite clichà © that’s ever been said in a graduation speech. SoRead More Graduation Speech Essay560 Words   |  3 PagesWhen they were trying to find someone to give this speech they first asked the most intelligent, smart person they could find. But she turned them down. So then they asked the most beautiful, lovely, attractive person they could find. She also turned them down. Next they asked the nicest, sweetest, kindest, most sincere person they could find. Then I decided it would be rude to turn them down three times in a row, so here I am. How many people here like tomato soup? Come on, raise your hand if

Marketing Plan Laser Eye Surgery Free Essays

Laser XY, Inc. Marketing Plan Week 3 Assignment 1 MKT500 July 22, 2012 Executive Summary Laser XY is preparing to open up Clinics in predominantly Afro-American areas. It will be using promotional tools directed at Afro-Americans with Glaucoma. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Plan Laser Eye Surgery or any similar topic only for you Order Now The strategy of Laser XY is to assist the Afro-American communities due to this groups high-risk for eye diseases. Thus, the company creates communications that conveys a positive concern for the eye health of the Afro-American communities. Laser XY has completed the initial market research to evaluate the potential sales opportunity in the United States (â€Å"Glaucoma health guide,† 2012). If successful, Laser XY is prepared to launch clinics in the Canadian markets as well in order to address the customer needs. As part of the preliminary research, Laser XY identified the market and target segments for its services and completed a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats analysis to evaluate business fit. In addition, Laser XY created and effectively communicated its position statement for the clinic lunch. â€Å"Glaucoma health guide,† 2012) Laser XY background Laser XY is a specialty clinic that performs Laser correction for African Americans with Glaucoma. Laser XY is an exciting, life-enriching procedure. Laser XY understands that each patient must feel fully comfortable with his or her decision to have the treatment, as well as with the vision care team who will supervise each step of the process. That’s why Laser XY combines proven, state-of-the-art, FDA-approved technology with a professional team that specializes in Glaucoma correction. Strategic mission statement Laser XY â€Å"Healthy Vision for Life: Focus on African-American Eyes† is the latest aspect of its ethnical marketing platform to raise awareness of the eye health needs of at-risk group. The initiative started with the fast-growing African American market at higher risk for many eye health issues, in 2013. In addition to superior experience, Laser XY ensures the utmost success and safety during laser vision correction involves using state-of-the-art equipment and highly trained personnel. This is translated into a higher cost compared to the so-called â€Å"discount Lasik chains†. We believe that our patients understand that a compromise on quality is unacceptable when it comes to one’s vision. It is our commitment to best service and technology. † Marketing plan Determine and decide upon at least one (1) foreign market for the product and service. Provide your rationale for this market. Canada is a world leader in laser eye surgery and every year almost 40-50% of the laser eye surgery-taking place in Canada is conducted by a number of companies. The cost of laser eye surgery in Canada is more reasonable and affordable. This is due to a favorable exchange rate on the Canadian dollar, the lack of laser royalty fees in Canada, and the cost-effective economies of scale that are achieved in a sub-specialized center with many patients. According to the 2006 Census by Statistic Canada, 783,795 Canadians identified themselves as black, constituting 2. 5% of the entire Canadian population * About 30% of Black Canadians have Jamaican heritage. * An additional 32% have heritage elsewhere in the Caribbean or Bermuda. * 60% of Black Canadians are under the age of 35. 60% of Black Canadians live in the province of Ontario. * 97% of Black Canadians live in urban areas. There are 32,000 more black women than black men in Canada (â€Å"Why chose Canada,† 2012) Discuss the potential audiences for a marketing plan and the needs of those potential audiences. Worldwide, Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness. It is also the first leading cause of blindness among African Americans. It is not clear why people of African ancestry have higher rates of glaucoma and subsequent blindness than Caucasians. One factor may be that African-Americans are more susceptible to developing elevated eye pressure (IOP) earlier in life, which is thought to contribute to optic nerve damage and eventual vision loss. Another reason may be that patients of African descent are less likely than Caucasians to have early eye examinations that may detect and treat glaucoma. Glaucoma affects 1 in 200 people aged fifty and younger, and 1 in 10 over the age of eighty. If the condition is detected early enough it is possible to arrest the development or slow the progression with medical and surgical means. Glaucoma Treatment, 2012) Marketing Strategy: ? Target Market: Low to Middle Income consumer’s ? between the age of 18-up 1) Positioning: To create and increase buyer awareness of the Laser XY services and brand. To attract new customers, resulting in increase in sales and market share for Laser XY insurance in the private health insurance industry along with encouraging long-term relationships with t he existing and new customer through advertisement and media. It is essential that this target segment use all the marketing variables. In particular a judicious use of pricing policy can lead to excellent growth in sales revenues. 