1 Health and Environmental Consequences of Genetically-Modified FoodsMartin Donohoe

2 Outline GMOs Corporate agribusiness Health and Environmental RisksLabeling Solutions Resources

3 Food Justice Issues Hunger and malnutritionOver 3 million child deaths/yr worldwide One Hiroshima every 8 days Hunger and food insecurity affect 20-25% of Americans Obesity

4 Food Justice Issues Water shortagesSoil erosion exceeds soil formation Overuse of agricultural antibiotics/antibiotic-resistant food-borne illnesses

5 Food Justice Issues Underfunded/understaffed food inspection systemIndoor cooking fires Corporate influence Impediments to science

6 The Precautionary PrincipleWhen evidence points toward the potential of an activity to cause significant, widespread or irreparable harm to public health or the environment, options for avoiding that harm should be examined and pursued, even though the harm is not yet fully understood or proven.

7 The Precautionary PrincipleGive human and environmental health the benefit of doubt. Include appropriate public participation in the discussion. Gather unbiased scientific, technological and socioeconomic information. Consider less risky alternatives.

8 Genetically-Modified OrganismsPlants/animals whose DNA has been altered through the addition of genes from other organisms Development First commercially available crops

9 Genetically-Modified CropsGM Crops grown commercially by 18 million of the world’s 513 million small farmers on over 444 million acres spread over 28 countries (2015) 4% of all global agricultural land and 13% of global arable land planted with GM crops 175 million acres in U.S. (1/2 total land used for crops) Most used for animal feed and biofuel production

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12 Genetic Modification of Conventional Crops (US)95% of sugar beets 94% of soybeans 93% of canola 90% of cotton 88% of corn

13 Purported Purposes of Genetically-Modified CropsEnhance nutritional quality Drought resistance Increase growth rate Enhance ripening Prevent spoilage Change appearance Alter freezing properties

14 Actual Characteristics of Genetically-Modified Crops70-93% herbicide-resistant 94% soybeans 78% cotton 18% produce their own pesticide E.g., Bt corn, modified to produce insecticidal proteins such as Cry1Ab (active against corn borer) 8% produce their own pesticide and are herbicide-resistant 76% corn

15 Genetically-Modified Foods85% of processed foods available in the U.S. today come from GM crops Global value of GE seeds sold annually = $15 billion

16 Agricultural/Biotech CompaniesMid-1970s: none of the 7,000 seed companies controlled over 0.5% of world seed market Today: less than 10 corporations control ¾ of global proprietary seed sales Monsanto, DuPont, and Syngenta control 53%

17 Agricultural/Biotech CompaniesMany major agricultural biotech companies also pharmaceutical companies (*): Novartis Seeds* Aventis CropScience* Bayer CropScience* (merger with Monsanto pending, 2017) BASF* Dupont/Pioneer (merged with Dow, 2015) Dow* (merged with Dupont, 2015) Syngenta* (acquired by ChemChina, 2016) Public tribunal investigating most for human rights violations

18 GMO Crop Producers’ Other ActivitiesChemical weapons: Monsanto (Agent Orange, PCBs, dioxins), Dow (napalm), Hoechst (mustard gas) Pesticides: Monsanto (DDT), Dow (dioxins, PCBs, Dursban)

19 GMO Crop Producers’ Other ActivitiesOzone-destroying chlorofluorocarbons: Dupont and Hoechst (merged with Rhone Poulenc to form Aventis) major producers Agricultural Antibiotics: Many companies – overuse of agricultural antibiotics on factory farms is the #1 cause of antibiotic-resistant food-borne infections in humans

20 GMO Crop Producers’ Other ActivitiesPharmaceutical Industry Price gouging Seeding trials Unethical studies (often in developing world) Selective publication/data hoarding Threats against legitimate scientists Misleading advertising

21 GMO Crop Producers’ Other ActivitiesLobbying Campaign donations Companies sponsor professorships, academic research institutes Support secondary school “science education” through sponsored curricula

22 Monsanto 90% of GM seeds sold by Monsanto or by competitors that license Monsanto genes in their own seeds $8.2 billion profit on $15 billion revenues in 2015

23 Monsanto Extensive record of: Pollution Criminal ActivityFinancial malfeasance Bribery Suing farmers whose fields are contaminated with GMOs Human rights violations Ethical improprieties

