Genetic Engineering

1. Genetic Engineering Martha Rosemeyer IES Winter 2003

2. GMOs: Horror OR Savior?

4. Outline • What is genetic engineering? • What plants and animals are being engineered • What are the politics nationally and internationally • What are the unknowns

5. Genetic Engineering: what is it? • Genetically Engineering (GE): Transfer of genes from one organism-- plant, animal or microbe-- to another using biotechnology, not conventional breeding. • Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) is a term that is somewhat misleading since the process of plant adaptation or conventional breeding can be a genetic modification • Transgenic

6. GE is NOT hybridization • Hybrids are conventionally bred from two inbred parents • Advantage is the the F1 generation (the plants from the bought seed) is uniform and recessive genes are unexpressed • Issues are the the seed saved is variable in quality so that it is not useful to save • Need to continually buy seed • Has supplanted open-pollinated varieties

8. In medicine currently transgenic bacteria used to make: • Human insulin • Hepatitus vaccine • Blood-clotters

9. Brief Timeline of genetic engineering of plants • 1983-First GE plant created in lab • 1987-GE plant outplanted to field • 1990-GE plants with USDA supervision • 1996- 6 million acres commercially planted in US • 1997- 25 million acres planted in US • 1998- 58 million acres planted in US • 1999- 72 million acres planted in US • 2000- 76 million acres planted in US • 2002 - 96 million acres planted in US

10. Total worldwide area- 2002 58.7 m ha up 12% from 2001 

11. GMO have a slowing rate of increase + 19% + 12% 2002 58.7 145

12. Who is planting the 58.7 mil hectares (145 m acres)?

13. Which countries are growing them?

14. What crops are being planted?

15. What GE traits are being used?

16. What percent of soy, cotton, canola and corn are transgenic?

17. But about 10% lower yields!!!

18. On-going transgenic field tests (1999) • Fifty-two different plants • Trees also (130 field tests) • Cellulose increase from lignin in poplar • Fruit trees with insecticidal properties • Apples that don’t discolor when cut • Trees with increased PS rate to reduce global warming

19. Farmaceuticals or Nutraceutical-functional foods • Hepatitus B in corn • contamination of soybean, ProdiGene fined $3 million 2002 • After this 50% US farmers are wary • Rabies vaccine in corn • Blood protein in potatoes • for viral diseases and AIDS • Diarrhea-vaccine in bananas • 2-3 million children die annually

20. Cotton

21. Cotton: Bacillus thuringensus genes inserted • Monsanto says 30%  in yield with 1/2 the insecticides • Arizona farmers testing male sterile bollworms instead of using GE cotton, which they consider too expensive (June 2002) • India has approved in 2002 (Monsanto has bought several of the local seed companies) • Colombia pre-commercial planting 2002

22. Corn • The majority of the corn crop, traditional varieties included, in Mexico is contaminated with genetic material from Bt corn, although GE varieties are banned there (seed has been exported by US) • Nature 10/11/01

23. Health effects unknown; traditional agriculture could be affected

24. Environmental problems • Monarch butterflies died eating Bt corn pollen on milkweeds • Effects on soil organisms by Bt corn exudates-- effects on belowground food web • Development of herbicide-tolerant “super weeds” (squash and canola) now found in six states (2002)

25. Genetic Engineering to “solve” environmental problems • Accumulators of heavy metals As and Zn as mentioned last time • Arguments that Roundup Ready soybeans reduce erosion because conservation tillage can be used

26. Animals • Eco-friendly GE pigs which produce 20-50% less P in their manure • In Canada- Four years away from commercialization in 1999 MSNBC 6-24-99

27. Salmon • Ban GM fish in CA, Alaska? Grounds of escape and interbreeding with wild LATimes 28 Feb 2002, SF Chronicle28 Aug 02 • First animal to be reviewed by FDA • Maryland and OR regulated • UK gov’t study found fish-farmed salmon to be most toxic product (ave 3) sold in British markets Edinburgh Sunday Herald 20 Oct 2002 • Antibiotics used in production

28. The politics • Monsanto, Cargill, Aventis and Archer Daniel Midlands all broke records for donations in 2000: $633,000 • 2-3 x more to Republicans than Democrats • 6x more went to members of Ag committees • CropChoice Alternative News Service 2/20/02

29. Concentration in Corporations: Monsanto • 80% of GE crops grown are Monsanto • Just acquired wide-ranging patent most major antibiotic resistance genes found GE crops • Has promised to take them out of production

