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Frequently Asked Questions
GMO is short for Genetically Modified Organism. It's a term most commonly used by groups critical of crops improved using biotechnology, but has been adopted by many regulatory authorities worldwide to refer to plants, animals, or microorganisms that have been genetically modified using advanced biotechnology methods. However, for some other people, it may sound mysterious and perhaps a bit concerning.
Creating plant varieties is not new; farmers and gardeners have been genetically modifying plants for centuries in the hopes of growing better plants. GMO crops are the result of years of scientific research with newer technologies.
Here are ten common questions about GMO technology, also called agricultural biotechnology, and answers to them:
- Is agricultural biotechnology something new?
- Are most of the fruits and vegetables I eat biotech plants?
- Are biotech foods safe to eat?
- Don't many countries ban biotech crops?
- Can GMO plants harm our native plants?
- Can biotech crops harm beneficial insects or lead to a loss of biodiversity?
- How do biotech crops compare nutritionally with conventional crops?
- Isn't agricultural biotech detrimental to organic farming?
- Do biotech companies disclose where their field trials are?
- Why is there some resistance to agricultural biotech?
Is agricultural biotechnology something new?
The U.S. government approved the first commercial planting of a biotech seed in
the mid 1990s. The new crop varieties with improved characteristics, such as pest
resistance or herbicide tolerance, were so well received that today, some 70% of
the food products on your supermarket's shelves may contain ingredients from a genetically
modified crop. Agricultural biotech has been an everyday part of consumers' lives
for the past
10 years and, in 2005, the cumulative one-billionth acre was planted.
Are most of the fruits and vegetables I eat
biotech plants?
No. The most commonly grown biotech crops today are corn, soybeans, cotton and canola.
Many of these crops are processed into oils commonly used in a wide variety of food
products, or into animal feed. In Hawaii, some growers raise a variety of papaya
that was developed with the help of biotechnology after the papaya ring spot virus
threatened to devastate the Hawaiian papaya industry.
Are biotech foods safe to eat?
Yes. Biotech crops are among the most extensively tested, well characterized, and
regulated food, feed and fiber products ever developed. All commercial biotech crops
have been thoroughly assessed for human and animal health and environmental safety
according to well-established, internationally accepted, scientific standards and
guidelines by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) and, where the plant provides protection from pests, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These crops, and food and feed produced from
them, have been found to be wholesome, nutritious, and as safe as conventional crops,
food and feed by scientific and regulatory authorities throughout the world. Notwithstanding
nearly two decades of extensive governmental, academic and industry oversight, not
a single instance of actual harm to health, safety or the environment has ever been
confirmed for any biotech crop placed on the market.
The international scientific community, including the UK Royal Society, the US National Academy of Sciences, the World Health Organization, the European Commission, and the American Medical Association have all examined the health and environmental safety of biotech crops and concluded that biotech crops pose no more risk than crops produced through traditional crop breeding methods. In the 10 years that biotech plants have been available for consumption, several billion meals have been consumed by people around the world with no confirmed cases of food safety issues.
Don't many countries ban biotech crops?
In 2004, biotech crops were grown on more than 200 million acres in 17 countries,
and are consumed in many more. Overall, biotech crop acreage increased by 20% or
33 million acres compared to 2003, and plantings in 14 countries exceeded 120 thousand
acres. Over 60 countries are conducting crop biotechnology research, more than half
of them in the developing world. Biotech seeds are used to grow more than half of
the soybeans, 30% of the cotton, and 15% of corn and canola in the world.
The European Union has only recently restarted their approval process for biotech crops, and some are hopeful that the recent approval of a biotech corn product for feed and food use is the first of many approvals to come. The European Commission remarked after reviewing the extensive safety information submitted to support approval that foods derived from the biotech product were as safe if not safer than conventional foods.
Can GMO plants harm our native plants?
It is a misconception that biotech plants in Hawaii can somehow cross-pollinate
with indigenous species, thereby threatening the purity of our native varieties.