24 Monsanto Campaign contributions (2016 election cycle): over $600,000 through early 10-16 U.S. Lobbying expenditures (2015): $4,330,000 Forbes magazine’s Company of the Year (2009) #1 on Corporate Accountability’s Corporate Hall of Shame list (2010)

25 “Golden Rice”: The Poster Child of GEPurported to be the solution to the problem of Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) in developing countries Severe VAD causes blindness (350,000 children/year) Lesser deficiencies weaken the immune system, increasing risk of infectious diseases and death (>1 million deaths/yr)

26 Golden Rice Produces β-carotene, which the body converts into Vitamin A (in the absence of other nutritional deficiencies - such as zinc, protein, and fats - and in individuals not suffering from diarrhea)

27 “Not-So Golden” Rice Crop not yet adapted to local climates in developing countries Amounts produced minute in early versions Β-carotene is a pro-oxidant, which may be carcinogenic

28 “Not-So Golden” Rice Unethical feeding trials conducted in Chinese children by Tufts University investigators (backed by USDA) Done without preceding animal studies Parents not informed re use of GM rice Violates Nuremberg Code Published in Am J Clin Nutr (2011); Criticized in Nature (2012); Am J Clin Nutr to retract article (2014)

29 Curing Vitamin A DeficiencyVAD can be cured: With breast milk and small to moderate amounts of vegetables, whose cultivation has decreased in the face of monoculture and export crops By providing vitamin A and zinc supplements to malnourished infants and toddlers under age 2 Cost = $60 million/yr Benefits (including prevention of blindness and malnutrition) > $1 billion/yr With political and social will

30 OR 2002 Ballot Measure 27 Defeated 70% to 30%Opponents outspent proponents $5.5 million to $200,000 Vast majority of opposition funding from corporations headquartered outside state: Surprising, since multiple polls conducted by the news media, government and industry show from 85-95% of US citizens favor labeling

31 Opposition Tactics Corporations/Corporate front groupsFears of higher food costs Accused Measure’s supporters of being “against national policy and scientific consensus”, “technophobic,” and “anti-progress” Argued that labels would provide “unreliable, useless information that would unnecessarily confuse, mislead and alarm consumers”

32 Opposition Tactics Claimed USDA, EPA and FDA evaluate safety of GE products from inception to “final approval” USDA deals with field testing, EPA with environmental concerns, FDA considers GE foods equivalent to non-GE foods EPA requires only short-term animal testing (30-90 days, which is how long most industry studies last)

33 Opposition Tactics Claimed USDA, EPA and FDA evaluate safety of GE products from inception to “final approval” Industry selects which data to submit FDA policy on GE foods overseen by former Monsanto attorney Michael Taylor, who became a Monsanto VP after leaving FDA No requirement for human safety testing Conflicts of interest ubiquitous Professional conflicts strongly associated with outcomes favorable to commercial interests

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35 Conflicts of Interest Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas: former General Counsel for Monsanto (Bush I appointee) Current labeling opponents

36 Failure of Regulatory OversightNearly 1/5 FDA scientists “have been asked, for non-scientific reasons, to inappropriately exclude or alter technical information or their conclusions in an FDA scientific document” Similar to global warming report from NASA, Plan B EC data, Medicare Part D data, etc. A new “Dark Ages” for US science FDA under-funded and under-staffed Only ¼ of FDA’s resources allocated to food program, down from ½ in 1972

37 Failure of Regulatory Oversight“The Department of Agriculture has failed to regulate field trials of GE crops adequately” USDA Office of Inspector General (2006) 2016: OIG (DHHS) finds FDA’s procedures to recall contaminated or misbranded foor are inadequate

38 Food Labeling in the U.S. Vitamin, mineral, caloric and fat contentSulfites (allergies) Source of proteins (vegetarians [6% of U.S. population], vegans [3%]) Kosher/Hallal Not from concentrate

39 Food Labeling in the U.S. Recycled contents Wild Union madeMade in USA COOL (Country of Origin Labeling) – took effect in mid 2000s in U.S., overturned by Congress in 2015 after WTO ruled against U.S.

