Environment and contamination

Posted on Jul 30, 2009 by Elizabeth Araujo

Environment and contamination are 2 major issues related to GMOs. Here're 2 strong but opposing opinions:

"They have it all wrong. FDA, USDA, and EPA have all done exhaustive research into [GMO's] safety and have found nothing that remotely suggests that either the consumer or the environment are at risk from GM seed."

- Greg Caton, Lumen Foods' President

"We have seen what has happened with the introduction of GMO canola and GMO soybeans, how it has destroyed the indigenous seeds and pure seeds. We no longer have any pure canola seeds or soybean seeds left in Canada. It is all now contaminated."

-From the documentary, Corporations Patenting Life: Genetically Modified Organisms

...what do you think? Do you know of any cases that support or oppose these claims?

GMO Risk or Rescue Group: Helping Consumers Decide

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Thu, 08/13/2009 - 23:34

Rebecca Kneen

There are two issues raised in this post. The first quote states that there are no risks associated with GMOs. The exhaustive research referred to has not, in fact, been done. The CFIA and Health Canada both rely entirely on studies conducted by those seeking patents and sales permission. Like the FDA and other north american agencies, they do not conduct their own research. In other words, all the research is conducted by those whose profits come from the sale of the product. In other areas, this is known as conflict of interest and is avoided at all costs. In the world of GE, it is called "solid science" and "due diligence".

The second quote addresses the contamination of non-GE seed by GMO seeds. This is definitely the case - and even if one did not have the many cases of prairie farmers whose crops have been seized by Monsanto (Percy Schmeiser is only the most well-known), one has only to think about the propagation habits of the plants themselves to figure it out. Mustard (canola) is highly prolific and invasive, and pollen travels for up to 1 km. Corn, another widely-grown GE crop, requires isolation distances of 4 miles (6.4 km) if it is not to cross-breed. In other words, if my neighbour is growing GE corn and I am not, the seed from my corn plants will contain genes from his corn (and vice versa, but I won't be suing him for use of my plants' genes!). As crops are transported by open rail car, you can find GE canola seed all along railway tracks right across the country, from which they spread. So yes, our heritage mustards and rapeseed all may well be contaminated.

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Fri, 08/28/2009 - 03:24

gabriela pastor

I am interested in about a idea of the food and contamination, I will try to aks readers of globedai where I am a journalist I will ask about Genetically Modified Organisms because Michael Pollan wants your ideas/ and The debate over the future of our food supply is heating up.

Everyone is weighing in on the moral, environmental, and nutritional effects that Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) will have on our society, but how do we really know what's on our plate? /

I will try to ask :

How can we help consumers make better, more informed choices?

Spain is said as a country with the mostly ecological products and quality , what Spain has to improve in the conditions of the work, do you know this ? Let me know more a globedia.com /profil /el tiburón...and I will lent you know the ideas...

with love gabi...

Slovakia where I am from has to improve a lot...

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