2) Product Line: Laser XY provides members with clear vision and freedom at a lower expense. Augmented services include care booth before and after the Lasik laser eye surgery, with four years free of charge guarantee, and customer support. 3) Price: Below competitors. Interest Free special for 12 or 24 months! Spread the cost of laser eye surgery over 12 or 24 months and pay no interest if you repay the total cost within the agreed timeframe. No deposit required. 2, 36, or 24 convenient monthly payments No early settlement fees or penalties. Laser Cost for One Eye – $1500, Laser Surgery Cost for Two Eyes – $3000. 4) Promotion: Laser XY will establish outlets and free vision screening booths in localities that have a high Afro-American population. Special outlets to be organized and price-offs to be offered for limited time period. This will allow the members to expand benefi ts with a lesser payment. Major newspapers, trade magazines and other health periodicals will be used to promote the service. Along with brochures describing the benefits of Laser XY surgery insurance will be made available in all services outlets. In addition, Laser XY, Inc. will promote the service via the Internet, providing a large amount of information, using banner exchange, and contacting particular user groups. (Glaucoma Treatment, 2012) Discuss the target market and provide a rationale for this target market. Consider the strategy of Laser XY. It declares the Afro-American communities as a high-risk group for eye diseases and creates communications that conveys a positive concern for the eye health of the Afro-American ommunities. For instance, Laser XY will open booths for checking eyes. This is a strong marketing strategy. When the potential customer presents herself for a check-up a need for service is revealed and the customer is directed to Laser XY. ? Laser XY sends communications targeted at the Afro-American community. It shows concern for the members of the communities, communicates that t he Afro-American communities are at a far greater risk with a detection of Glaucoma, and so they need Laser XY services. The valuable education that they give is a disguised marketing communication targeted at this potentially lucrative segment. From the perspective of Laser XY, the Afro-American communities are a potentially attractive and lucrative segment. Perform a SWOT analysis (strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats) for the company. The use of SWOT analysis is important to identify ways to minimize the effect of Laser XY Inc. weaknesses while trying to maximize its strengths and at the same time recognize ways to exploit its opportunities and respond to its threats. Strengths: * Afro-American communities as a high risk group for eye Glaucoma causes this a potentially attractive and lucrative segment * Unique offering with little or no competition in the market. ? * Locating Laser XY Inc. stores in Afro-American predominant areas and using promotional tools directed at Afro-Americans will go a long way in increasing the market share of Laser XY, Inc. Weaknesses: * Lack of brand name and reputation in the marketplace as compared to existing clinics. ? * Laser treatment does not give a surety of a 20/20 eye vision. However, it allows the patient to have a proper vision in absence of any glasses or corrective lenses. Such improvement encourages the patient to take a chance with the complication associated to laser eye surgery. Being a startup company, there is lack of strong financial base for spending on advertising or promotions compared to established clinics. Opportunities: ? * Strong growth opportunities in emerging markets in US, as well as strong potential in developed markets in Canada * The development of this service especially for Afro-American communities opens up new opportunities or Laser XY Inc. to maximize its revenues from the Afro-American segment. * Laser XY Inc. will show concern for the members of the communities, communicates that the Afro-American communities are at a far greater risk of Glaucoma, and so they need Laser XY, Inc. Threat * Threat of competition from established clinics as well as new potential entrants in the market due to low barriers of entry. ? * Major th reats are potential imitation from other competitors and need to offer new products regularly in order to maintain competitiveness. Clients choosing more economical vision correction choices, such as prescribe eye drops, eyeglasses, and contact lenses. * Cost of LASIK eye surgery cost differs widely from one provider to another and depends on many factors. African American is a high risk of vision loss from this disease. With the commitment of our professional management team and enthusiastic staff, the culture of the organization driven by Laser XY, Inc. has been created to make a difference to this targeted group. Our marketing