40 GE Food Labeling Worldwide64 countries Many European countries have banned GMO crops

41 Labeling Scott Faber, former VP for Federal Affairs at Grocery Manufacturers Assn. “What I learned is that adding a few words to a label has no impact on the price of making or selling food” Monsanto-sponsored “Underground Adventure” exhibit at Chicago’s Field Museum

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43 Monsanto Has Supported LabelingWhen the EU adopted labeling in the late 1990s, Monsanto ran ads in the UK that read: “Monsanto fully supports UK food manufacturers and retailers in their introduction of these labels. We believe you should be aware of all the facts before making a purchase.” Monsanto UK employee cafeteria is GMO-free Monsanto CEO buys organic

44 Labeling Labeling did not increase costs of food in any of the other countries with labeling laws Consumers Union – no increased costs expected with Oregon Measure 92 ECONorthwest study - $2.30/person/year Labels are changed frequently – think “New and Improved”

45 Benefits of Labeling GE FoodsPrevent allergic reactions Soybeans modified with Brazil nut genes (noted pre-marketing, never commercialized) Allow vegetarians to avoid animal genes Tomatoes with flounder genes Heighten public awareness of genetic engineering Only 1/4 Americans believe they have eaten GM foods

46 Benefits of Labeling GE FoodsGrant people freedom to choose what they eat based on individual willingness to confront risk Ensure healthy public debate over the merits of genetic modification of foodstuffs

47 Health Risks of GE Foods Animal and Human StudiesAdverse effects on multiple organs Tumors Changes in immune cells and increases in inflammatory mediators Impaired fertility, increased miscarriages Increased allergies Premature death

48 GE Crops and Herbicide/Insecticide UseOverall herbicide use up over 15-fold between 1996 and 2014 19 billion lbs of glyphosate sprayed between 1996 and 2016 20-fold increase in glyphosate spraying in US between 1995 and 2014 (to 250 million lbs/yr) ¾ lb/acre sprayed on cropland in US, ½ lb/acre worldwide (2014)

49 GE Crops and Herbicide/Insecticide UseOverall insecticide use down 123 million pounds between 1996 and 2011 But pests now becoming resistant, so insecticide use starting to increase Use up 1/3 in cotton Meta-analysis of Bt corn and cotton (2013): 5/13 major pests resistant (compared with 1 in 2005)

50 Health and Environmental Risks of GE FoodsGreater herbicide use Confirmed by multiple studies U.S. 1.6 billion kg (19 % of global use[8.6 billion kg]) applied 15-fold increased use since “Roundup Ready” crops introduced in 1996

51 Health and Environmental Risks of GE FoodsGreater herbicide use 2/3 of total U.S. glyphosate use in U.S. from sprayed between 2004 and 2014 (globally 72 %)  ¾ lb/acre sprayed on cropland in US, ½ lb/acre worldwide (2014)

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53 Health and Environmental Risks of GE FoodsGreater herbicide use Glyphosate-tolerant plants require 14-20% more water Glyphosate adversely affects root growth by altering local biota; reduces micronutrients necessary for human and animal health (e.g., dairy cows); enhances growth of aflatoxin-producing fungi Aflatoxin causes liver cancer

54 GE Crops and Herbicide/Insecticide UseSmartStax corn: combines 8 herbicide and insect-protection genes Approved in US, Canada, and Japan in 2009 Smartstax soybeans contain clothianidin, an insecticide implicated in colony collapse disorder (honeybee die-offs) Dow Agrosciences GE-corn approved (2014), resistant to glyphosate and 2,4-D, one of the weed killers in Agent Orange (soybeans too)

55 Environmental Risks of GE CropsGreater herbicide use Herbicide use leads to fungal root infections and may increase pesticide use, since many bugs seek out sick plants Harmful to monarch butterflies (over 90% decline in Midwest, due to glyphosate damage to milkweed plants, where monarchs lay their eggs, but numbers noted in wintering grounds in Mexico increasing recently)

56 Health Risks of GE FoodsHigh glyphosate (Roundup – Monsanto, world’s best selling pesticide) residues in diet Linked to sterility (male and female), miscarriage, birth defects, endocrine disruption, liver disease (NAFLD, even at low doses), kidney disease, respiratory problems, neurological disorders (including Alzheimer’s), rheumatoid arthritis, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, hairy cell leukemia, multiple myeloma, breast cancer, melanoma, brain cancer, alterations in microbiome, other conditions and over 40 plant diseases

57 Health Risks of GE FoodsGlyphosate (Roundup) Probable human carcinogen (International Agency for Research on Cancer, WHO) Monsanto knew of cancer risks in 1990 (per EPA documents) Widely used in U.S./world, approved for continued use in E.U. through end of 2017

