Download March Against Monsanto

March Against Monsanto
Genes & DNA – life’s code
What is Genetic Engineering?
What Is Biotechnology?
• Harnessing the natural biological
processes of living systems for the
benefit of mankind
• Biotechnology in the past
– making bread and cheese, brewing
beer
– crossbreeding plants
• Modern biotechnology
– genetic engineering
Genetic Engineering/ Modification
• Genetic engineering involves moving
genes between species using technology,
• Not naturally possible, requires human
intervention,
• Genetic Engineering (GE) = genetic
modification (GM); different name, same
thing – industry attempts to make it sound
better!
What GM foods do we eat?
• Insecticide (insect killing) gene in crops to
kill pests – maize, cotton.
• Gene to make crops resistant to
agricultural chemicals, mainly herbicides/
weed-killer – soy, maize, etc
• Some crops have both genes,
• Other genes under investigation but not
commercialised.
What is the problem?
• GM crops have not increased food supply,
• The most widely used GM crop, soy, has
lower yield than conventional soy,
• Chemical use increasing,
• Weeds becoming resistant to chemicals –
more toxic chemicals being used,