Washington Friends of Farms & Forests
We Help Washington Grow
We want to help people understand what is (and isn't) involved in modern plant breeding. There is so much misinformation available about the crops our farmers grow, we want to provide factual, easy to understand information so consumers can make informed decisions and producers can meet the food and fiber needs of our growing world.
Plants developed through the use of biotechnology are often referred to as GMOs
- Early man bred plants through
selection. By choosing the biggest and
best and allowing them to breed, cultivated crops produced more food than wild
varieties. 6,000 years ago, we began
using biological processes and microorganisms (fermentation and yeast) to
improve our ability to store and transport food. Bread, yogurt, cheese, beer and wine are a few
examples.
- In the 1800s, we learned to cross
breed plants to create new types of food. Pluots and tangelos are common examples.
- In the early 1900s, we began using
radiation and chemicals to force seeds to mutate to create novel traits. Ruby red grapefruit and many other varieties
we enjoy today were created through forced
mutagenesis. Once the new trait has been discovered, the plant is grown and
reproduced just like any other crop.
- In the 1990s, we learned to identify
specific genes that control specific traits in plants. We use the same microorganisms our ancestors
used 6000 years ago to grow specific genes to improve today's crops.
- Every crop grown for food today
(with the exception of wild berries) was developed by man. The older processes are costly, time
consuming and inefficient. Using modern
biotechnology to improve crops is more specific, precise and predictable.
Today's genetically modified crops – what's in them and why
- The only crops developed using
modern genetic modification on the market today are soybeans, corn, canola, cotton,
alfalfa, sugar beets, papaya, and summer squash.
- The most
common traits bred into these crops are herbicide tolerance and protection from
certain types of damaging insects.
- Herbicide
tolerant crops (you may have heard the term “Round-up ready”) do not have
herbicides in them. They enable the
plant to tolerate a specific type of herbicide without being damaged. This allows the farmer to use less total
herbicide. One application when the crop
is young removes the weeds and the crop can continue to grow.
- You may have
heard about herbicide resistant weeds. Many plants quickly adapt to herbicides. Farmers knew this generations before GMO seeds were developed. Rotating crops and rotating weed control
methods manages resistance. Each type of
herbicide uses a different means of controlling weeds. One product is not "stronger" than another;
it simply uses a different pathway.
- Some
varieties of corn and cotton have Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) inserted. Bt is a naturally occurring bacterium
commonly found in soil. It is used as an
insecticide by organic growers. It kills
insect larvae by producing proteins that affect the gut of certain types of insects.
It shows up in the green leaves and stems of plants. When the insect chews on the leaf, it is
affected by the Bt and dies, protecting the plant. Bt has been rigorously tested and is
considered safe for people and wildlife. Putting Bt in the plant results in far less insecticide used.
- Modern genetic modification techniques
allow us to move single genes, whose functions we know, from one organism to
another. Using the old methods of selective
breeding, large sets of genes of unknown function are transferred between
related organisms. Biotechnology decreases the risk of producing organisms with
unexpected traits and avoids the time-consuming, trial and error approach of
selective breeding. By increasing the breadth of species from which we can
obtain useful genes, we can access all of nature’s genetic diversity.
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves the safety of all foods. Crops developed through biotechnology are also regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
What does the future hold?
- Crops that can tolerate drought are
being developed now. They will not only
benefit developing countries where irrigation is scare but also California and
other places where water resources are becoming increasingly limited. Drought
tolerant crops can help us cope with climate change in the future.
- Biotechnology can improve food by
removing allergens. Work is underway now
to develop allergen free peanuts, for example.
What else does biotechnology produce?
Numerous drugs and vaccines have been developed using the same techniques. Insulin for diabetics as well as drugs to treat cancer and other diseases have all been made possible through biotechnology.
10 Billion People for Dinner; watch the video below
"Why are people so scared of GMOs?"from someone who has studied the fear from the start. Click here.
