... fewer tasks. As food production and processing became more specialized, work became simpler and more routine. Mechanization, which is the replacement of human and animal labor with machinery that could aid in farmers' tasks, was then conceived. Production became more dependent on resources manufactured elsewhere, such as agricultural chemicals ... used to control crop damage from certain insects and pests. The use of agricultural chemicals increased more than 500% from 1948 to 2008. In animal production, hormones and antibiotics were introduced to speed the growth of animals. They are sti...

• Word Count: 1869
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... trait. Once introduced, the selected genes acts like any other gene- it provides instructions for making a protein. The protein then determines a characteristic in the genetically modified plant or animal. In short, the process has been speeded up and refined. Farmers no longer need to wait patiently for breeding to yield improved crops and animals, nor must they even respect natural lines ... of reproduction among species. Laboratory scientist can now copy genes from any organism-plant, animal, or microbe. Their work is changing not only the way farmers plant, fertilize, and ... Nutriti...

• Word Count: 1305
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School