Oppose GE Papayas!

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Oppose GE Papayas! COMMENTS NEEDED BY NOVEMBER 3 TO STOP GE PAPAYA IN FLORIDA!

The US Department of Agriculture is accepting public comments between now and

November 3, 2008 on a petition that would allow commercial growing and marketing

of the first genetically engineered (GE) papaya trees on mainland US soil. If

approved, this would remove all regulatory oversight of this GE variety by USDA

of a virus-resistant papaya tree known as the Ring Spot Virus Resistant Papaya.

The USDA admits that this GE papaya will contaminate both organic and

conventional non-genetically engineered papaya groves if it is approved. GE

papaya pollen carried by wind, bees and other insects will contaminate the

papaya groves of organic and conventional growers.

In Hawaii, a previously approved virus resistant [Hawaiian] papaya has caused

extensive contamination of organic, conventional and wild papaya groves on most

of the Hawaiian Islands in just a few years. This contamination has spread far

more quickly than the USDA predicted in its initial assessment. Once native and

cultivated papaya varieties are contaminated with transgenic pollen and the

resulting seeds are planted, there is no calling it back.

Send your comment opposing the commercial approval of GE papayas today!

 

 

Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):

Docket No. APHIS-2008-0054

 

Below is the sample letter:Docket No. APHIS-2008-0054

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

The following comments are in reference to Docket No. APHIS-2008-0054

 

I strongly oppose the deregulation of genetically engineered papaya trees for

the

following reasons:

Genetic contamination is a serious and growing threat. Flowers and seeds in

organic and conventional papaya groves will become contaminated with GE papaya

genes via pollen transported by bees and other insects that travel many miles in

search of pollen. The result is that organic and conventional papaya growers

will lose

their markets for non-GE papayas as DNA testing confirms the contamination, as

it

already has with GE papayas in Hawaii. An organic tree might remain organic

itself,

but the pollen, honey and seeds will be contaminated, and trees planted from the

GE papaya seeds will bear contaminated fruit.

 

The USDA's environmental assessment admits that the GE papaya readily hybridizes

within its species. Thus, there may be a significant potential for gene flow

into native perennial papaya varieties. GE papaya trees will be long lived, and

capable of contaminating orchards and native papaya tree populations for several

decades. One GE papaya tree will be able to produce thousands of GE seeds and

extensive quantities of pollen, and will be capable of

spreading fertile GE papaya seeds and pollen into the environment for many

years.

 

There are also serious and mounting concerns about a broad range of health

effects associated with consumption of GE crops, GE pollen, and GE-produced

honey. For example, consumers may suffer allergic reactions due to unexpected

toxins in GE foods. The GE papaya pollen may produce unintended effects such as

allergic reactions in sensitive individuals and the USDA has not properly

evaluated the potential for?allergic?reactions.

 

Finally, the deregulatory petition completely ignores potential effects on bees

and other pollinator species. Today honey bee colony collapse disorder known as

CCD is a serious and growing problem for apiaries and bee-pollinated crops

including in Florida where the GE papaya trees will be grown. Although

unintended effects are

common in GE crops (and are part of regulatory human health assessments), there

is extremely little assessment of possible environmental impacts from unintended

effects. There are no studies that would allow us to evaluate the potential

hazards

of GE tree pollen or GE papaya tree pollen for a variety of insects, or for

consumers

of honey. We also do not know how animals and insects that browse on papaya

leaves

might be affected.

 

I strongly oppose the deregulation of GE papaya trees in Florida, or anywhere in

the mainland. GE papayas wreaked havoc on the people of Hawaii, and we can not

allow the biotech industry to endanger the mainland as well.

 

Thank you for taking my comments under consideration.

 

Sincerely,

 

Your Name

 

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Campaign Expiration Date:

November 3, 2008

 

 

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