Download GM CROPS: Friends or Foes?

GM CROPS: Friends or Foes?
Jessi Hirth
EPH 541
Background

Green Revolution of
the 1960s brought
greater food
production


Total available food
rose by 11 percent
during 1970-1990
Hungry people declined
by 16 percent
What is genetic engineering?



Modification of an
existing gene
Replacing genes with
improved versions
Introducing new
genes from a similar
or different organism
What kind of crops are modified?

“Broad acre
commodity crops”






Canola
Corn
Cotton
Soybeans
Over 40 crops
available in the US
4,500 GM plants
tested by 1999 in US
alone
Acceptance is occurring fast



1995 – no commercial
plantings of GM crops
in US
1999 – 33% of the
corn crop, 55% of the
cotton fields, 44% of
the soybeans
2000 – 44.2 million
hectares in 13
different countries
Who’s doing it




68% GM crops
grown in US
23% grown in
Argentina
7% grown in Canada
1% grown in China
Environmental Benefits – Pest Control



500,000 kg of
pesticides are applied
in US each year
Don’t have to spray
plants
Bt in over 50 crops
Environmental Benefits – Herbicide
Resistance



Less herbicide usage
Less harmful
herbicides
5.4 million lbs of
glyphosate in place of
7.2 million lbs of other
synthetic herbicides


Stays in environment
for shorter periods
3.4 to 16.8 times less
toxic
Other Environmental Benefits



Remove heavy metals
from soil
Can be used in
bioremediation
Can convert annual
grains to perennials
Environmental Risks – Super Bugs &
Super Weeds



Bugs become
resistant
Pests can actually
use Bt toxins for
nourishment
Transfer herbicide
resistance to weeds
Environmental Risks – Harm to Wildlife



Glyphosate and Bt are
toxic to non-target
species
Modified fish contain
metals that can kill
other fish and
racoons
Eradication of weeds
will have a chain
reaction through food
chain
Human health benefits


End world hunger
More nutritious foods


Increase Vitamin A in
rice – prevent death
and blindness
Increase Iron in rice –
less anemia, learning
disabilities and
susceptibility to
infections
Health Benefits – “Pharm Crops”


Edible vaccines
Cheaper drugs – 10 to
100 time lower than
current prices
Health Risks - Allergens


GE regularly moves
proteins from
organisms into crops
Most known allergens
are to proteins
Health Risks – Resistance to Antibiotics



GE uses genes for
antibiotic resistance
as “selectable
markers”
Antibiotic
effectiveness can be
reduced
Resistance genes can
be transferred to
human pathogens
More Health Problems


Turning off genes can
produce problems
Some proteins in pharm
and industrial crops act
as hormones


Acromegaly in adults
Giantism in children
How is it getting in our food?


Seed mixing
Pollen flow


Corn pollen – travels
more than 50 yards in
the wind
Canola pollen – travels
up to 15 miles and can
fertilize other crops!
Can GM crops solve the problem of
world hunger?

There is already
enough food to
supply everyone in
the world with 4.3 lbs
and 3,500 calories
each day
So why is anyone without food?

People are without
food because they
“are poor in terms of
income to purchase
food, or in terms of
access to agricultural
resources, education,
technology,
infrastructure, and
credit to produce their
own food”
The Scary Conclusion


Only 30-40 countries
have regulations
governing GM
products
That leaves over 130
countries that have
no regulations for GM
organisms!
Just remember…

You are what you eat!