58 Environmental Risks of GE CropsUse of herbicide-resistant GM crops claimed to allow for no-till agriculture (vs. ploughing), which sequesters some carbon in the soil Per Nature review (2014), the role of no-till agriculture in mitigating climate change is “widely overstated” GM crops have had minimal effect on use of no-till agriculture

59 Bt Plants Bt corn more susceptible to aphids, pink bollworms, rootworms Bt cotton growth in China leads to population explosion of previously insignificant adult mirid bugs, which damage fruit orchards and cotton fields Bt cotton destroyed by mealy bug; harvests in India decline dramatically, contributing to suicides among farmers Indonesia outlawed Bt cotton Bt-resistant insects also noted in Puerto Rico and South Africa (moths) and U.S. (beetles, armyworms) Bt corn now stacked with total 3 toxins

60 Pesticides 5.1 billion lbs/yr pesticides worldwide 30% in US17,000 products $44 billion worldwide market 10 firms control 90% of market Many pesticides used in U.S. banned in other countries

61 Pesticides (Herbicides and Insecticides)U.S. farm workers suffer up to 300,000 pesticide-related acute illnesses and injuries per year (EPA) Pesticides in food could cause up to 1 million cancers in the current generation of Americans (NAS) 1 million people killed by pesticides over the last 6 years (WHO) US health and environmental costs $10-12 billion/yr

62 Pesticides Linked To Autism Parkinson’s Disease Alzheimer’s diseaseALS Diabetes Obesity (with prenatal exposure) Depression ADHD Hematological malignancies

63 Pesticides Pesticides inhibit nitrogen fixation, decrease crop yieldsEvidence suggests these actually promote pests (vs. natural pesticides) 30% of medieval crop harvests were destroyed by pests vs % of current crop harvests Suggests organic farming may be more cost-effective

64 Environmental Risks of GE CropsGenes, initially designed to protect crops from herbicides, being transferred to native weeds Creation of herbicide-resistant “superweeds” – largely due to overuse of herbicides (gene transfer to native weeds from GM crops less likely, but possible – e.g., bentgrass)

65 GE Crop Contamination At least 14 weed species in the US have developed glyphosate resistance, affecting over 60 million acres of farmland (32 species worldwide) 2015: EPA announces management plan

66 GE Crop Contamination Incidents448 cases involving over 60 countries from 1996-mid 2016 1/3 of cases involved 33% GE rice, 25% GE corn, 9% GE soy, 6% GE flax 50% of cases involve GE crops originating in US Affected countries more than double the number of countries where GM crops are grown GM Contamination Register:

67 GE Crop Contamination Native Mexican corn varieties contaminated by GE corn Peruvian corn crops contaminated with GM corn Yet GM products cannot be planted, harvested, or sold legally in Peru

68 GE Crop Contamination Starlink Incident (2000)Unapproved GM corn contaminates food supply $1 billion in food recalls Aventis pays $500 million to farmers and food producers and processors

69 GE Crop Contamination Prodigene Incident (2002)GM corn, engineered to produce a pig vaccine, contaminates soybeans in Nebraska and Iowa USDA fines Prodigene $250,000 Reimbursements to farmers over $3 million

70 GE Crop Contamination Bayer CropScience herbicide-tolerant “Liberty Link” rice contaminates food supply (2006) Bayer keeps contamination secret for 6 months, then US government takes another 18 days to respond EU/Japan/South Korea block US rice imports (EU later lifts ban) Worldwide cost estimates range from $740 million to $1.3 billion Fines and settlements exceed $800 million and rising

71 GE Crop Contamination 2009: Canadian flax exports contaminated with GE flax devastates flax export sales to Europe 2009: GM cotton contaminates animal feed in West Texas

72 GE Crop Contamination Contamination of wild creeping bentgrass with Roundup-resistant Scotts Miracle-Gro/Monsanto GM variety in Oregon (8/06) – whistleblower went public after USDA and Oregon DOA refused to notify public Threatens $374 million Oregon grass seed market Threatens Willamette daisy USDA fines Scotts maximum penalty of $500,000

73 GE Crop Contamination 2013: GE wheat found in ORLast test plot in OR was 2001 (test plots in ND since 2011); USDA investigation – cause unknown, but not related to 2001 strain 2014: Contamination found on University of Montana research plot 2014: Monsanto settles with Pacific NW wheat growers for $2.1 million Japan, South Korea suspend imports of OR wheat Long-term effect on economy concerning Oregon’s wheat crop valued at $300 million - $500 million (depending on yield and price)