segment is to exploit our services for both men and women from low to middle segments of the society that are willing to use our services. Our target customers will not only have optional payment plans, it will also encounter superior experience, safety laser vision correction. This involves using state-of-the-art equipment and highly trained personnel. Furthermore, locating Laser XY, Inc. stores in Afro-American predominant areas and using promotional tools directed at Afro-Americans will go a long way in increasing the market share of Laser XY, Inc. References Glaucoma /treatment. (2012, June). Retrieved from http://www. glaucoma. org/treatment/laser-surgery. php http://adam. about. net/reports/000025_8. htm African-Americans’ glaucoma risk http://outlook. wustl. edu/2011/dec/glaucoma-risk Glaucoma health guide. (2012, July). Retrieved from Glaucoma http://health. nytimes. com/health/guides/disease/glaucoma/risk-factors. html Why chose canada. (2012, July). Retrieved from Why choose Canada–http://www. lasikmd. com/north-york/corporate-information/why-choose-canada How to cite Marketing Plan Laser Eye Surgery, Essay examples

International Finance Complexes in Synthesis

Question: 1. Assume Merck is using 8% as their estimate of peseta inflation and 4% as the estimate for U.S. inflation for purposes of estimating cash flows, expected future spot rates, and the foreign cost of capital. Conduct an NPV analysis of this project by discounting in pesos and converting the peso NPV to dollars at todays spot rate. Next, convert the peso cash flows into dollars at expected future spot rates and then discount in dollars. Are the NPVs the same? Why? 2. Suppose the inflation rate is expected to be 4% in each currency. Inflate the cost projections in Exhibit 2 at these rates and repeat the valuation in 1. How much is the increase in value under the two approaches? Where does it come from? 3. Consider the last paragraph of the case (before the exhibits). Instead of the peseta appreciating against the dollar as someexperts think, suppose a different currency expert thinks the peseta is going to lose value against the dollar due to a crisis associated with upcoming Spanish elections. In particular, he believes the peseta will fall from its current value of Pts127/$ to Pts150/$ next year, Pts170/$ in the second year, and will then remain at Pts170/$ indefinitely. This represents a possible (andserious for Merck) deviation from UIP. Repeat the valuation in 1a and 1b. What do you find? Answer: Considering the NPV calculation that has been performed in the excel sheet, it can be stated that the process is dedicated to present only the present value of an uneven cash flow. Despite the involvement of the term net, the factor only suggests the present value by considering the cash flow function. It has always been the way for this particular function and leads the organization to be able to cope with the present scenario by the reflected future scenario. Therefore, it can be understood that net present value is defined to be an establishment of the present value of the expected future cash flows from making the deduction of the initial investment made by the company (Gibbons 2015). Also, it can be understood that Net refers to some significant factors that have been reduced from the gross result. Considering this particular case, the calculation of NPV has been done in the spreadsheet with the use of NPV function while leaving the initial outlay. In the case of the initial outlay, the reflected result is portrayed in the negative form. Due to that, IO is needed to be subtracted with the generated result, and it has been performed within the spreadsheet outside of the NPV function. Here, based on the provided scenario, the peseta inflation level is 8%, and 4% is estimated to be the US level of inflation. With the NPV calculation performed within the spreadsheet, the difference regarding the discounting in pesos and converting the peso NPV to dollars can be observed. The process is contributed by converting the peso cash flows into dollars at expected future spot rates as well as discounting them into dollars (Helbk, Lindest and McLellan 2010). One of the major understandings can be raised out of the calculations that both of the factors are not same regarding their results and proper causes behinds scenario have also been acknowledged. One of the major reasons is the difference regarding the discount rate, which can be reflected by the associated inflation rates. Here, according to the scenario, the peseta inflation rate is 8%, and the US is 4%. On the other hand, it should need to remember that the calculation and result of present value are highly influenced by the discounted rates, which help to discount the future amount to the present. This is the major cause leading to the different value in the excel spreadsheet. Additionally, it is needed to mention that the calculation of NPV is based on considering the present value of cash inflows and deducting the present value of cash outflows (Moles 2011). With the application of the discounted rate, this present values of both cash inflows and outflows will be changed from each other and will impact the highlighted result in the spreadsheet. The same scenario has been observed in this particular case also. The scenario, where the inflation rate has been treated as 4% each, the