Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
that can be applied to avoid outcrossing, spillage of seeds or biomass,
and commingling with food or feed crops (see Table 2), and researchers
are working on molecular confinement mechanisms that aim at avoiding
gene dispersal. 42 Most of the molecular confinement mechanisms being
proposed, 43 however, are “leaky,” that is, not working 100 percent, and
still far from being used for commercial production. 44 Standard Oper-
ating Procedures and other organizational or physical measures can fail
due to human error or mismanagement. Even more frequent and thor-
ough inspections of production sites, as promised by the USDA, may
fail. 45 It has therefore been proposed that a combination of several dif-
ferent confinement measures have to be applied at the same time to
establish a redundant system that could provide an acceptable level of
safety.
What is considered by the biotech industry and regulatory experts
as sufficient risk mitigation measures might, however, not be sufficient
for the food industry or consumer and environmental groups, and per-
haps also for the general public. Beyond and independent of any health
or environmental harm, considerable economic damage might occur in
case of contamination of the food and feed chain. Given the lessons of
the StarLink and ProdiGene incidents, serious economic consequences
might result from accidental commingling even if no relevant health
or environmental risks are anticipated. Anxieties of civil society and
the food and feed sector might also be sparked by discussions to use
42 H. Daniell, Molecular Strategies for Gene Containment in Transgenic Corps, 20
Nature Biotechnology 581-586 (2002); a more comprehensive review is provided in
J. M. Dunwell & C. S. Ford, Technologies for Biological Containment of GM and
Non-GM Crops. DEFRA Contract CPEC 47. Final Report. Reading (2005).
43 Union of Concerned Scientists, Pharm and Industrial Crops: The Next Wave of Agri-
cultural Biotechnology (2003).
44 N. C. Ellstrand, Going to “Great Lengths” to Prevent the Escape of Genes that Pro-
duce Specialty Chemicals. 132 Plant Physiology 1770-1774.
45 Union of Concerned Scientists, Pharmaceutical and Industrial Crops. UCS uncovers
lax USDA oversight of pharma crops (2006), available at http://www.ucsusa.org/food
and environment/genetic engineering/usda-ventria-oversight.html.
 
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