I recently read a short article on the dangers of Genetically modified foods. I know this has come up at a past meeting but there wasn’t much follow-through and I felt it deserved more discussion. It seems much of the discussion is emotional and some completely uninformed, but does it have merit? Wikipedia says Genetically modified foods (GM foods, or biotech foods) are foods produced from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), specifically, genetically modified crops. GMOs have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques. These techniques are much more precise[1] than mutagenesis (mutation breeding) where an organism is exposed to radiation or chemicals to create a non-specific but stable change. Other techniques by which humans modify food organisms include selective breeding and somaclonal variation. Commercial sale of genetically modified foods began in 1994, when Calgene first marketed its Flavr Savr delayed ripening tomato.[2] Typically, genetically modified foods are transgenic plant products: soybean, corn, canola, and cotton seed oil. These may have been engineered for faster growth, resistance to pathogens, production of extra nutrients, or any other beneficial purpose. GM livestock have also been experimentally developed, although as of July 2010 none are currently on the market.[3] There is broad scientific consensus that food on the market derived from GM crops pose no greater risk to human health than conventional food.[4][5][6][7][8][9] However, critics have objected to GM foods on several grounds, including safety issues,[7] ecological concerns, and economic concerns raised by the fact GM plants (and potentially animals) that are food sources are subject to intellectual property law. The controversy I have seen breaks down neatly into three categories. #1. Is GMO safe for human consumption? #2. Are GMOs safe to release into the environment? #3. Who owns the GMO and for how long? My thoughts #1. Is GMO safe for human consumption? Considering many known plants can be carcinogenic and 41% of Americans will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime I see this is a valid question. #2. Are GMOs safe to release into the environment? This is the stuff low-budget Sci-Fi movies are made of. We are all aware of the damage caused when a new organism is introduced into an existing environment. (Kudzu in the south, rabbits in Austrlia, cats in the Hawian islands.) While it seems to be a major potential issue, specifically altered GMOs( altered for larger fruit, longer season or quicker growth) actually represent a smaller risk than the current Exotics we have scattered around the globe. #3. Who owns the GMO and for how long? For me this is the scary question.. If I invent a new widget I own the rights to manufacture this widget for a specific timespan. I can come back later and renew my patent or copyright for another span of time. This protects my efforts and makes perfect sense if I wrote a song or designed a new type of computer. What happens if this invention can self-replicate. This differs when it comes to ownership of the 5th or70th generation of crop grown for food by our descendents. What happens when my crops cross with the GMO crop in the field next door? Do I suddenly have to split all profits with a faceless corporation in another country. And to push this into the Sci-FI realm, what happens in a few decades when we discover how to boost intelligence in animals. Right now the main function of my dog is as a companion, noise maker, and part-time doorstop. Suppose some company like Monsanto creates the sentient dog or monkey. Interesting, but because of patents and copyrights, it will amount to generational slavery. Should we really be allowed to patent a living organism. I would really be interested in your opinions. Scott McPeak
Posted on: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 22:24:08 +0000
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