result of the valuation also suggest the dissimilarity regarding the calculated value. Related to the decrease in the discounted rate caused by the reduction in the inflation rate, the increase in value regarding the established result can be found out of the calculation. Here, the particular cause of this certain occurrence must need to be judged effectively. While conducting the calculation by focusing the assumed rate of inflation, it can be proposed that the unevenness of the cash flows is the basic reason leading to the increase of value as well as the dissimilarity in the result (Perfluoroalkyl and -aryl Zinc Ate Complexes in Synthesis, 2015). It is also a major fact that there is no limit in terms of the number of cash flows utilised in the functional process, and this particular fact is applicable for all intents. Furthermore, it is needed to propose that the calculations presented and constructed in exce l provide some number of facilities to the overall process. For an example, excel provides the what if analysis which helped significantly during the changes in discounted rate. By the help of the process, many kinds of errors can also be avoided while the present value of the uneven trends of the cash flow can also be determined. Also, another identification has been made related to the contiguous arrangement of the cash flow as these are aligned separately in the spreadsheet. Based on the calculation, it is understood that the future value of the newly identified equipment of the company is determined by the help of the calculation with considering the differently generated cash flows instead of the present values (Rahman 2015). As the inflation rates of both the variables are modified to remain these values same, the principal of value additivity has been utilised to perform the calculations. It refers to the identification of the future cash value of each cash flows in the individual manner and adding them together afterward. Therefore, the cumulative cash flow of the particular investment can be derived in the process of calculation, and this cumulative value continuously increases to generate a more increasing result than the previous scenario. Firstly, the effective deduction from the hypothesis of uncovered interest parity (UIP) should need to be clarified which suggests the expected rate of return of two different countries related to the identical assets; the quality can be observed despite the involvement of the exchange rate growth. Here, the application of UIP can largely be observed in the industrialised countries, as these particular countries have widely tasted the process. Therefore, the involvement of UIP is a fundamental idea of the process of calculation, while it is required to mention that the process is widely debated among the different scholars and researchers (Real estate investment decision making a review 2012). In this case, the particular importance has been provided by the deviations from the UIP, which facilitates the organizations to avail the unexploited profit opportunities. The Same particular scenario can be observed in the provided case as well. In this case, the major statement should need to develop that such an outcome or explanation should not be appreciated. Nonetheless, the deviations from the UIP are often presumed in a manner that these are often generated from the differences in the risks between two countries or the capital mobility of the countries. Sometimes, both of the factors are responsible on a combined basis to lead towards such aspect. Here, in this particular calculation conducted in the spreadsheet, the sum of two elements from the UIP deviations are applied, namely the real interest differences between the two countries and the available growth factor in the bilateral exchange rate of the countries. Based on the performed analysis contributed the valuation, different types of decompositions can be found out. These decompositions assist in providing the suitable explanation to the nature of UIP deviations. Furthermore, some other signification understandings can also be secured out of the process; the particular scenario reflects the existence of the risk premiums during the changes in the real exchange rate considered to be zero or referred to be unpredictable and the free movement of the capital due to the real interest (Wo 2012). Additionally, it is essential to mention that the calculated results are relatively less in terms of their differences, as the countries in this scenario may be among the industrialis ed countries. The particular situation can be confirmed by looking at both the level of variance related to the real interest differential trend with regards to the growth in the real exchange rate. References Gibbons, A. (2015). How modern humans ate their way to world dominance.Science. Helbk, M., Lindest, S. and McLellan, B. (2010).Corporate finance. New York: McGraw-Hill. Moles, P. (2011).Corporate finance. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Perfluoroalkyl and -aryl Zinc Ate Complexes in Synthesis. (2015).Synfacts, 11(09), pp.0983-0983. Rahman, N. (2015).Corporate Finance. North Ryde: McGraw-Hill Australia. Real estate investment decision making a review. (2012).Journal of Property Investment Finance, 30(5). Wo, Y. (2012). Decision-Making Model on Real Estate Investment.AMM, 157-158, pp.1230-1232.

