The first genetically modified bananas were recently harvested in Australia. But there is little reason to celebrate as, like other GMOs, genetically modified bananas bring to the table the same unanswered questions and concerns about their impact on health and the environment.
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GMOs - News and Opinion
While the Christian perspective on GMOs has never been uniform, the recent changes in the Vatican’s leadership may signal a change in the perspective of the Holy See on GMOs. We examine the Vatican’s official “no position” on GMOs. 
The United States Department of Agriculture (”USDA”) and its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (”APHIS), which oversees biotechnology regulation, was heavily criticized by its own Inspector General 2005 audit report. Did APHIS change its way since then? 
There is little doubt that Monsanto-farmer contracts are fundamentally unfair to the farmers. In this case, David does not fair well against Goliath. But are such agreements also fundamentally unfair to society because, unless you grow it yourself, what the farmer grows is what you eat. 
How can the public trust government agencies to ensure the safety of GMOs if those agencies have a long track record of failure? USDA’s regulatory track record begs the question of whether it is a government “regulatory” agency or an industry group. Monsanto’s money buys the “truth” even on public radio so that it too spreads Monsanto’s PR message “Produce more, Conserve More.” In reality, agriculture a la Monsanto is everything but conservation or sustainability. Read our analysis of Monsanto’s treatment by Marketplace. 
Barry B. Benson from the Bee Movie, might have been right after all – bees have a reason to sue humans, more than one reason. Honey bee population faces a dire reality in the United States. Since the major honey bee die-offs have started 3 years ago, some areas have seen deaths of 30-90% of bee colonies each winter. 
Comments made by Cardinal Martino, as described more fully below, suggest to many that the Vatican has either endorsed the use of GMOs or, at a minimum, welcomed the idea of using GMOs as a way to address world hunger. A genetically engineered variety of soybean resistant to Asian rust will soon be widely available in West and Central Africa. Because there are unknown risks with GMOs with respect to health and the environment, and because there are many other considerations such as corporate ownership and control of the GM seeds that many say will enslave poor farmers to the GM companies, many Christian theologians either advocate following a precautionary principle or reject the use of GMOs entirely. The Islamic perspective on genetically modified foods, much like that of other religions, is complex and goes deeper than simply a determination of whether a certain food is halal or not (although that is certainly part of it). This is the second of a two part series which explores the biotech industry’s defense of GMOs. The article below explores the common application of genetic technology today in greater detail. The most common application of genetic technology today is in the food and pharmaceutical industries. There are several methods to achieve the exchange of DNA from one living organism into another. Read about the scientific process behind genetic modification. As a follow up to my July 16, 2009 post, here are some more interesting statistics. The USDA reports that American farmers have adopted genetically engineered crops widely since their introduction in 1996, notwithstanding uncertainty about consumer acceptance and economic and environmental impacts. Despite the strong opposition to GMOs by many consumer group advocates and many scientists, domestically and internationally, including some FDA scientists who raised questions about the safety of GMOs almost two decades ago, the speed at which GMOs are entering the market place seems unaffected. The statistics tell the story. |
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