Genetically Modified Crops

1
Genetically Modified Crops

• presented by David Taussig
• December 8, 2005

2
Why talk about GM crops?

• Use is common, particularly in the U.S.
• 75 million acres planted in the U.S. in 2000
  (Colorado State University 2004)
• 5 Million farmers grow GM crops (Perry 2003)
• Varying opinions regarding GM crops among the
  worlds governments
• Stigma attached to GM crops among the general
  public

3
What are GM crops?

• Plants which have been genetically altered to
  express a desirable trait (Perry 2003)
• Herbicide resistance
• Virus resistance
• Insecticides
• Environmental Tolerance
• Increased nutritional value

4
How are GM crops made?

• Most common method is by using Agrobacterium
  tumefaciens (CSU 2000)
• Soil bacteria containing a tumor inducing (Ti)
  plasmid.
• Isolate the gene containing the desirable trait
• Insert this gene into the Ti plasmid of
  Agrobacterium
• Remove the tumor inducing genes of the plasmid,
  and infect the plant cells
• Regenerate transformed cells into viable plants

5
Proposed benefits of GM crops

• Increased economic profits for the farmer
• Lower prices for the consumer
• Reduced dependence on chemical fertilizers and
  insecticides (Gray 2002)
• Potentially decreased environmental restriction
  (Chrisafis 2001)
• Potentially increased nutritional benefit (CSU
  2000, Coghlan 2005)

6
Potential dangers of GM crops

• Health concerns
• Contamination of organic populations (Luhnow
  2005)
• GM crops can be very difficult to contain or
  eradicate (Peterson et al 2000)
• Exploitation of third-world farmers by American
  biotech companies (Peterson et al 2000)

7
A Biblical Perspective

• It is important to recognize the intrinsic value
• of the environment as Gods handiwork (Vautin)
• We should choose what is best for all of
  humanity, rather than a few American companies
• Biotech companies should use extreme caution,
  performing enough research to become as certain
  as possible that the product does not harm those
  who consume it.

8
Conclusion

• Right approach to GM crops is one that is
  cautiously optimistic.
• We will need to find a way to increase food
  output in the future
• More food will not be sufficient without
  addressing the political and economic issues
• Research should be allowed and encouraged to
  continue to address safety and health concerns

9
Bibliography

• Chrisafis, Angelique. GM tomato could open up
  vast new agricultural lands. Guardian Unlimited.
  July 2001. lthttp//www.guardian.co.uk/inte
  rnational/story/0,3604,530024,00.htmlgt
• CNN Health. Parents turn to organic food.
  November 8, 2005. lthttp//www.cnn.com/2005/H
  EALTH/diet.fitness/11/08/organic.kids.ap/index.htm
  lgt
• CNN World. Swiss tighten GM crop limits.
  November 27, 2005. lthttp//www.cnn.com/2005/
  WORLD/europe/11/27/swiss.gmo.vote.ap/index.htmlgt
• Coghlan, Andy. New golden rice carries far
  more vitamin. NewScientist.com. March 2005.
  lthttp//www.newscientist.com/article.ns?iddn7196gt
  
• Colorado State University Transgenic Crops an
  Introduction and Resource Guide. August 2004.
  lthttp//www.colostate.edu/programs/lifescienc
  es/TransgenicCrops/index.htmlgt
• Eicher, Carl Maredia, Karim Sithole-Niang,
  Idah. Biotechnology and the African Farmer.
  June 2005. lthttp//agecon.lib.umn.edu/cgi-
• bin/pdf_view.pl?paperid16821ftype.pdfgt
• Gray, Brian. Genetically Modified Foods
  Benefits, Risks, Outlook. December 2002
• lthttp//www.bethel.edu/kisrob/hon301k/proj
  ect/Final/gmf.htmgt
• Luhnow, David. Biotech-Crop Battle heats Up as
  Strains Mix With Others. The Wall Street
  Journal. November 8, 2005. A1, A6.
• Jarvie, Michelle. Genetically Modified Crops
  With a Focus on the Use of Bt Corn in the United
  States. July 2002. lthttp//www.bio.mtu.edu/mmja
  rvie/genetics20paper.pdfsearch'geneticallygt
• Perry, Joe. Genetically Modified Crops. Science
  and Christian Belief Vol 15, No 2. 2003. pp
  141-163.
• Peterson, G Cunningham, S Deutsch, L Erickson,
  J Quinlan, A Raez-Luna, E Tinch, R Troell, M
  Woodbury, P Zens, S.The Risks and Benefits of
  Genetically Modified Crops A Multidisciplinary
  Perspective Conservation Ecology. Vol 4 (1).
• 2000. lt http//www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol4/
  iss1/art13/gt
• US Census Bureau. World Population 1950 to
  2050
• lt http//www.census.gov/ipc/www/worldpop.ht
  mlgt
• Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Agrobacterium
  July 2005.
• lthttp//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrobacterium
  gt