Pollen movement and gene exchange between compatible plants is a well-understood
and natural occurrence, especially in commodity agriculture. In Hawaii, there are
no compatible indigenous plants where biotech crops are grown. Regulatory authorities
carefully examine the potential for spread of genes from biotech crops to native
plants before biotech crops are authorized for commercial use. On a case by case
basis, the authorities must conclude that gene flow from the biotech crop to the
same or related species does not represent a significant environmental risk, or
that the risk is manageable by following existing agronomic practices.
Can biotech crops harm beneficial
insects or lead to a loss of biodiversity?
University researchers have shown that Bt crops do not threaten populations
of Monarch butterfly, other butterflies, or other beneficial insects and animals.
The Bt proteins used in biotech crops were chosen because they are only effective
against specific pests. In fact, they are the same natural pesticides used by organic
producers. Researchers have shown that Bt proteins do not accumulate in the
environment, nor harm soil ecology and fertility. In fact, numerous published studies
demonstrate Bt proteins from Bt crops are rapidly degraded in the
soil environment and do not negatively impact soil organisms. An overwhelming majority
of experts agree that biotech cropping systems are good for the environment.
Because biotech crops are naturally resistant to pests and herbicides, farmers can use fewer pesticide applications. On the mainland, in 2004 the National Center for Food and Agriculture Policy estimated that pesticide applications on farms have dropped by as much as 46 million pounds per year.
How do biotech crops compare nutritionally with conventional
crops?
Current biotech crops have been carefully examined to ensure that the composition
and nutritional qualities are unchanged compared to conventional crops. More than
100 studies with chickens, dairy cows, beef, swine and goats establish that animals
grow and develop the same when fed biotech crops and conventional crops. But this
may soon change. Biotechnology researchers have been exploring new plant varieties
designed to be substantially healthier and more nutritious than current varieties.
For example: rice with higher levels of Vitamin A; soybeans that can decrease unhealthy
trans fats in our diets; and vegetables with more antioxidants that could help prevent
cancer. Many people are excited about these future crops because of their potential
for combating some of our biggest health problems including obesity, heart disease
and cancer.
Isn't agricultural biotech detrimental to
organic farming?
Not at all. Biotech crops have flourished over the past decade. So have organic
crops. Both are able to co-exist and grow successfully. Most organic farmers raise
a wide variety of fruits and vegetables not grown by biotech farmers, which means
cross-pollination between organic and biotech crops is not even possible, and their
customer markets are completely different. For compatible plants, conventional,
organic and biotech farmers can use a variety of well-established practices to preserve
the identity of their crop, if desired. One method is to plant their fields far
apart, or at different times of the year to avoid unwanted cross-pollination. Another
is to cover the ears and tassels of corn plants with bags so the pollen cannot spread
to other plants.
Do biotech companies disclose where their
field trials are?
Field trials with non-commercial biotech crops that have not yet been granted non-regulated
status by the USDA are conducted under strict containment conditions and under USDA
oversight. Companies keep the location of these trials confidential to protect their
property against vandalism and theft, to protect the growers of these trials, and
to protect confidential business information. Specific location information is provided
to the USDA so that field inspectors can visit the sites to ensure that companies
are adhering to USDA guidelines. USDA makes general information regarding the county
and state of the planting publicly available, but keeps specific location information
confidential.
Why is there some resistance to agricultural biotech?
Agricultural biotech is a complex issue about a topic that is near and dear to all
of us: our food. Some of the resistance stems from inaccurate or incomplete information
about the science of biotechnology. Some comes from individuals' personal beliefs
about how things ought to be. Just as some people eat meat and others do not, or
some choose to see conventional physicians while others prefer alternative healthcare
practitioners, there are many opinions about agricultural biotech. Biotech is widely
supported by farmers around the world, as well as numerous agricultural councils,
government agencies, universities and international organizations.
