Genetic Engineering
GMO = Genetically Modified Organism
GMOs are created in a lab, by inserting a gene from one organism into another unrelated organism, producing plants and animals that would never occur in nature. No long-term safety studies have been done on humans, but animal studies link the consumption of GMOs to an increase in allergies, kidney and liver disease, ADHD, cancer, infertility, chronic immune disorders and more.
Why should we be worried about genetically modified food?
Last year an Australian project to engineer a GM pea was abandoned because rats developed allergic reactions when fed the experimental peas. Not the biggest food scare in the past few years, admittedly – the problem was picked up and the project abandoned. So where’s the danger?
Well, the tests needed to pick up this effect are not part of the European or US food safety regimes. Furthermore, the peas were “substantially equivalent” to normal peas – “substantial equivalence” means containing the same chemicals in the
Read morePoland's upper house of parliament may ban trade and plantings of genetically modified (GMO) seeds on Thursday and put Warsaw on a collision course with Brussels for endorsing a law that breaks EU rules.
The chairman of the Senate's agriculture committee said he expected senators from the ruling conservative Law and Justice party and several fringe groups to support the draft law, which has already been approved by the lower house of parliament.
"Senators from Law and Justice will back the bill and I have not heard any objections from several other parties, so it
Read moreLANSING - The Michigan Senate signed off on legislation Thursday that aims to block local regulation of genetically modified crops.
The bill, which heads to Gov. Jennifer Granholm, would pre-empt local governments in Michigan from adopting ordinances that regulate or ban the planting of seeds, including genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.
But it includes an exception allowing for local regulation if the bipartisan state Commission of Agriculture agrees the seeds will hurt the environment or public health.
If a local government tried to ban the planting of
Read moreWhy do creators of the genetically-engineered (GE) papaya fruit have to push so hard to introduce it? If the GE papaya is really a simple solution to a major agricultural disease that farmers want, it would be readily adopted by governments, farmers and markets. However, it is not. The concern over this genetically modified orgnanism (GMO) food is so great, that it creates resistance, loss of markets, contamination and more loss of markets. In Thailand, the government has a ban on field trials and hasn't commercially released the papaya after almost a decade of testing. Farmers have shown
Read moreThis week, the Vermont House and Senate passed a resurrected compromise bill allowing manufacturers of genetically engineered seeds to be liable for damages if their products drift into the fields of neighboring farmers. Last year, a slightly different bill was buried in the House.
This time, the legislation exempts corn and soybean seed manufacturers. It's headed to the desk of Governor Jim Douglas, who is expected to veto it.
The issue of who controls the use of genetically modified seed and plants has been intensely debated in Vermont for more than 1.5 years. But aside
Read moreIllegal Genetically Engineered (GE) rice was found for the first time in Hong Kong food market, Greenpeace China announced today.
The rice was fond in Heinz's Baby Rice Cereal, previously exposed in the mainland to be contaminated by Bt rice genetically engineered to be resistant to pests. The illegal GE rice was also found in ParknShop's own rice brand sold in Guangzhou.
"The finding indicates that the scale of contamination by illegal GE rice might be much larger than we have estimated," comments Steven Ma, GE campaigner for Greenpeace China, "
Read moreST. PAUL — A legislative proposal is being floated to protect Minnesota’s native wild rice by delaying attempts to research modified varieties of the crop.
The seemingly minor debate
Read moreIn February, a private organization with unique powers over world industry, trade and agriculture, issued a Preliminary Draft Ruling on a three-year-old case. The case was brought by the Bush Administration in May 2003 against European Union rules hindering the spread of genetically-engineered plants and foods. The WTO ruling, which is to be final in December, will have more influence over life and death on this planet than most imagine.
The ruling was issued by a special three-man tribunal of the World Trade Organization, in Geneva
Read moreIn recent years, "you are what you eat" has become a popular adage, a truism, perhaps a bit of a cliché. There is little doubt that the quality and variety of the food we eat has a profound impact on our health and well being. But in recent years, a new threat has emerged that challenges our ability to make the most basic choices about our food. The new technology of genetic engineering (GE), coupled with an unprecedented concentration of corporate control over the processing and distribution of food‹and especially the sources of our seeds - has cast doubt on the safety and
Read moreMONTVILLE, Maine - Residents have voted to include a ban of genetically engineered seeds in the town's land use ordinances.
At their annual town meeting on Saturday, residents gave overwhelming approval to a resolution that declared that the town would commit to banning genetically modified organisms, or GMO's, and develop land-use ordinances to support the policy. The policy will be included in the town's comprehensive plan.
It is thought to be the first time that a Maine town has agreed to ban GMO's in its land use ordinances. Voters in Brooklin last year passed Read more
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