genetic engineering

Sir, We’ve Secured Your Pancreas . . . From a Pig

by Jennie Pugliese, Sustainable Plant Systems major

If you were in need of an organ transplant, would you accept one grown inside a pig? This may seem absurd now but the US may not be far off from this reality. One of Japan’s top scientists, Professor Hiromitsu Nakauchi, has spent years perfecting the art of adjoining two genetically different creatures, cleverly called chimeras, and is now on his way to California.

This may seem like a bit of science fiction, however Professor Nakauchi has successfully created a mouse with a rat pancreas as recently as 2010. His method involves inserting stem cells into a genetically modified embryo then implanting this into a surrogate, such as a pig. The embryo thus develops with the body of the embryo donor and the organs of the stem cell donor.

Obviously this raises many ethical questions and concerns. While a never-ending supply of human organs could be beneficial to those in need, are we willing to accept the image of an industry full of pigs containing human organs like something out a George Orwell novel? If there is such resistance to genetically engineered foods how could our society ever accept the idea of genetically engineered organs? This is surely not a debate or question to be settled anytime soon.

Read More > Animal-grown transplant organs (the-scientist.com)

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This blog post was an assignment for  Societal Issues: Pesticides, Alternatives and the Environment (PLNTPTH 4597) and is a repost from August 14, 2014. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the class, Department of Plant Pathology or the instructor.

Is Bt corn really working?

By Wesley Allen, Professional Golf Management major

Is Bt corn really working?

While this article seems to be one that trashes Bt corn I have a different opinion.  They label it as what could be a great failure. This is incorrect – I can’t see how one could say this.  These types of crops have worked wonders for the world and if used correctly would continue to.  The main reason that insects develop resistance to Bt crops is because of improper resistance management (and not inherently because of genetic engineering). There needs to be enough crops planted that are non-Bt in order to manage resistance.  Most farmers understand this and are doing this, but now companies are taking it into their own hands and mixing in non-Bt seeds with the Bt seeds so that the appropriate amount will be grown.  Bt corn has proven how well it works and it will continue to do so as long as we take the right precautions to make sure that insects to not develop resistance to Bt engineered crops.

Reference article: Monsanto decimates their credibility (Sept. 10, 2013)
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/09/10/monsanto-bt-corn.aspx

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This blog post was an assignment for  Societal Issues: Pesticides, Alternatives and the Environment (PLNTPTH 4597). The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the class, Department of Plant Pathology or the instructor.

GMO-Free School Lunch Options

By Marjan Souayvixay, Biology major

According to Moms Across America, “31 million GMO meals are served to our children in American schools each day.. . . These meals contain pesticides, dyes, high fructose corn syrup and synthetic chemical which have been linked to Autism, Allergies, ADHD and Auto Immune Disorders.”

Wow! This blog caught my attention because I am a mother myself and I believe it is hype to scare mothers about GMO foods.

I am a student at OSU and a health professional pursuing education to advance my profession. I know that there are many factors that contribute to the above childhood illnesses, and GMO foods are not one of them.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) involve improvements done to a plant in order to make a better crop – for example, a drought resistant plant or pest resistant. Nothing is changed about the plant life form. What one should ask is, what kind of modification is being done?

Before food companies distribute their crops to the grocery stores, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provide regulation.  The foods contain minimal residue, and it is recommended to wash fresh fruits and vegetables under running water to minimize any residue (National Pesticide Information Center).

My priority is whether my child is getting the right amount of nutrients for a growing and developing brain and body, recommended by the American Pediatric Association.

My concern is if my child is getting the right amount of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Does his lunch provide healthy portions of each of these categories?

My advice to mothers is doing your own research, as I did. Resources are abundant. You will gain insightful knowledge and only with your findings you will know what goes into the bodies of the ones you love.

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This blog post was an assignment for  Societal Issues: Pesticides, Alternatives and the Environment (PLNTPTH 4597). The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the class, Department of Plant Pathology or the instructor.

GMOs: Healthy or Not?

by Courtney Tarvin, Agricultural Communication major

In today’s fast paced, instant world everyone is looking for the most efficient way accomplish their goals, for many farmers that is producing genetically modified food, but are they really healthy?

I personally think that these Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) foods are healthy for consumption. Biology Fortified’s article, The 10 Minor Realizations That Flipped My Thinking About GMOs, has some interesting points. For example, GMOs only have a single gene that is being transferred out of the thousands of genes that they contain. Also, I think we need to realize that we share half of our DNA with a banana.

Many plants produce their own pesticides, and traditional selective breeding has had a negative unintended consequence on the world. We can’t prove that these foods are bad for human consumption and contemporary breeding has been proven to be very selective.