The Increased Use of Genetically Modified Food Essay Example

The Increased Use of Genetically Modified Food Essay Genetically-modified foods (GM foods) have made a big splash in the news lately. European environmental organizations and public interest groups have been actively protesting against GM foods for months, and recent controversial studies about the effects of genetically-modified corn pollen on monarch butterfly caterpillars1, 2 have brought the issue of genetic engineering to the forefront of the public consciousness in the U. S. In response to the upswelling of public concern, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held three open meetings in Chicago, Washington, D. C. and Oakland, California to solicit public opinions and begin the process of establishing a new regulatory procedure for government approval of GM foods3. I attended the FDA meeting held in November 1999 in Washington, D. C. , and here I will attempt to summarize the issues involved and explain the U. S. governments present role in regulating GM food. What are genetically-modified foods? The term GM foods or GMOs (genetically-modified organisms) is most commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption using the latest molecular biology techniques.These plants have been modified in the laboratory to enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. The enhancement of desired traits has traditionally been undertaken through breeding, but conventional plant breeding methods can be very time consuming and are often not very accurate. Genetic engineering, on the other hand, can create plants with the exact desired trait very rapidly and with great accuracy. For example, plant geneticists can isolate a gene responsible for drought tolerance and insert that gene into a different plant.The new genetically-modified plant will gain drought tolerance as well. Not only can genes be transferred from one plant to another, but genes from non-plant organisms also can be used. The best known example of this is the use of B. t. gene s in corn and other crops. B. t. , or Bacillus thuringiensis, is a naturally occurring bacterium that produces crystal proteins that are lethal to insect larvae. B. t. crystal protein genes have been transferred into corn, enabling the corn to produce its own pesticides against insects such as the European corn borer.For two informative overviews of some of the techniques involved in creating GM foods, visit Biotech Basics (sponsored by Monsanto) http://www. biotechknowledge. monsanto. com/biotech/bbasics. nsf/index or Techniques of Plant Biotechnology from the National Center for Biotechnology Education http://www. ncbe. reading. ac. uk/NCBE/GMFOOD/techniques. What are some of the advantages of GM foods? The world population has topped 6 billion people and is predicted to double in the next 50 years. Ensuring an adequate food supply for this booming population is going to be a major challenge in the years to come.GM foods promise to meet this need in a number of ways: Pest resistan ceCrop losses from insect pests can be staggering, resulting in devastating financial loss for farmers and starvation in developing countries. Farmers typically use many tons of chemical pesticides annually. Consumers do not wish to eat food that has been treated with pesticides because of potential health hazards, and run-off of agricultural wastes from excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers can poison the water supply and cause harm to the environment. Growing GM foods such as B. t. orn can help eliminate the application of chemical pesticides and reduce the cost of bringing a crop to market4, 5. Herbicide toleranceFor some crops, it is not cost-effective to remove weeds by physical means such as tilling, so farmers will often spray large quantities of different herbicides (weed-killer) to destroy weeds, a time-consuming and expensive process, that requires care so that the herbicide doesnt harm the crop plant or the environment. Crop plants genetically-engineered to be resis tant to one very powerful herbicide could help prevent environmental damage by reducing the amount of herbicides needed.For example, Monsanto has created a strain of soybeans genetically modified to be not affected by their herbicide product Roundup  ®6. A farmer grows these soybeans which then only require one application of weed-killer instead of multiple applications, reducing production cost and limiting the dangers of agricultural waste run-off7. Disease resistance There are many viruses, fungi and bacteria that cause plant diseases. Plant biologists are working to create plants with genetically-engineered resistance to these diseases8, 9.Cold toleranceUnexpected frost can destroy sensitive seedlings. An antifreeze gene from cold water fish has been introduced into plants such as tobacco and potato. With this antifreeze gene, these plants are able to tolerate cold temperatures