The Brave New World of Genetic Engineering
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California Certified Organic Farmers Volumemagazine XX, Number 2 Creating a Living Standard for Healthy Food Summer 2003 lebrating Ce 30 Years! 1973~2003 Sustainable Industrial Agriculture Agriculture The Brave New World of Genetic Engineering GE-FREE CALIFORNIA WHEN TRANSGENES WANDER (WILD)LIFE SUPPORT: RICE CCOF HISTORY: 1980–90 page 6 page 8 page 18 page 28 FIRST WORD BSERVATION farmer tried the new chemicals and quences. Their political power allowed O , observed that they killed birds, fish, and these companies to put into place regula- REFLECTION AND frogs, and decided that he did not want tory schemes that fail to safeguard human any part of an approach based on death. health and the environment. PRACTICE A few scientists noticed the negative con- Organic farmers and consumers have sequences and questioned rejected the use of genet- By Brian Leahy CCOF President the validity of basing the Imagine if California lost its ically modified organ- production of food on the isms in the production HE SKILLS use of toxic chemistry. ability to sell its wine, rice, nut of food as the continua- needed to bring Unfortunately, most scien- tion of an approach to forth nutritious tists seemed to shut off crops, or its fruits and vegetables agriculture that fails to T their powers of observa- honestly account for the food from the earth are acquired through observation, reflection tion and reflection and to the EU or Asia because true risks inherent in the and practice. Applying accumulated skill continued to promote a technology. Farmers to nature, the grower uses seed, water, soil, bad technology. of GMO contamination! have noticed that GMO sunshine, labor and technology. The Good farmers are too feed is causing health application of biology and technology has connected to the physical reality of their problems in livestock and that livestock allowed agriculture to flourish, creating a farm to use bad technology to produce prefer not eat GMO feed when given a reliable source of plentiful food. food. By focusing on two fundamentals, choice. Interestingly, both these observa- Modern organic agriculture was born that the purpose of agriculture is to grow tions were also early warning signs to when farmers observed the deterioration nutritious food, and that the soil is a living farmers of the problems with toxic chem- of soil health and the decline in nutri- system, organic farmers have avoided the ical-dependent agriculture. Farmers have tional food value after the introduction of tragic consequences inherent in the misuse noticed the problem of GMO trespass synthetic fertilizers. Observation led to of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, growth and of consumer rejection, with dire eco- reflection, which led to the desire to use regulators and livestock feed additives. nomic consequences to American pro- science to discover the information con- A new application of science, food ducers of corn and soy beans resulting tained in the structured chaos that makes biotechnology, in the form of genetically from GMO technology. Transgenic up the natural world. Practical experi- modified organisms (GMOs), has been DNA pollution is wandering into and ments on farms led to the understanding rushed from a theoretical science to large changing weeds, insects, soil, and other that increased yields and nutritional value scale application without being subjected living species in unknown ways that have could be achieved through organic farm- to adequate observation or reflection. not been adequately researched. Farmers ing, a system that relies on biology rather This is not surprising when one realizes have also noticed the changing relation- than chemistry to improve soil fertility. that the food biotech industry is domi- ship they once had with their seed com- Observing the consequences of using nated by a handful of corporations with panies. They now find themselves in synthetic pesticides and herbicides to sordid histories and ethical lapses. Com- one-sided licensing agreements and control insects and weeds led more grow- panies continued to promote such chemi- threatened by aggressive legal actions ers to organic farming. One early organic cals as dioxin and PCBs long after from the biotech companies. observation revealed deadly conse- Section 771 Repealed CCOF Receives State Grant COF is celebrating the repeal by Congress of a rider, alifornia Certified Organic Farmers has been awarded known as Section 771, contained in the Omnibus a $450,000 California International Market Promotion CAppropriations Bill that had weakened organic live- Cfor Agriculture (CIMPA) competitive grant. The CIMPA stock feeding requirements and threatened the integrity of program is part of Governor Gray Davis’ Buy California Ini- the organic trade. After a strong showing by organic farm- tiative. CCOF will use the grant to increase awareness and ers, processors and consumers, Congress got the message sales of California organic specialty crops through interna- that it should not play with organic standards. While USDA tional marketing and promotion. may think it owns the definition of “organic,” once again the organic movement has reminded USDA that the people own the government. Biotech companies believe that it is to TABLE OF CONTENTS their benefit to patent life, transfer genes FEATURE ARTICLE, The Brave New World of Genetic Engineering. 2 from one species to another, and to receive COALITION, Californians for GE-Free Agriculture . 6 a royalty on each seed planted. It is our SCIENCE, When Transgenes Wander, Should We Worry? . 8 right to demand that our property rights FEDERAL REGULATIONS, Are GMOs Being Regulated or Not? . 12 be respected. Imagine if California lost its PESTICIDE USE, Genetically Engineered Foods and Pesticides . 14 ability to sell its wine, rice, nut crops, or its TRENDS, Public Opinion of GE Foods, 1989–2002. 16 fruits and vegetables because of GMO con- HOME & GARDEN, Frankengrass . 17 tamination! It is also our right to demand FOCUS ON FOOD, (Wild)Life Support: Rice . 18 that the integrity of our bodies and all liv- CROSSROADS, A Better Way of Doing Things . 22 ing things be respected. Our government THE GE REPORT, News from the Genetic Engineering Front . 24 and the owners of the new technology MARKETING, Growing a Relationship: Advice for Retailers . 26 owed us due diligence before introducing CCOF HISTORY: 1980–1990, Succeeding Beyond Their Wildest Dreams . 28 something so novel as to warrant patenting. NEWS BRIEFS, Glassy-winged Sharpshooter and Other News . 32 ASK AMIGO, Reader Questions . 34 There is no pressing reason to rush into a CERTIFICATION CORNER , Reminders to Remember. 36 GMO future; there is time to slow down, HANDLER HIGHLIGHTS, Cleaning Up the Chlorine Issue . 37 conduct scientific research that addresses OMRI BRAND NAME PRODUCTS LIST UPDATE . 39 true concerns about the safety of the tech- CCOF CERTIFIED OPERATIONS . 42 nology, and to ask ourselves if we even BUSINESS RESOURCES. 43 want to go down this road. CLASSIFIEDS. 44 CALENDAR . 45 ECO-AUDIT Environmental Benefits of Using Recycled Paper Submissions to the CCOF Magazine Letters to the editor are gladly accepted, provided The CCOF Magazine is printed on New Leaf Opaque 70# paper, 80% recycled, made letters are succinct and remain on topic. 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