“By his [Satan’s] ingenious methods of amalgamation he has corrupted the earth.” –Manuscript Releases, vol. 16, p. 247

What is it called when scientists take a strand of DNA from one species and insert it into another species? This new species, altered from its original, is known as a Genetically Modified Organism. This sounds simple and straightforward until you start asking questions such as “why”, “how” and “what”.

GENES AND DNA: AN INTRODUCTION

Before we can go any further, let us have a quick lesson on DNA. We have all heard of the term, but what exactly does it mean? All living organisms on this earth, whether they are human, animal or plant, are made up of thousands of different genes. First of all these genes determine our species, whether we will be a human, a giraffe, or a banana plant. And, once our genes determine our species, then our genes get even more complicated. In humans, our genes dictate those functions that determine our humanness—they determine the structure of our bodies, that we have two legs, two arms, that we walk upright—they tell our bodies how to function, how each cell in our body should work to keep us alive and healthy. Our genes also determine what is different between us, for example, the colour of our skin, our facial features, our height, our personality, even our predisposition to disease and illness.

It has not been that long since scientists have been able to determine which of our genes are responsible for the various functions of our body. They have been able to isolate the functions of genes in animal and plant species also. Through gene research, scientists are able to determine which genes produce certain characteristics in plants and animals. Why has this become so important? In humans, scientists are able to determine which certain gene is known to cause a mutation in humans that will potentially cause disease or death; genetic testing can determine whether a pregnancy can result in a baby that may have lifelong problems or may even die at birth. Another example of genetic testing is done in women to determine whether they carry the gene mutation that makes them a very high risk for breast cancer, which allows women to take steps to decrease this risk. So, you can say that the knowledge of genes can be beneficial.

Now that science can determine which characteristics of an organism are beneficial to its existence, and which characteristics can be harmful, the next step is to determine how to use this to benefit mankind. The knowledge of plant genetics has become a field of study for scientists who are concerned about feeding the population of the world. Every year the population increases, and now humans number over seven billion people. Governments and scientists state that it is getting harder to feed the growing number of people in the world. The area available to grow crops and house livestock is not getting any bigger. In fact, with the growing numbers of people, the acreage available for food production is decreasing. How can the world support increasing numbers of people without being able to increase the amount of land to grow the food for the population? The theory put forward was that the only way to increase the amount of available food was to increase the amount of crops produced per acre. It is shown that for every acre of crop planted, about 30% of the crop is lost due to pests, weeds, drought, or other naturally occurring events. How can farmers decrease the amount of crop loss? The only way to do it would be to grow a crop that is resistant to things that can kill it, to increase the percentage of crops that survive from planting until harvest time.

GENE MANIPULATION

Some species of plants survive difficult growing conditions much better than other species of plants. So, the next thing that scientists asked themselves was, “What if the characteristics of the hardier plant could somehow be transferred to the plant that didn’t survive as well, could we boost the production of that second plant species?” Now that science had advanced far enough to determine which genes of a plant produced which characteristic; for example, they could identify the gene that made a plant drought resistant; if they took the drought-resistant gene and placed it into another plant, that plant should be able to resist drought much better than it did previously. Scientists began to experiment, and were able to transfer genes from various organisms onto a number of plants to enhance their ability to survive in tough growing conditions. Genes were taken from other forms of life including other plant forms, insecticides, pesticides, bacteria and viruses that enhance a specific trait that could the plant’s ability to survive. Genetically modified food crops have a genetic codes that it different from the original plant DNA.

However, this ability to transfer genes from various organisms onto plants also raised many more questions. As we learned, genes determine “who” and “what” all living organisms are. Even slight differences in genes can radically change what organism is produced. For example, humans and chimpanzees share 99% of the same genes. And look how different we are in our ability to think, to reason, and even what we look like. In fact, humans and banana plants share 47% of their genes. So, if even one gene was to be altered, what does that mean for the species? In essence, the plant or animal is no longer what it was originally determined to be; a new species has being created. These new species are known as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s). Now does the term make more sense? Another vital question is, if humans eat the plants that have been genetically modified, will these plants react differently in our bodies? Can they affect our health in ways that the original plant did not?

HISTORY OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS

The first scientific experiment in swapping genes between plant species was in 1992, with the Flavr Savr tomato. After ripe tomatoes are picked off the plant, they only last a few days before they become too ripe, and begin to rot. Picking tomatoes before they are fully ripe makes for a flavourless tomato. We can see this in winter time when tomatoes travel to Canada from long distances. The only way they survive the journey without rotting is that they need to be picked before they are ripe. This is why tomatoes in the winter are virtually flavourless. They look nice and red, but they taste bland. So, scientists introduced genes from another plant into a tomato plant, hoping it would slow down the ripening process, but still maintain the flavour. It was an unsuccessful first attempt at gene manipulation.  The tomatoes quickly became soggy, and the flavour did not improve. After less than a year, the Flavr Savr tomato was discontinued. Since that time, in only a short span of 24 years, science has improved and many “genetically modified” plants have been created.