that normally would kill unmodified seedlings10. (Note: I have not been able to find any journal art icles or patents that involve fish antifreeze proteins in strawberries, although I have seen such reports in newspapers. I can only conclude that nothing on this application has yet been published or patented. Drought tolerance/salinity toleranceAs the world population grows and more land is utilized for housing instead of food production, farmers will need to grow crops in locations previously unsuited for plant cultivation. Creating plants that can withstand long periods of drought or high salt content in soil and groundwater will help people to grow crops in formerly inhospitable places11, 12. NutritionMalnutrition is common in third world countries where impoverished peoples rely on a single crop such as rice for the main staple of their diet.However, rice does not contain adequate amounts of all necessary nutrients to prevent malnutrition. If rice could be genetically engineered to contain additional vitamins and minerals, nutrient deficiencies could be alleviated. For example, blindness due to vitamin A deficiency is a common problem in third world countries. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Institute for Plant Sciences have created a strain of golden rice containing an unusually high content of beta-carotene (vitamin A)13.Since this rice was funded by the Rockefeller Foundation14, a non-profit organization, the Institute hopes to offer the golden rice seed free to any third world country that requests it. Plans were underway to develop a golden rice that also has increased iron content. However, the grant that funded the creation of these two rice strains was not renewed, perhaps because of the vigorous anti-GM food protesting in Europe, and so this nutritionally-enhanced rice may not come to market at all15.PharmaceuticalsMedicines and vaccines often are costly to produce and sometimes require special storage conditions not readily available in third world countries. Researchers are working to develop edible vaccines in tomatoes and potatoes16, 17. These vaccines will be much easier to ship, store and administer than traditional injectable vaccines. PhytoremediationNot all GM plants are grown as crops. Soil and groundwater pollution continues to be a problem in all parts of the world. Plants such as poplar trees have been genetically engineered to clean up heavy metal pollution from contaminated soil18.How prevalent are GM crops? What plants are involved? According to the FDA and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are over 40 plant varieties that have completed all of the federal requirements for commercialization (http://vm. cfsan. fda. gov/%7Elrd/biocon). Some examples of these plants include tomatoes and cantalopes that have modified ripening characteristics, soybeans and sugarbeets that are resistant to herbicides, and corn and cotton plants with increased resistance to insect pests.Not all these products are available in supermarkets yet; however, the prevalence of GM foods in U . S. grocery stores is more widespread than is commonly thought. While there are very, very few genetically-modified whole fruits and vegetables available on produce stands, highly processed foods, such as vegetable oils or breakfast cereals, most likely contain some tiny percentage of genetically-modified ingredients because the raw ingredients have been pooled into one processing stream from many different sources.Also, the ubiquity of soybean derivatives as food additives in the modern American diet virtually ensures that all U. S. consumers have been exposed to GM food products. The U. S. statistics that follow are derived from data presented on the USDA web site at http://www. ers. usda. gov/briefing/biotechnology/. The global statistics are derived from a brief published by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) at http://www. isaaa. org/publications/briefs/Brief_21. htm and from the Biotechnology Industry Organization at http://www. bio. rg/foodag/1999Acreage. Thirteen countries grew genetically-engineered crops commercially in 2000, and of these, the U. S. produced the majority. In 2000, 68% of all GM crops were grown by U. S. farmers. In comparison, Argentina, Canada and China produced only 23%, 7% and 1%, respectively. Other countries that grew commercial GM crops in 2000 are Australia, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Mexico, Romania, South Africa, Spain, and Uruguay. Soybeans and corn are the top two most widely grown crops (82% of all GM crops harvested in 2000), with cotton, rapeseed (or canola) and potatoes trailing behind. 4% of these GM crops were modified for herbicide tolerance, 19% were modified for insect pest resistance, and 7% were modified for both herbicide tolerance and pest tolerance. Globally, acreage of GM crops has increased 25-fold in just 5 years, from approximately 4. 