74 Economics of GE Crops Recent studies have cast doubt on the economic utility of GM crops for farmers in North America Lower yields Higher input costs (including higher seed costs) : Price of Monsanto GE soybeans and corn seeds more than doubles Non-GE plant breeding and farming methods have increased yields of major grain crops from 13-25%

75 Effects on Organic FarmersNearly 20,000 organic farms, ranches, and processing facilities in U.S. (2015) Costs to prevent GM contamination = $6,532 - $8,500/yr May be much higher, as other estimates show cost of planting required buffer zone = $2,500 to $25,000 per year AND cost of delayed planting $300 to $5,000 per year Pesticide drift also problem

76 Response to ContaminationThe most common response to contamination worldwide is for governments to raise the allowable contamination threshold

77 Environmental Risks of GE FoodsGE crops out-competing, or driving to extinction, wild varieties, or becoming bio-invaders in neighboring farms or other ecosystems GE plants adversely altering soil bacteria and consequently soil quality Possible contribution to decline in honeybee populations (possible contributors include neonicotinoid pesticides [main culprit], Bt toxin, varroa mites, fungal disease, and aluminum)

78 Environmental Risks of GE FoodsFurther decrease in agricultural biodiversity UN FAO estimates 75% of the genetic diversity in agriculture present at beginning of 20th Century lost Unknown effects on integrity of global food supply from large-scale genetic rearrangements Banks, insurance industry increasingly wary

79 Famine and GE Foods Countries/corporations who control GE seeds and plants attempted, through the UNFAO and the WHO, to use the famine in Zambia (early 2000s) to market GE foods through aid programs, even though… More than 45 African and other countries expressed a willingness to supply local, non-GE relief

80 Famine and GE Foods Zambia did not wish to pollute its crops with GE foods, which would have prevented it from exporting home-grown crops to many other countries which do not accept GE imports (further weakening its already fragile economy) Agriculture accounts for 70% of employment and 35% of GNP in sub-Saharan Africa

81 Famine and GE Foods Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Angola have also refused GM food aid Companies donated $4 million worth of hybrid fruits and vegetables to Haiti after 2010 earthquake to open Haitian market Each year more than 2 million tons of GMO food, often unlabeled, is sent by the U.S. to developing countries

82 U.S. Promotion of GM CropsCurrent U.S. agriculture and trade policy heavily promotes GM crops in Africa U.S. foreign aid, including food aid, very small percentage of GDP Wikileaks documents show US pressuring EU, new Zealand, and African nations to accept GM crops

83 Genetic Use Restriction Technologies (“GURTS”)v-GURTS (aka “terminator technology”): Makes seeds sterile, via insertion of gene that stops manufacture of protein needed for germination, so they cannot be cropped and resown t-GURTS (aka “traitor technology”): Inserts modifying gene such that genes governing good growth, germination, and other desirable characteristics can be activated only when the plant is sprayed with a proprietary chemical, which is sold separately

84 Terminator TechnologyOverturns traditional agricultural practices of over a billion farmers Instead of saving seeds for the next year’s crop, forced to buy seeds annually from biotech companies Terminator plants still produce pollen, and their genes could make non-GM crops sterile as well

85 Terminator TechnologyIn 2000, the world’s governments imposed a de facto moratorium on developing, or even testing, the technology under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and UK trying to overturn Terminator technology opposed by World Council of Churches

86 GE Foods and World HungerGE foods promoted as the solution to world hunger No commercially available GE crop that is more drought-resistant, salt- or flood-tolerant, or which increases yields more than conventional crops (USDA) Monsanto/BASF’s drought-tolerant corn(DroughtGard) approved (2011), but no better than regionally-adapted varieties of conventional corn Over 150 drought-resistant corn hybrids produced by conventional crossbreeding increase crop yields by up to 30%

87 GE Foods and World HungerIf GE crops were designed to eliminate world hunger, they would be: Able to grow on substandard or marginal soils Able to produce more high-quality protein with increased per-acre yield, without the need for expensive machinery, chemicals, fertilizers or water

88 GE Foods and World HungerIf GE crops were designed to eliminate world hunger, they would be: Engineered to favor small farms over larger farms Cheap and freely available without restrictive licensing Designed for crops that feed people, not livestock

89 GE Foods and World HungerIncreasing reliance on GE food Consolidates corporate control of agriculture Crops supplied mainly by a handful of multinational corporations Transmogrifies farmers into bioserfs