30. Technology Prevention System or Terminator technology .

31. Relationship with Clinton administration

32. Update on terminator technology • 2000 Public outcry caused Monsanto not to purchase DP&L, but did later • 2001 USDA has announced that it will license its co-partner DP&L, who have publicly stated their intention to develop the technology, though condemned by the UN among many others. • www.rafi.org

33. New developments • NAS calls for testing, especially where pesticide in used (Bt) NYT Feb 2002 • Office of Science and Technology Policy proposed crop safety assessment before beginning field trials of new GM crops • help prevent recalls, help avoid rejection of our exports • Center for Food Safety- rules to help the bail out of a company NYT 2 Aug 02

34. Farmers lead legal fight against transgenics: 40 bills by March 01 • Monsanto presses legal charges against hundreds of farmers for saving seed without paying royalty to Monsanto (pollen drift) • 2001 Saskatchewan farmer lost court case to Monsanto for growing “Round-Up Ready” canola when pollen drift from neighbors contaminated fields • ND farmers- bill 2 year moratorium on planting genetically altered wheat

35. NYT March 24, 2001

36. NYT Oct 1999

37. US labeling • FDA and others oppose Oregon’s labeling law (Measure 27) with $5 million • Lost in 2002 • Opposition said it would be too costly to label

38. EU labeling • Agreement by 15 EU ministers • Labeling rules for food and feed required if > 0.9% transgenic ingredients • Currently banned, but will be changed to not a ban but an import with labeling • Needs to go through European parliament in August 2003 BBC 2 Aug 2002

40. Enough food? • We already have 4.3 lbs of food/person/day in world • 2 lb grain, 1 lb meat NYT Nov 8 1999

41. Food donations refused by Seven African nations • Aug 2002 GE corn offered by US to be donated to counteract famine to 7 nations • Countries wanted the corn ground • US sent whole corn, not ground • Zambia refused • Technology will feed starving people with drought tolerance and pest resistance genes

42. International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications, ISAAA • ISAAA’s mission is to contribute to poverty alleviation, by increasing crop productivity and income generation, particularly for resource-poor farmers, and to bring about a safer environment and more sustainable agricultural development. • ISAAA’s objectives are the transfer and delivery of appropriate biotechnology applications to developing countries and the building of partnerships between institutions in the South and the private sector in the North, and by strengthening South-South collaboration.

43. By buying organic you can save yourself? GMOs are prohibited...

44. GM crops are threatening organic production • EU study shown that canola (rapeseed), sugar beet and corn had medium to high likelihood of crossbreeding • Potatoes, wheat and barley unlikely to cross breed • UK organic farming group says GM crops threatening 111 organic farmers • Some wonder if there is still uncontaminated organic corn seed • US organic farmers have had corn chips rejected in Europe due to pollen contam.

45. Role of biotechnology in sustainable agriculture? • Industry says there is a reduction in pesticide use • But 30% increase in Round-up use on soy-6 States (Benbrook, NW Science and Technology Center, May 2001) • Contamination of wind-pollinated traditional varieties • Increased rate of resistance to Bt, important tool of organic farmers • Terminator technology interference with traditional seed saving

46. Percy Schmeiser, Canadian canola farmer • Farmer who has saved seed for 50 years had Monsanto’s windborne genes in canola • Sued by Monsanto • Lost court case • Received Gandhi award • Now appealing to higher Canadian court

47. Center for Science Public Interest (Nutrition Action Health Letter Nov 01) • Problem is lack of testing, verified by third party, but could be safe for humans and environment • Feel important to not through “baby out with bath water” • Recommends support for both GE testing and organic • Problem with concentration of power in companies • In DCs public institutions should be funded

48. Lack of testing vs. bad testingGood vs. bad science • Biomedical research compromised when paid for by industry • Study for 3.6x more likelihood that the results would be found in industry favor if paid for by industry • 62% of Medical school research funding now provided by industry LA Times 22jan03

49. Update: The USA • Nov 2 02: In Bill HR 3005 (Fast Track Trade Authority): Have placed clause that would make GMO labeling illegal and eliminated precautionary principle • Now anti-patriotic to oppose trade

50. Trade: Jan 2003 • Robert Zoellich, Bush administrations chielf trade official calling US to challenge EU’s ban on GE food at WTO • Says EU position is “luddite” (scientifically backward) and “immoral” since it deprives starving people in Third World of food • EU says will be worse than steel dispute • Op Ed in NYT wonders if this is the time to provoke the Europeans when we need them in the fight against terrorism