The public is afraid of the unknown as we do not know the correlation between health and GMO products, but it is only because of the messages that people against GMOs have sent out, convincing others that these are bad products. GMOs have helped to vastly improve production over the years and have helped with the agriculture industry; they are healthy and safe. But the biggest issue that the agriculture industry faces is convincing the public that these products are safe for them to consume.
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This blog post was an assignment for  Societal Issues: Pesticides, Alternatives and the Environment (PLNTPTH 4597). The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the class, Department of Plant Pathology or the instructor.

Right to Know or Right to Pay?
“Genetic Engineering” Labeling Controversy

By: Michelle King, Community Leadership major

Ever since the development of genetically engineered (GE) crops, there have been major debates over the risks and benefits of food products made with the new biotechnology methods. After more Americans found out biotechnology was being used with some of our major crops, they began to demand the information labeled on the products in the stores.

“We have a Right to Know What’s in our Food!” This phrase, used by people all over America who are “for” labeling, like those from LabelGMOs.org, portrays their true reasoning as to why they think GE foods need to be labeled. This right has more to do with than just their freedom. It has to do with human health, religious demands and ethical motives as well.

“The cost of labeling involves far more than the paper and ink to print the actual label!” Not everyone in America, like Monsanto, agrees with the labeling and majority of people agree with this phrase dealing with the extra cost of the labeling. These Americans don’t want the right to pay for these labels which they feel will just bring extra worry about the food they are eating, which shouldn’t have any worry because they have been tested and approved by FDA and USDA.

The bottom line is it’s the consumer’s choice on whether they eat GE foods or not. If Americans really want their food labeled, then fight for it in your local and state government!

If it doesn’t matter to you but you don’t want to eat GE foods then simply buy certified organic products!  (USDA Organic Agriculture)

And finally if you don’t care about either the labeling issue or the fact there are GE products in your food, then keep on eating!

Just do your research if you are a concerned consumer and really determine if you would rather have the right to know or the right to pay when it comes to labeling GE foods!

More info
OSU Extension Ohioline
> The Impact on Human Health of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in Foods (pdf)

Colorado State Extension> Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods

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This blog post was an assignment for  Societal Issues: Pesticides, Alternatives and the Environment (PLNTPTH 4597). The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the class, Department of Plant Pathology or the instructor.

Label Me!

by Veronica Flores, Comparative Studies and Spanish double major

To label genetically modified organisms  (GMOs) or to not label GMOs, that is the question. In recent news there has been an increase in the push for the labeling of genetically modified products. While many say that labeling these products is nothing but a waste of money others say that Americans have the right to know what is in their food! Others say that labeling will deter costumers from buying the food.

In my opinion refusing to label is admitting they are hiding something. Or can it be that perhaps everything now is genetically modified and labeling will only expose this truth? Americans have the right to know what is in their food and labeling the products is the only way to do that. Labeling will give Americans the option to choose whether or not they want to consume genetically modified products.

More importantly, labeling products can lead to the answer to the following question,“Do GMOs cause health problems?” The reason this question remains unanswered is because by not labeling products there is no way to trace health issues with GMOs. This is why labeling is important. In order to trace the effects of GMOs and give people the right to know what they are eating, food products must be labeled.

For more info : http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09371.html

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This blog post was an assignment for  Societal Issues: Pesticides, Alternatives and the Environment (PLNTPTH 4597). The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the class, Department of Plant Pathology or the instructor

Vermont Steps Closer to Passing GMO Food-Labeling Law

grocery2blog post by Hannah Solomon, History (solomon.179@osu.edu) for PLNTPTH 4597

I came across this article last week and it grabbed my attention, not only because of our recent study of GMOs in [PLNTPTH 4597] class, but also because Vermont will be my home for the next three years as I attend Vermont Law School.

A bill was recently approved by the Vermont Senate 28-2 requiring that all genetically modified foods be labeled in retail outlets. If the House of Representatives approves the changes made by the Senate, the bill will go into effect on July 1, 2016. Writers of the bill, anticipating fierce resistance, have set aside money for future lawsuits.

Is forced GMO labeling a good idea? Who knows for sure. Arguments can be made in favor of both sides. Consumers have the right to know what they’re eating and the right to avoid foods that they believe to be unsafe. On the other hand, there is no evidence to support the belief that GMOs are not safe. GMO labeling will be a costly burden. Those who have not been educated about GMOs will avoid them because of negative media portrayal.

I’m assuming the authors of the bill took all of these arguments into account when proposing the action, and despite resistance from those who oppose GMO labeling, Vermont is well on its way to becoming the first state to pass a GMO labeling law. I’m glad I’ll be there to watch these events unfold first-hand!

Full article:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/16/us-usa-gmo-lawmaking-idUSBREA3F1KP20140416

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This blog post was an assignment for  Societal Issues: Pesticides, Alternatives and the Environment (PLNTPTH 4597). The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the class, Department of Plant Pathology or the instructor.