Field Experiments Of Bizarre Genetically Engineered Crops -RATS AND SOYBEANS!!!!!!!

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KD Weber <wvadreamin

 

Sunday, 2 November 2003 3:09

Field Experiments Of Bizarre Genetically Engineered Crops

 

 

U.S. PIRG FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OCTOBER 30, 2003

10:50 AM

CONTACT: U.S. PIRG

Richard Caplan (202) 546-9707

http://www.commondreams.org/news2003/1030-03.htm

 

 

Field Experiments Of Bizarre Genetically Engineered Crops Doubled In Past

Two Years: Authorized Experiments Are A Risk To Human Health And The

Environment

 

WASHINGTON - October 30 - Twice as many field tests of genetic engineering

experiments involving plants combined with genes from humans, chickens,

cows, mice, and other animals were authorized by the U.S. Department of

Agriculture (USDA) between 2001 and mid-2003 than were authorized during the

entire first 13 years of USDA record keeping, according to a new report

released today by U.S. PIRG.

 

The PIRG-authored report, " Weird Science: The Brave New World of Genetic

Engineering " , documents the previously inconceivable ways in which

scientists are manipulating nature and highlights the differences between

genetic engineering and traditional plant breeding. It also examines the

unpredictability of genetic engineering, detailing examples of some

unexpected results that have already occurred in field tests.

 

As part of their fourth annual Kraft Week of Action, U.S. PIRG and the

Genetically Engineered Food Alert coalition called on Kraft to remove

genetically engineered ingredients from their products, and join in the call

for stronger regulations of genetically engineered crops, including

mandatory pre-market safety testing and labeling.

 

" Open-air plantings of bizarre gene combinations in common food crops are

unpredictable and potentially dangerous, " said U.S. PIRG environmental

advocate Richard Caplan . " The biotechnology industry, the food industry,

and the U.S. regulatory system are failing to protect human health and the

environment. "

 

The report highlights field tests of unusual gene combinations such as:

Corn and Hepatitis B and Simian Immunodeficiency Virus ProdiGene genetically

engineered a corn with genes from a number of viruses, including hepatitis

B virus and the simian immunodeficiency virus. USDA issued a permit in 2001

for ProdiGene to field test this pharmaceutical

corn on 53.5 acres in Nebraska.

 

Safflower and Carp

Emlay and Associates created safflower that produces pharmaceutical proteins

by genetically engineering the safflower with growth hormones from carp.

USDA agreed in June 2003 for this crop to be grown on 11 acres in North

Dakota and Nevada.

 

Wheat and Chickens

The University of Nebraska acquired three permits to grow field trials of

wheat genetically engineered with chicken genes to produce fungal

resistance. The field tests were authorized to occur between March 2002 and

August 2003 in Nebraska.

 

Rats and Soybeans

The University of Kentucky used the genes of the Norwegian rat to alter the

oil profile of soybeans. The test was authorized to begin in May 2003 on an

acre in Kentucky and can continue until May 2004. The report disputes

industry claims that they can insert foreign DNA into new species with great

accuracy, and that the technology is merely an extension of traditional

plant breeding. In May 2000, for example, Monsanto disclosed for the first

time that its genetically engineered soybeans-their most widely used

product, which has been on the market for four years-contained additional

and unexpected gene fragments. Just one year later, Monsanto had to admit

once again that additional unexpected DNA was discovered in the soybeans.

 

" Despite very visible gaffes by the biotechnology industry, such as illegal

corn in taco shells or unapproved genetically engineered livestock in the

food supply, it is shocking to learn about experiments that put rat genes in

soybeans and chicken genes in corn, " added Caplan. " Because genetically

engineered crops are poorly regulated and resulting food products carry no

consumer label, consumers are all test subjects in a vast food experiment. "

 

The Food and Drug Administration does not require safety testing or labeling

for genetically engineered foods. 80-90 percent of the American public

consistently favors mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods. The

Department of Agriculture was recently excoriated by the National Academy of

Sciences for inadequate oversight over field testing of genetically

engineered crops and a lack of scientific expertise.

 

U.S. PIRG and Genetically Engineered Food Alert criticized the U.S.

government's continued efforts to force genetically engineered products on

American consumers by failing to offer consumer choice through mandatory

labeling, and forcing them abroad through trade threats and multilateral

trading institutions such as the World Trade Organization. Kraft is the

largest food company in the United States and second largest in the world.

The coalition criticized Kraft for removing genetically engineered

ingredients from food sold in the European Union while taking no such action

in the United States.

 

" Genetically engineered products are being forced on us without adequate

testing and without consumer choice, " concluded Caplan. " Kraft has the

opportunity to be a leader in rejecting genetically engineered crops but has

failed to do so. It is time for the food industry and the biotechnology

industry to stop this unwelcome experiment on the U.S. environment and

American consumers. "

 

Genetically Engineered Food Alert supports the removal of genetically

engineered ingredients from grocery store shelves unless they are adequately

safety tested and labeled. www.gefoodalert.org

 

U.S. PIRG is the national lobby office for the state Public Interest

Research Groups. State PIRGs are nonprofit, nonpartisan public interest

advocacy groups.