Let us look at now consider modern genetically modified plants and what they have accomplished. For the rest of the article, these genetically modified plants will be referred to as GMO’s, as that is how they are referred to worldwide. Since the introduction of the Flavr Savr tomato, the use of GMO crops has increased 100-fold to 70 million hectares world-wide. GMO’S are a very new technology and there is much controversy over its safety. It can take anywhere from 6-15+ years before a new modified plant is ready for release to be grown in fields as crops.  Therefore, the foods that are now GMO crops have only been eaten by humans from 5-15 years. This is too soon to be able to determine what effects these foods may have on the human body. Even the leading scientists around the world disagree on the safety of GMO’s.

A prominent Canadian scientist, David Suzuki is quoted as saying, “One small mutation in a human being can determine so much. Even if you move one tiny gene out of an organism into a different one, you are completely changing its context. There is no way to predict how it’s going to behave and what the outcome will be.” Do we want to be a part of this experiment?

Despite the rapid increase in GMO foods, the technology is still very crude. It is not possible to insert a new gene with any accuracy, and the transfer of new genes can disrupt the finely controlled network of DNA in an organism. Current understanding of the way in which DNA works is extremely limited. Any change to the DNA of an organism at any point can have side effects that are

impossible to predict or control. The new gene could, for example, alter chemical reactions within the cell or disturb cell functions. This could lead to instability, the creation of new toxins or allergens, and changes in nutritional value. One example that has been debated widely is that with the rise of GMO’s, the incidence of gluten sensitivities and intolerances has increased. Could these two factors be related? We will address the health effects of GMO’s next month.

THE SEARCH FOR A SOLUTION TO WORLD HUNGER

Crop yields can suffer for many different reasons. One reason is that insects eat the crops. Another reason is that weeds take over, or there is too little rain, or some other change in the normal weather pattern. GMO’s were created to resist destruction by these means, to increase the percentage of crops planted that would survive until harvest time.

For many years, farmers would spray their crops with selective herbicides, which only killed weeds and spared their crops. However, these herbicides were not always effective in killing all the weeds that could damage crop yields.  And, weeds were growing resistant to the current herbicides available.

Along came a company called Monsanto, which came up with a unique solution. It produced a product called “Roundup,” which is a “non-selective herbicide that controls a wide variety of weeds, grasses and broadleaf plants.” In other words, Roundup kills every plant it comes into contact with, including beneficial plants as well as weeds. But then, how was the farmer to protect the crops that could potentially be killed by Roundup? This is when GMO’s became popular. Monsanto came up with their own solution on how to prevent crops being destroyed by Roundup. They also went into the business of producing GMO seeds; these seeds were genetically modified so that the crops would be resistant to Roundup. Therefore, entire fields could be sprayed with Roundup, which would kill the weeds, but leave the Roundup-resistant crop intact. The seeds that Monsanto produced, that were genetically modified seeds, were known as “Roundup Ready” seeds. In other words, they were “ready” to be used, together with Roundup.

So, what does this all mean? Now, Monsanto is the biggest GMO seed manufacturing company in the world, selling to farmers worldwide. And, in what many people say is the strange twist, Monsanto is also the world’s biggest producer of the most widely used herbicide, in Roundup—ready to be used, without damaging crops that are grown from the seeds they produce. Because Monsanto controls the patent on GMO seeds, they determine the price of their seeds. Many farmers are unable to afford GMO seeds, including in the developing countries. Therefore, the areas which need increased crop yields to produce more food are unable to afford buying GMO seeds.  No wonder there are many people who feel that GMO’s are just a big cash-grab for large conglomerates such as Monsanto.

HERBICIDES

Can food treated with chemicals be harmful to human health? The main ingredient in Roundup and other herbicides is glyphosate. Monsanto and other companies that produce glysophate claim that it is not harmful to human health. However, claims that Roundup is safe are misleading. Independent studies show that glyphosate is toxic. Commercial glyphosate formulations now contain extra added ingredients, to increase its effectiveness, and are more toxic than glyphosate alone. GMO crops have increased the use of glyphosate and thus people’s exposure to it, presenting a risk that has not been adequately considered in regulating its use. American growers sprayed 280 million pounds of glyphosate on their crops in 2012. That amounts to nearly a pound of glyphosate for every person in the country.  World-wide, 650,000 tons of glyphosate was used in 2011. This use is estimated to double by the year 2017.

