Controversy about GM crops has a silver lining

As a result of the growing public controversy about genetically modified (GM) crops in Hawaii, the agrochemical industry has responded with a concerted public relations and lobbying campaign.

Concerns about the open-field experimental planting of GM crops in Hawaii include their intensive use of pesticides, applied almost 245 days out of the year.

As part of its campaign to promote genetic engineering, the agrochemical industry is making broad statements that are not supported by facts. These unsupported statements include the claims that no one has been harmed from consuming GM crops and that a scientific consensus exists about their safety.

Challenging the industry claims of safety, only within the past year we have learned that:

>> The University of Hawaii GM “Rainbow” papaya that was released in 1998 contains a hidden-viral gene segment that was introduced into the crop without the knowledge of UH researchers and regulators. No research was conducted to determine the safety of this gene segment prior to the commercial release of the Rainbow papaya. This hidden gene segment was not reported to regulators, as part of the initial permit process, for deregulation of the Rainbow papaya in the U.S. or for export to Japan.

Emails sent to the UH papaya team over the past two months, with questions about this hidden gene segment, have gone unanswered.

>> Recently, the unintended contamination of farms with unapproved GM wheat was reported in Oregon, threatening our lucrative export market to Asia.

>> A long-term study with pigs showed that GM ingredients caused considerable inflammation of the stomach and abnormal uterus growth, as compared to non-GM controls.

>> A life-long feeding trial with rats showed that both Roundup-ready crops and the herbicide Roundup caused mammary tumors in females, four times as many tumors in males observed 600 days earlier than in controls; early death; sexual hormonal imbalance; and pituitary gland, liver and severe kidney dysfunction; when compared to the controls.

>> Several studies have observed a synergistic effect of the herbicide Roundup with the adjuvants that are used to apply it, resulting in toxicity to human, embryonic and placental cells.

>> A recent study found that Roundup enhanced the growth of breast cancer cells. Earlier research also showed hormonal disruptions; increased testosterone levels; and altered estrogen activity, which is related to tumor formation and growth.

>> The pesticide Bt, incorporated as a trait into so-called “Bt plants,” was found to be toxic to blood cells in mice. Earlier research detected the same Bt toxins in the blood of pregnant women (93 percent), and in the fetus (80 percent of those tested), presumably from their ingestion of Bt residues in the food supply.

The unsubstantiated public relations statements made by the GM industry, and the considerable monetary contributions to decision makers, have failed to allay public concerns. The strategy of the chemical industry to influence public opinion, to create uncertainty about the health risks of its products, and to prevent regulatory action, is well documented by David Michaels in the book “Doubt is their Product: How Industry’s Assault on Science Threatens our Health.” Michaels is currently assistant secretary for labor at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The “silver lining” with respect to the current debate about crop biotechnology is that more people are becoming involved in the democratic process, educating themselves about our food system. As a result, consumers are increasingly making wiser and healthier lifestyle choices when feeding their families.

The popularity of healthy and wholesome, toxic-free produce has increased the demand for locally grown food, farmers markets, the support of small family farms and ecological systems of agriculture.