90 GE Foods and World HungerThere is already enough food to feed the planet UN FAO: Enough food to provide over 2700 calories/day to every person Almost ½ of American food goes to waste One week of developed world farm subsidies = Annual cost of food aid to eliminate world hunger

91 Food Waste Each year, 2.9 trillion lbs of food (1/3 of world production) is not consumed $750 billion loss

92 Food Waste In the U.S., 53% is not consumed:20% lost during picking and sorting 3% lost during storage and shipping 2% lost during juice production, canning, or baking 9% discarded at wholesalers and supermarkets 19% uneaten and discarded in homes

93 GE Foods and World HungerFeeding everyone requires political and social will Ironic that the U.S., home to many GE firms, has rates of child poverty and hunger among the highest in the industrialized world

94 GE Foods and World HungerUN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (2008): Poverty exacerbated by GM seeds UN International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science, and Technology for Development (2008): “GE crops are unlikely to achieve the goal of feeding a hungry world”

95 Solutions Ballot initiatives and legislation2013: nearly half of all states have introduced measures requiring labeling or banning GMOs 2013: CT and ME pass labeling laws (partially linked with each other and with VT measure) 2015: Federal judge upholds VT law

96 Solutions Ballot initiatives and legislation2013: OR Senate passes bill pre-empting OR communities from passing labeling laws or rules (pending in OR House, 2014) 2014: Jackson and Josephine Counties (in Southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley) passed GM ban 2015: Federal court upholds ban

97 Solutions Ballot initiatives and legislation2014: OR Proposition 92 (GM labeling ballot initiative) Similar measure in CO OR Measure barely failed, CO measure failed badly OR: Supporters spent $9 million; opponents $21 million (most expensive ballot measure in OR history 2016: Transgenic Contamination Prevention Bill (OR) – in committee

98 Top Anti-Labeling Donors Opposing Oregon Measure 92Grocery Manufacturers Association of America Monsanto Dupont Pioneer Council for Biotechnology Information Dow AgroSciences

99 GM Food Labeling Today 2016: Federal Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act (aka Dark Act – Denying Americans Right to Know Act) signed by Obama Requires limited/confusing labeling Overrides all local labeling laws, supported by industry Center for Food Safety, others file lawsuit opposing

100 Solutions Campaign finance reform – local and nationalPublic education – particularly in science/environmental science, with elimination of corporate-sponsored educational materials Close revolving door between industry and government regulatory bodies

101 Solutions Involve religious groupsGenetic modification listed as one of Vatican’s seven “modern deadly sins” Popes Benedict and Francis oppose GMOs

102 Solutions Support local, organic agriculture and patronize farmers’ markets Reduce food waste E.g., Illegal to throw out unsold food before its expiration date (law requires donation to food banks/shelters instead) Eat ugly

103 Solutions: Organics 4% of food market and 4.1 million acres farmland (2016) Organic farming produces higher yields than non-organic farming; uses 45% less energy, less water, and no pesticides; and increases soil carbon (converts carbon from a greenhouse gas into a food-producing asset)

104 Solutions: Organics Organic foods contain up to 20% higher mineral and vitamin content and 30% more antioxidants, lower levels of toxic metals Organic meats and milk have 50% higher amounts of healthful omega-3 fatty acids

105 Solutions Support independent research on GM cropsGM seeds only recently (2010) made available to “independent” scientists within the USDA Sponsored researchers must sign confidentiality agreements

106 Solutions Support increased research and subsidies for traditional/organic agriculture Industry estimates cost of developing a single GE trait = $100 million Classical breeding = $1 million

107 Solutions Support equitable distribution of agricultural resources among populations worldwide Support increased, non-GM agricultural aid to developing nations Oppose IMF, World Bank, and WTO structural adjustment programs which exacerbate hunger in the developing world by forcing debtor nations to restructure their agricultural base toward export crops and away from nutritional foodstuffs for local consumption

108 Solutions Outlaw GM crops

109 References/Sources NUMEROUS peer-reviewed scientific articles, many of which are cited in reports from the following organizations: Union of Concerned Scientists (Food and Agriculture pages): Consumers Union: Center for Food Safety:

110 References/Sources GM Watch: http://www.gmwatch.org/Earth Open Source: GMO Myths and Truths: Food and Water Watch:

111 Oregon Right to Know Act Proposition 92

112 Public Health and Social Justice WebsiteContact Information Public Health and Social Justice Website