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Genetically Modified Foods

© Connie Krochmal

Of all the developments in recent years, genetically-modified (GM) foods is one of the most controversial.

Through biotechnology, a new papaya cultivar was released. It is resistant to papaya ringspot virus. This disease destroyed almost all of the papaya orchards in Hawaii. There are also transgenic cultivars of strawberries.

At the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, scientists inserted a gene for resistance to the dreaded fire-blight in Gala apple trees. They're also created transgenic McIntosh and Royal Gala apples that stay fresh longer and can be stored for extended periods.

An ABC poll found that consumers want the federal government to require labeling of transgenic foods. 57% indicated they would be less likely to buy GM foods.

In 2003, 130 million acres were planted by 5 million farmers in 13 countries. Most of this was corn, soybean, and cotton. 25% of the corn acreage is now GM.

The Starlink catastrophe created much distrust among the public when this GM corn intended for animal feed entered the human food chain.

Other risks of GM crops are known. In 2004, researchers concluded that Bt produced by GM corn could poison the soil indefinitely.

Even when the GM crop is properly isolated, other fields can still be contaminated with GM pollen and gene. Tests showed that a gene from a GM sunflower gives wild sunflowers an advantage, thus fueling the fear of 'superweeds.'

Prior to this study, earlier ones had already found that the GM genes contaminate wild plants. One scientist studying canola was quoted in Science News as saying, "The genes are going to move. What people haven't done is look at the consequences." An Australian study showed that the spread of GM pollen from canola could spread long distances (nearly two miles). Some organic growers in the U.S. have learned their crops were contaminated with transgenic pollen.

In May 2004, a new study found that pollen from GM corn drifts onto non-GM crops. The researchers suggested that it may be necessary to increase the isolation distance between traditional and GM crops. This is not a viable option for subsistence farmers in developing countries because their plots of land are small

A 2004 study examined seeds of traditional corn, soybean, and canola seeds for transgenic DNA from GM crops. They found a considerable amount of rogue DNA from GM plants. It was present in 0.5 to 1% of the seeds, high enough that they could no longer be certified as pure.