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Over the last ten years the effects on the environment and human health of genetically engineered crops has
grown as
their use has increased. Transgenetic crops, which have been in production since 1995, have been engineered to resist pests. In 1999, more than 70 million acres of transgenic or genetically modified crops (GM) were planted in the United States. Of primary concern has been that genetically modified crops (GM) will find their way into food through cross-pollination or that the altered seeds will blend with conventional seeds. Moreover, there is concern that the GMs will harm beneficial organisms (insects). Soybeans, corn and cotton are the most modified crops.
Though the State of Texas has been collecting information on the number of acres of GMs since 2000, the
information is not available to the public. Every other state but Texas has released this information.* Texas A&M University crop briefs in 2002 stated that 12 percent of Texas cotton acreage was planted in genetically altered cotton, known as BT cotton, in order to control the bollworm. Bt corn has also been planted in the Texas High Plains to deal with the corn earworm and corn borer. The Environmental Protection Agency requires farmers to plant 20 percent of their corn acres with non-BT (genetically modified corn) in order to have a buffer zone for insects that would otherwise be killed by the toxin within the BT corn. The biotechnology industry is in charge of enforcing this rule, but the Center for Science in the Public Interest reported that 19 percent of US farmers growing BT corn were not complying.*
A report released by the National Science Academies' National Research Council in 2000 found that there was no
evidence to date that foods in the market place are unsafe to eat as a result of genetic modification. The report also did not find that any "distinction exists between the health and
environmental risks posed by plants genetically engineered through modern molecular techniques and those modifed by conventional breeding practices."*
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FYI
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Pest Protected Plant or genetically modified pest-protected plant (GMPP) refers to
any plant that has been genetically modified to express a pesticidal trait regardless of the technique used. (This does not include herbicide-tolerant
Plants.) A transgenic crop plant contains a gene or genes which have been artificially inserted instead of the plant acquiring them through
pollination. Plants containing transgenes are often called genetically modified or GM crops.
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But, the National Research Council called upon EPA, USDA, and
the Federal Drug Administration to coordinate and refine regulatory activities regarding transgenic plants, to conduct more testing of these plants and to closely monitor ecological
and human impacts.* The Council has concern that GM crops will blend with non-GM crops.
Food safety and environmental organizations are leading
national campaigns to label all genetically engineered foods. In fact, The State of Oregon had a ballot initaitive to require the
labeling of all genetically modified foods. For sometime, the European Community has prevented the importation of GM
crops, and are currently considering lifting the restriction but demanding that all foods and seeds be labeled as genetically modified.
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