3 million acres in 1996 to 109 million acres in 2000 almost twice the area of the United Kingdom. Approximately 99 million acres were devoted to GM crops in the U. S. and Argentina alone. In the U. S. , approximately 54% of all soybeans cultivated in 2000 were genetically-modified, up from 42% in 1998 and only 7% in 1996.In 2000, genetically-modified cotton varieties accounted for 61% of the total cotton crop, up from 42% in 1998, and 15% in 1996. GM corn and also experienced a similar but less dramatic increase. Corn production increased to 25% of all corn grown in 2000, about the same as 1998 (26%), but up from 1. 5% in 1996. As anticipated, pesticide and herbicide use on these GM varieties was slashed and, for the most part, yields were increased (for details, see the UDSA publication at http://www. ers. usda. gov/publications/aer786/). What are some of the criticisms against GM foods?Environmental activists, religious organizations, public interest groups, professional associations and other scientists and government officials have all raised concerns about GM foods, and criticized agribusiness for pursuing profit without concern for potential hazards, and the government for failing to exercise adequate regulatory oversight. It seems that everyone has a strong opinion about GM foods. Even the Vatican19 and the Prince of Wales20 have expressed their opinions. Most concerns about GM foods fall into three categories: environmental hazards, human health risks, and economic concerns. Environmental hazardsUnintended harm to other organismsLast year a laboratory study was published in Nature21 showing that pollen from B. t. corn caused high mortality rates in monarch butterfly caterpillars. Monarch caterpillars consume milkweed plants, not corn, but the fear is that if pollen from B. t. corn is blown by the wind onto milkweed plants in neighboring fields, the caterpillars could eat the pollen and perish. Although the Nature study was not conducted under natural field conditions, the results seemed to support this viewpoint. Unfortunately, B. t. toxins kill many species of insect larv ae indiscriminately; it is not possible to design a B. . toxin that would only kill crop-damaging pests and remain harmless to all other insects. This study is being reexamined by the USDA, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other non-government research groups, and preliminary data from new studies suggests that the original study may have been flawed22, 23. This topic is the subject of acrimonious debate, and both sides of the argument are defending their data vigorously. Currently, there is no agreement about the results of these studies, and the potential risk of harm to non-target organisms will need to be evaluated further.Reduced effectiveness of pesticidesJust as some populations of mosquitoes developed resistance to the now-banned pesticide DDT, many people are concerned that insects will become resistant to B. t. or other crops that have been genetically-modified to produce their own pesticides. Gene transfer to non-target speciesAnother concern is that cr op plants engineered for herbicide tolerance and weeds will cross-breed, resulting in the transfer of the herbicide resistance genes from the crops into the weeds. These superweeds would then be herbicide tolerant as well.Other introduced genes may cross over into non-modified crops planted next to GM crops. The possibility of interbreeding is shown by the defense of farmers against lawsuits filed by Monsanto. The company has filed patent infringement lawsuits against farmers who may have harvested GM crops. Monsanto claims that the farmers obtained Monsanto-licensed GM seeds from an unknown source and did not pay royalties to Monsanto. The farmers claim that their unmodified crops were cross-pollinated from someone elses GM crops planted a field or two away.More investigation is needed to resolve this issue. There are several possible solutions to the three problems mentioned above. Genes are exchanged between plants via pollen. Two ways to ensure that non-target species will not r eceive introduced genes from GM plants are to create GM plants that are male sterile (do not produce pollen) or to modify the GM plant so that the pollen does not contain the introduced gene24, 25, 26. Cross-pollination would not occur, and if harmless insects such as monarch caterpillars were to eat pollen from GM plants, the caterpillars would survive.Another possible solution is to create buffer zones around fields of GM crops27, 28, 29. For example, non-GM corn would be planted to surround a field of B. t. GM corn, and the non-GM corn would not be harvested. Beneficial or harmless insects would have a refuge in the non-GM corn, and insect pests could be allowed to destroy the non-GM corn and would not develop resistance to B. t. pesticides. Gene transfer to weeds and other crops would not occur because the wind-blown pollen would not travel