What is a genetically modified organism (GMO)?
A GMO is defined as an organism which has been genetically manipulated in such a way as would not have been possible using conventional breeding techniques. In this way different species are combined – for example the genes of fish and tomatoes, mice and humans, or bacillus genes in plants. The aim is to produce new traits such as resistance to herbicides or plants which produce toxic substances to kill off insects.
Who is affected by GMOs?
Certainly not only the farmers using them. Be it cornflakes, a beef steak or vitamins: today it is practically impossible to determine exactly which products we eat may contain GMOs.
And since the introduction of commercially cultivated GMOs in 1995 in North America we have seen that practically all aspects of (public) life are affected by GMOs. From our social structures, politics, economics, science, health and ecological concerns – from all parts of the world we now have reports and studies.
GMOs: what is being promised?
Helping our climate, reduction of required pesticides, higher income for farmers, development of new plants (such as draught resistant or pharmaceutical plants), higher yields, helping to solve the world’s hunger problems… these are some of the main arguments used by the industry to promote GMOs.
Read more: www.monsanto.com
GMOs: how have they performed?
India: the use of genetically engineered cotton, which was claimed to be resistant against the Bollworm (meaning that the toxins to kill off the worm are produced by the plant itself) caused catastrophic crop failures. The Bollworm quickly became resistant, requiring the farmers to use more pesticides. Combined with the high price of the GMO seeds (four times as expensive as conventional seeds), rising costs for pesticides, and high interest rates on the loans taken out to pay for the seeds, hundreds of thousands of farmers faced bankruptcy. They had no other alternatives but to sell off their land or a kidney. Or to commit suicide.
Read more: www.navdanya.org
News all over the world
Canada: Farmers Percy and Louise Schmeiser spent decades breeding canola. They were sued by Monsanto, because GMO-canola was found growing on the Schmeiser’s fields. It was, however, neither planted there, nor desired by the Schmeisers. But still they were sued over patent infringements, resulting in a court case which led all the way to the Canadian supreme court, lasted almost a decade and drew world-wide attention to the issue of contamination by GMOs.
Read more http://www.percyschmeiser.com/
Scottland: Prof. Arpad Pusztai fed GMO potatoes to mice and discovered significant damage to their organs and brains.
Read more: www.umweltinstitut.org/
Austria: Scientists discovered that the GMO Corn MON 810 presently approved in several European countries significantly reduces fertility rates in mice
Read more: http://www.greenpeace.org
China: a study by University of Cornell scientists reports that the income of Chinese farmers growing GM-cotton sank by 8% over a 7-year period.
Source: Schrot und Korn, Ausgabe 10/2008
Argentina: between 1997 and 2004 the application of Glyphosat rose by 58%, as weeds become increasingly resistant to this herbicide.
Read more: http://www.greenpeace.org
Russia: rats fed GM soy do not show reduced fertility rates. But the death rates of their offspring is eight times higher than those of the control group fed conventional soy.
Read more: www.gentechnikfreies-baumbach.de
Mexico: despite a moratorium on GMO-cultivation, scientists discover a high degree of GM-contamination in corn fields in isolated mountain villages.
Read more: www.scidev.net
Canada: Genetically modified salmon show dramatically increased growth rates. However, they also show abnormal behaviour (increased aggression, eating their own kind), and start to decay even as they grow.
Source: Documentary „Life running out of control“
Spain: Organic farmers in the North of Spain find themselves unable to grow corn, because the risk of contamination is too high.
Read more: www.genfoodneindanke.de
Germany: a bee keeper can no longer sell his honey, because it is contaminated by GMOs. His bees had brought home pollen from an experimental, state-run GMO field. He sued for damages, but lost.
Read more: www.bienen-gentechnik.de
USA: the world’s largest biotech corporation, Monsanto, reports an increase in profits of 26% for the first quarter of 2008. The biggest chunk of these 3.600.000.000 $ US came from the increased demand in pesticides and herbicides.
Read more: www.gentechnikfreies-baumbach.de
USA: an unapproved and experimental transgenic variety of rice mysteriously enters the US-food chain. It is also discovered in Europe, and has to be shipped back to the USA. The long term damage of this fiasco is estimated at € 1 billion. The biotech industry refuses to take any responsibility, even though it withheld information about the contamination for years.
Quelle: http://www.greenpeace.org
400 scientists conclude that the future of the world’s agriculture lies in small-scale, sustainably cultivated, and GMO-free farming. When the results of this study were published, the United States, Canada, and Australia withdrew their support, even though they were amongst the countries selecting the scientists and defining the purpose of the study.
Quelle: www.agassessment.org
Planet Earth: studies on the impact of transgenic organisms on human health do not exist. For approval of the GMOs, the authorities rely solely on data supplied by the biotech industry.