2. GMOs
The technology most people think of when they think of a GMO is called gene splicing. The technology consists of adding a piece of DNA or new genes to an organism.
A GMO is an organism that has been altered through genetic engineering, which means the changing or relocating of living cells.

3. GMOs, AKA: Recombinant DNA Technology Gene Splicing Technology
Biotechnology
Genetically Engineered Foods
Genetically Enhanced Foods
Transgenic Organisms
Frankenfoods
GM’s or GE’s

4. GMOs Transgenic Animals Transgenic Plants Transgenic Microbes
What Is a Genetically Modified Food? - Instant Egghead #45

5. GMOs
Medicines
Feeds
Foods
Food Ingredients
Vaccines
Fibers

6. GMOs 2oo6 – Countries that grew 97% of GM crops were:
United States – 57%
Argentina – 17%
Brazil – 11%
Canada – 6%
India – 4%
China – 3%
Paraguay – 2%
South Africa – 1%

7. GMOs: HISTORY 1975 – First recombinant DNA gene splice
1978 – Human insulin cloned
1980 – Chakabarty Supreme Court decision
1986 – Federal Coordinated Framework for regulating biotechnology
1993 – FDA approves rBGH
1994 – First biotech food approved, Flavr Savr tomato
1996 – First GM corn seed is sold; GM crops enter the food supply
million farmers grew biotech crops in 29 countries

8. GMOs: Why? Increase yields by attacking the source of crop loss:
Insect resistance
Herbicide resistance
Virus resistance
Drought resistance
Salt tolerance
No greater risk to human health than conventional food
Ecological benefits

9. Improve consumer preference traits:
GMOs: Why?
Improve consumer preference traits:
Flavor
Shelf Life
Processing
Consistency
Nutrition

10. Benefits of GMOs Control pest and weeds
Help regulate plant viruses and diseases
Turn unsuitable land into arable land
Help cure malnutrition
Video: Georgia Professor Explains the Role of GMO Crops in Agriculture Su

11. Benefits of GMOs Golden rice Vitamin A- essential to health (VAD)
Possible use in Asian countries
Research in 2004

12. GMOs: Why Not? Increased Environmental Vulnerability
Unknown Human Health Effects
Decreased Food Security
Intellectual Property Rights

13. GMO Cons Monsanto Corp: Patents and Lawsuits
Long term tests or lack thereof
How biodiversity is affected
Video: Monsanto: end of life

14. GMO Cons Where do we draw the line?
Potential Health and Environmental Effects
Food Allergy
Increased Toxins
Decreased Nutritional Value
Antibiotic Resistance
Genetic Pollution

15. Activity

16. Scenario
It’s The federal government just passed a law requiring all GMOs used for human and animal consumption to be labeled.
The label must be visible to the consumer on the product package.
The label must indicate whether or not your product contains GMOs, or was grown using GM plants. ( i.e. hamburger meat where the beef were fed GM feed)

17. Your Task In groups of 2, you will be assigned:
An organization or a company
A product - made with/without GMOs
Your company’s/organization’s opinion on GMOs (pro or con)
As a group, create a label for your product based on the opinion your company/organization has on GMOs

18. Your Task
Use colors, images, icons, etc. . . To market your product either for or against GMOs.
The label must contain words that state whether or not your product contains GMOs.
You have 3 minutes.
Questions?

19. What did we learn from the activity?
How the label looks
Consumer perceptions

20. What’s the big deal about labeling?
Why are people for/against GMO labeling?
What are the potential economic impacts mandatory labeling would impose?

21. Current Labeling Policy
The FDA currently requires the labeling of GM foods:
Altered nutritional property
New allergens

22. Pro-labeling Arguments
The right to know
Consumers can stay away from GM foods if they wish
Trade policy
Religious or ethical reasons – usually pertaining to potential transgenic animals
Proposition 37

23. Proposition
Required labeling sold to consumers made form plants or animals with genetic material changed in specific ways
Cannot market it as “natural”
Would have cost $1,000,000 to regulate
Additional governmental costs to address violations
Yes %
No-51.41%

24. Anti-labeling Arguments
Labels imply adverse health effects
Fulfilling the desires of some consumers would impose a cost on all consumers.
Consumers who don’t want to eat GMOs already have the option of buying organic

25. FDA voluntary Label examples
Wording on Label
FDA Comment
GMO free (does not contain genetically modified organisms). OR Not genetically modified.
Not recommended. “Free” implies zero content, which is nearly impossible to verify. “Genetically modified” is an inappropriate term, in that all crop varieties have been modified by plant breeders.
We do not use ingredients produced using biotechnology. OK
This oil is made from soybeans that were not genetically engineered.
This cantaloupe was not genetically engineered
May be misleading, because it implies that other cantaloupes may be genetically engineered. Currently, there are no such varieties on the market.
Genetically engineered.
This product contains cornmeal that was produced using biotechnology.
This product contains high oleic acid soybean oil from soybeans developed using biotechnology to decrease the amount of saturated fat. guidelines.
OK. The underlined part is mandatory because it indicates a nutritional change. The rest is voluntary under the proposed guidelines.

26. Issues with mandatory labeling
What specific foods would require labels?
food products that were genetically engineered = they contain genes artificially inserted from another organism.
What percentage of a GM ingredient must be present in a food before a label is required? 1%

27. Issues with mandatory labeling
Would meat, eggs and dairy products from livestock fed transgenic crops require a label?
Some labeling proposals include these products
How should regulators verify claims that a food is or is not genetically modified?
Test strips
PCR

28. What are the economic effects?
Producers must separate GMO from non-GMO products or choose to produce one or the other
Cost of food increases
Demand for GMO foods disappears
Europe

29. The BIG Picture

30. Discussion for Tomorrow
Should genetically modified foods be labeled?

31. Future of GMO’s
Bananas that produce vaccines against infectious diseases
Fish that mature more quickly
Cattle that are resistant to BSE
Fruit and nut trees that yield years earlier
Plants that produce new plastics with beneficial properties
Milk with less lactose
Nuts that do not cause allergies

32. Future of GMO’s Frost Tolerant sugar cane
Rice with Vitamin A-- to prevent blindness
Oils with increased fatty acids
Fruits with increased vitamin and mineral content
Edible vaccines in tomatoes and potatoes
Trees which can clean up heavy metal pollution from contaminated soil.