beyond the buffer zone.Estimates of the necessary width of buffer zones range from 6 meters to 30 meters or more30. This planting method may not be feasible if too much acreage is required for the buffer zones. Human health risks Allergenicity Many children in the US and Europe have developed life-threatening allergies to peanuts and other foods. There is a possibility that introducing a gene into a plant may create a new allergen or cause an allergic reaction in susceptible individuals. A proposal to incorporate a gene from Brazil nuts into soybeans was abandoned because of the fear of causing unexpected allergic reactions31.Extensive testing of GM foods may be required to avoid the possibility of harm to consumers with food allergies. Labeling of GM foods and food products will acquire new importance, which I shall discuss later. Unknown effects on human healthThere is a growing concern that introducing foreign genes into food plants may have an unexpected and negative impact on human health. A recent article published in Lancet examined the effects of GM potatoes on the digestive tract in rats32, 33. This study claim ed that there were appreciable differences in the intestines of rats fed GM potatoes and rats fed unmodified potatoes.Yet critics say that this paper, like the monarch butterfly data, is flawed and does not hold up to scientific scrutiny34. Moreover, the gene introduced into the potatoes was a snowdrop flower lectin, a substance known to be toxic to mammals. The scientists who created this variety of potato chose to use the lectin gene simply to test the methodology, and these potatoes were never intended for human or animal consumption. On the whole, with the exception of possible allergenicity, scientists believe that GM foods do not present a risk to human health.Economic concerns Bringing a GM food to market is a lengthy and costly process, and of course agri-biotech companies wish to ensure a profitable return on their investment. Many new plant genetic engineering technologies and GM plants have been patented, and patent infringement is a big concern of agribusiness. Yet consu mer advocates are worried that patenting these new plant varieties will raise the price of seeds so high that small farmers and third world countries will not be able to afford seeds for GM crops, thus widening the gap between the wealthy and the poor.It is hoped that in a humanitarian gesture, more companies and non-profits will follow the lead of the Rockefeller Foundation and offer their products at reduced cost to impoverished nations. Patent enforcement may also be difficult, as the contention of the farmers that they involuntarily grew Monsanto-engineered strains when their crops were cross-pollinated shows. One way to combat possible patent infringement is to introduce a suicide gene into GM plants. These plants would be viable for only one growing season and would produce sterile seeds that do not germinate.Farmers would need to buy a fresh supply of seeds each year. However, this would be financially disastrous for farmers in third world countries who cannot afford to buy s eed each year and traditionally set aside a portion of their harvest to plant in the next growing season. In an open letter to the public, Monsanto has pledged to abandon all research using this suicide gene technology35. How are GM foods regulated and what is the governments role in this process? Governments around the world are hard at work to establish a regulatory process to monitor the effects of and approve new varieties of GM plants.Yet depending on the political, social and economic climate within a region or country, different governments are responding in different ways. In Japan, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has announced that health testing of GM foods will be mandatory as of April 200136, 37. Currently, testing of GM foods is voluntary. Japanese supermarkets are offering both GM foods and unmodified foods, and customers are beginning to show a strong preference for unmodified fruits and vegetables.Indias government has not yet announced a policy on GM foods becaus e no GM crops are grown in India and no products are commercially available in supermarkets yet38. India is, however, very supportive of transgenic plant research. It is highly likely that India will decide that the benefits of GM foods outweigh the risks because Indian agriculture will need to adopt drastic new measures to counteract the countrys endemic poverty and feed its exploding population.Some states in Brazil have banned GM crops entirely, and the Brazilian Institute for the Defense of Consumers, in collaboration with Greenpeace, has filed suit to prevent the importation of GM crops39,. Brazilian farmers, however, have resorted to smuggling GM soybean seeds into the country because they fear economic harm if they are unable to compete in the global marketplace with other grain-exporting countries.