Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
with scientific uncertainty and reliance on templates for approving GM
foods that are shown to be “substantially equivalent” to conventional
food products.
Corporate proponents of GM crops and foods must therefore comply
with numerous requirements to gain regulatory approvals. However, the
requirements and their stringency differ between countries because reg-
ulatory activities, although directed by official policies, are nevertheless
subject to the influence of many factors, political, economic, and cultural,
as well as the ongoing risk discourse and the occurrence of harmful inci-
dents, or the lack thereof. As a result, regulators in the United States, for
example, have relaxed many requirements, deferred to corporate studies
and findings, and disregarded petitions by consumer groups for the label-
ing of GM foods. In contrast, regulators in the EU domain are attentive
to Eurobarometer and other public opinion polls in pursuing their man-
dates and have been extremely precautionary and stringent, indeed to
some observers as being obstructionist.
Despite such differences, each governance system ultimately creates
a responsibility for safety management by GMproponents in the conduct
of their activities. Fulfilling this responsibility requires their compliance
with risk regulations and meeting other standards of acceptable behav-
ior. However, when such requirements are ambiguous, incomplete or
otherwise inadequate, or nonexistent as in poor countries, safety man-
agement is confronted by ethical challenges. In developed nations, com-
panies are expected to meet these challenges by developing a safety cul-
ture that promotes deep organizational commitment to identifying and
minimizing risks and voluntary adoption of appropriate safety practices.
As discussed in Chapter 9, GM agriculture may benefit from safety man-
agement knowledge gained in other, more mature technological sectors.
Reflectionson Risk and Responsibility
For decades, progressive countries have sought to gain the benefits and
minimize the risks of technological advance, and devised policies for
