Genetically Engineering Our Food

1
Genetically Engineering Our Food

• The Promises and Perils

2
Genetic Engineering Distinction

• Interspecies commingling of genetic material
• GE crops (or GMOs) are very different from
  conventional breeding techniques
• Antibiotic Resistance Marker (ARM) gene in each
  and every cell of plant
• Cauliflower Mosaic Virus promoter (CaMV 35S)
  exists in all GE crops. It is a pararetrovirus
  meaning that it multiplies by making DNA from
  RNA. There are some studies indicating that it
  may have qualities like that of Hepititus B and
  itself be able to create highly virulent new
  viruses.

3
Most Common GE Crops

• Corn (bt- Bacillus thuringiensis)
• Soy (Round-up Ready)
• Cotton (bt- 80 of US cotton is GE)
• Rapeseed/Canola (Round-up Ready)
• Growth Hormone in cows (rBST or rBGH)
• Other crops (squash, Hawaiian papaya potatoes,
  tomatoes, etc.)

4
Whos Growing It???

• In 2002 there were 52 million hectares of GE
  crops (1 hectare is 2.47 acres)
• 78 United States (100 million acres or 157,000
  sq. miles)
• 22 Argentina
• 6 Canada
• 3 China
• 1 Other

5
US Regulation of GE Foods

• There is very little regulation of GE Food
• There are no labeling laws in the US and
  therefore no ability to track possible health
  problems
• No labeling also means no liability

6
US Regulation of GE Foods

• The testing of GE foods that is required by
  regulation is conducted by the industry with
  little or no regulatory oversight

7
US Regulation of GE Foods

• Industry has compelled the regulatory agencies to
  agree GE foods are substantially equivalent to
  conventionally grown foods and thus requires no
  labeling
• Industry compelled the patent office to give
  patents and the commerce department to protect GE
  foods as intellectual property because of their
  uniqueness

8
US Regulation of GE Foods

• The FDA approved rBGH despite recommendations
  from the GAO that it is unsafe

9
US Regulation of GE Food Technology

• US- US Representative Dennis Kucinich (OH) has
  been a leader in the fight against current GE
  food practices. He introduced five bills in May
  of 2002 that provide a comprehensive regulatory
  framework for all genetically engineered plants,
  animals, bacteria, and other organisms.

10
Contamination of Our Food Supply

• Starlink corn was developed by Plant Genetics
  Systems
• Starlink was developed to kill the corn borer a
  very destructive pest
• Starlink was not approved for human consumption
  (cry9 protein)
• In September, 2000 Starlink was discovered in
  dozens of corn products which were subsequently
  pulled from supermarket shelves

11
Contamination of Our Food Supply?

• ProdiGene Inc. developed corn with anti-viral
  protein for pigs. Corn stalks and leaves were
  mixed with soybean grown for human consumption in
  Iowa
• USDA ordered 500,000 bushels (worth 2.8 million
  dollars) of soybeans destroyed

12
Mexican Corn Contamination

• Corn varieties that date back 10,000 years still
  grow in the Mexican heartland
• Mexican government banned GE Corn in 1998 to
  protect the biodiversity of Mexican corn
• Fall of 2001, UC Berkeley researchers found
  contamination of native corn stocks in the hills
  of southern Mexico
• Findings were published in a letter in the
  journal Nature and later findings were
  discredited by the industry
• London-based Institute of Science in Society
  study documents further studies by the Mexican
  government. Studies indicate contamination with
  a high likelihood of horizontal gene transfer.

13
Pharming

• Pharmaceutical Industry Bioreactors
• Proteins for treating anemia, liver cirrhosis,
  cystic fibrosis, HIV, hepatitis B and C
• Development of proteins for anti-coagulants,
  blood substitutes, vaccines, hormones and
  Industrial chemicals
• Paper, plastic and personal care items
• Research chemicals
• Enzymes that promote chemical reactions,
  proteins, etc.

14
Future Contamination?

• Food Supply Contamination
• Harm to wildlife
• Proteins not fit for human consumption can cause
  allergies (i.e., proteins in Starlink can remain
  intact through the digestive tract and enter the
  blood stream causing allergies)
• Animals can be severely affected by consuming
  drugs and vaccines grown in plants

15
Simple Solutions?

• Biotech crops should not be grown where they can
  contaminate natural systems
• Drugs and industrial chemicals should NOT be
  grown in food crops.
• Firestone recalled thousands of tires a few years
  ago because they were defective there can be no
  recalls with biotech.

16
Other Issues

• Terminator Technology
• Genetic Pollution
• Genetic Invasive Species
• Destroys small farms encourages
• land abuse by industrial agriculture
• Zero liability for industry high liability for
  farmers
• US Farmers growing GE crops have lost European
  markets
• Destroys ancient seed collection tradition
• Threatens biodiversity
• The EU had maintained a ban for the several years
  on approving any US biotech foods- the US is
  breaking through, however.
• Zambia rejected 26,000 tonnes of US food aid,
  despite its famine, on the grounds that it
  contained GM crops which would pollute its seed
  stock and hurt exports.

17
What Can We Do to Stop GMOs in our Food?

• Buy Organic!!!
• Take action locally
• Trader Joes success story.
• Leaflet, petition, educate yourself, call your
  representatives
• Support labeling laws and support organizations
  that are working for precautionary approaches to
  the use of biotech.