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1. Name:sahar taradei
Studentnum:124115
10 Reasons to Say No to Genetically
Engineered Crops and Foods
Most genetically engineered (GE) crops are either engineered to produce their
own pesticide in the form of Bacillus thurengiensis (Bt) or are engineered to be
resistant to herbicides, which include "Roundup-Ready" crops. Bt is used by
organic farmers as a least-toxic alternative to control bugs. Organic farmers
use Bt sparingly and only as a last resort, but thousands of acres of GE crops
contain Bt. It's only a matter of time before insects become resistant to Bt,
some scientists say as little as 3-5 years. Then organic farmers will be left
without this important tool. "Roundup-Ready" crops allow farmers to spray
their fields with the herbicide RoundupTM (glyphosate) without harming the
herbicide resistant crop. This practice has led to increased use of glyphosate
and insect resistance to the herbicide.
2. Superweeds
Herbicide resistant crops have been shown to cross-pollinate with weeds in
the same family, creating super-weeds that are also resistant to herbicides.
This will lead to ineffective increased herbicide use because farmers will spray
the superweeds repeatedly, unaware that the weeds are herbicide-resistant.
Also, weeds that have cross-pollinated with GE crops bred to resist insect may
become invasive, spreading beyond their natural habitat and out-competing
native plants.
3. Pollen Drift
Pollen from GE crops has the potential to drift. If organic farmers' crops
become polluted with genetically engineered pollen, theymay be subject to
loss of their organic certification and financial losses. Because of GE pollen
drifting form a neighboring farm, non-organic farmers have been accused of
using GE crops without paying for them. A Canadian canola farmer was sued
by Monsanto for patent infringement after the company allegedly found their
GE crops on his property. The farmer says he has never planted Monsanto's
seeds.
4. Harm to Wildlife
In a study published in Nature, Cornell Universityscientists found that
Monarch butterfly caterpillars are harmed by consuming Bt corn pollen dusted
on milkweed. European scientists have found that beneficial insects, such as
ladybugs and green lacewings, are similarly harmed. A 1997 study published
in New Scientist found that honeybees may be harmed from feeding on GE
canola flowers.

2. Name:sahar taradei
Studentnum:124115
10 Reasons to Say No to Genetically
Engineered Crops and Foods
5. Harm to Soil
New York Universitymicrobiologists recently found that Bt corn leaks Bt into
the soil from its roots. The Bt can remain in the soil for 200+ days and can
harm non-target organisms, said the study, which was published in Nature.
6. Harm to Human Health
The biotech industry and government assures us that GE foods are safe, but
scientific studies suggest this is not the case. A study published in Journal of
Medicinal Food shows that herbicide resistant soy varieties contain lower
levels of beneficial plant estrogens, when compared to non GE soybeans. A
1996 study, published in the International Journal of Heath Services, reported
that milk from cows injected with recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone
(rBGH), a synthetically produced hormone that makes cows produce more
milk, contains increased levels of a growth factor that has been linked to
breast and gastrointestinal cancers in humans.
7. Hidden Allergens
Scientists have found that soybeans genetically engineered to contain proteins
from a Brazil nut can cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to nuts, as
reported in a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Based
on these findings, the company decided not to sell the GE soybean, but next
time the public may not be so lucky. Since GE foods are not labeled, the public
has no way of knowing if food that they buy contains genes from species that
they are allergic to.
8. Religious and MoralConsiderations
Fish genes have been incorporated into tomatoes to prevent freezing at low
temperatures and chicken DNA has been added to potatoes to increase
disease resistance. Many people who choose to not eat meat for religious or
moral reasons will begin to wonder if their vegetables are 100% meat-free and
do not know when they consume these GE vegetables. Also, by genetically
engineering our food and taking DNA from one species and splicing it into
another, we are essentially "playing God" with nature.
9. Antibiotic Resistance
In process of genetically engineering a product, antibiotic marker genes are
used to help with the transfer of DNA from one life form to another. Scientists
worry that this process could lead to increased antibiotic resistance, which is
already a serious problem.

3. Name:sahar taradei
Studentnum:124115
10 Reasons to Say No to Genetically
Engineered Crops and Foods
10. GE Is Unfair to Farmers
Biotechnology companies force farmers to sign contracts when purchasing
their genetically engineered seeds and crops. These grower's contracts
prevent farmers from being able to store seeds from year to year, which the
biotech companies claim would be a patent infringement. Additionally,
"terminator technology," which is not currently being commercialized but is
owned by a major seed company and USDA, will produce plants with sterile
seeds, making the practice of seed saving impossible.