The toxic effects of glyphosate have been shown to include disruption of hormonal systems and beneficial gut bacteria, damage to DNA, developmental and reproductive toxicity, birth defects, cancer, and neurotoxicity. In March 2015, The International Agency for Research into Cancer (IARC), which falls under the World Health Organisation (WHO), has recently classified glyphosate as a “probable human carcinogen”; its continued use poses unacceptable risks to our health, the health of our families, farmers, farmers’ families, farm workers and society. Glyphosate manufacturers claim that the glyphosate in our foods do not stay in our bodies, but we excrete them through our urine and feces. However, in a study done in Europe, evidence suggests that a significant proportion of the population have glyphosate residues in their bodies. If health risks are associated with glysophate, why is it still available for use? Governments trust the companies that manufacture a product to prove its safety; proving that a product is safe benefits the company, not the consumer.

Another problem with the continued, widespread use of Roundup is that weeds are pretty “smart”—the plants that used to die from the Roundup herbicide treatments do not die anymore.  They have adapted and become tolerant of the product that used to kill them.  Sources confirm that as many as 20 new types of weeds nicknamed “SuperWeeds” have been found growing in GMO crop sites. GMO crop farmers have to use more and more glyphosate, or even different herbicides, to control them. Now, new herbicides are having to replace Roundup, which are even more more toxic to human health.

PREVALENCE OF GMO CROPS

How far have GMO crops spread? In North America, 94% of soybean crops are GMO’s, corn 93%, cotton 96%, sugar beets 90%, canola 88%, Hawaiian papaya 50%. A small amount of zucchini and yellow squash are also GMO foods. Much of the alfalfa and Kentucky blue grass, which are fed to animals, are GMO’s. Most people in North America, unless one is mindful of GMO foods, and tries to avoid them, probably eat foods that contain GMO products, every day of their lives. GMO crops are also grown in many other countries. We will discuss this more next month.

What may come as a surprise to many is that wheat is not a GMO food. Because wheat in North America is exported to many countries around the world, they have chosen not to create GMO wheat, as many countries that accept North American wheat have also banned GMO foods. Much of the European Union has strict rules on the growing and importing of GMO foods. Therefore, the reason that GMO wheat does not exist is purely an economical one; farmers in North America would suffer great financial losses if they could not sell their wheat to the rest of the world.

HAVE GMO CROPS INCREASED FOOD PRODUCTION WORLD-WIDE?

Most countries in the world have laws that govern GMO foods. Some countries accept GMO’s without any questions, some countries ban the growing of GMO foods, and some will not allow GMO foods into their country. As food becomes scarcer, more countries are willing to offer their people GMO foods. But, have GMO’s increased the amount of food available to the world? Studies show that GMO foods have not resulted in accomplishing what they were intended to do. Other than a few large companies growing very rich on GMO products, it has not been proven that GMO crops are the answer to the world’s food supply problem. Just like 50 years ago, prior to the advent of GMO foods, 1 billion people do not have enough food to eat.

Despite their claims GMO crops have not increase their yields. Nor are there any GMO crops that are better than non-GMO crops at tolerating poor soils or challenging climate conditions. Also, there are hungry people, not because food is lacking, but because not all of the food produced goes to feed humans. The two major GMO crops, soy and corn, mostly go into animal feed for livestock, biofuels to power cars, and into processed human foods—products for wealthy nations that have nothing to do with meeting the basic food needs of the poor and hungry. Up to a third of the GMO crops planted go to waste. The increase in biofuels, not a lack of GMO foods, is the main cause of the global food crisis and the ongoing rise in global food prices.

Another cause of hunger is poverty and lack of access to land on which to grow food, which GMO foods cannot change. We already produce more than enough food to feed the world’s population and could produce enough with existing agricultural methods to feed 12 billion people.

IMPACT OF GMO’S ON HEALTH

There are contradicting results from scientists and from studies done on GMO foods. Some studies prove GMO’S are safe, and others prove GMO’s are unsafe. However, who are doing these studies, e.g. who gains from the results? There is not enough research into the effect of new proteins, altered DNA, etc. on our body. This topic has polarized most of the world. People who know about GMO’s are either GMO advocates or GMO opponents. Because of this conflicting information, GMO’s are not trusted. Even governments do not agree. Many governments ban GMO’s while other countries grow GMO crops extensively. When more research is done, what will be the final results? Will those who advocate for GMO’s realize that it was harmful after all? Will the opponents accept that GMO’s are a good thing? It is too soon to tell, but current research is providing us with some important answers, while the world continues to grapple with the dilemma created by the use of GMO foods.

NEXT MONTH: HEALTH EFFECTS OF GMO’S AND THEIR USE AROUND THE WORLD