Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
retailers, and consumers but that persists despite containment efforts of
regulators and GM seed makers and their customers. Also entering the
discourse is the growing preference by elite consumers for organic foods
and conventional crops from local farms, a preference that is spreading
to a much broader sector of consumers in highly developed nations.
Another emergent consideration is the application of nanotechnol-
ogy to a growing number of consumer products despite the risks it poses
to workers and others heavily exposed to nano-scale materials. It is fore-
seeable that nano-scale substances will be applied to conventional food
products to enhance nutrition, flavor, shelf life, and other qualities, in
lieu of genetic modification, and this awaits the reactions of the food
industry and consumers. Another topic entering the discourse involves
the growing of GM crops for producing vaccines, drugs, and other non-
food items. Given the proven difficulties of segregating GM crops to pre-
vent contamination of conventional food crops, this development poses
new threats to food safety that will intensify concerns and cause more
stringent regulation of GM agriculture.
The practice of genetically modifying food crops is entering its sec-
ond decade, accompanied by many issues and conflicts. Is it morally
wrong to mix disparate species? To what extent should cultural tradi-
tions, attitudes, and perceptions shape public policy, or should these
be subordinated to expert judgments about safety and the assurances
provided by companies and regulators? Is it irresponsible or dangerous
to proceed given current uncertainty about health and environmental
risks and the limitations of risk assessment and short-term field testing
as means of reducing this uncertainty and avoiding worst-case scenar-
ios? Will commercial experience produce learning about risks that will
enable GM agriculture to be more safely managed over time by the com-
panies, regulators, and growers involved in GM agriculture? Can the
promised benefits for human well-being be achieved without destabiliz-
ing agrarian societies or bringing about biocolonialism by multinational
firms? Are existing corporate practices, legal and regulatory safeguards,
and international treaties sufficient to provide biosafety and protect
