A look at the recent news from around the world on genetically modified food and crops

Genetically modified (GM) food and crop stories continue to appear in the popular media across the globe. In the United States, recent news on the topic was dominated by GM food labeling initiatives in various states, efforts in Hawaii to restrict or ban the cultivation of GM crops, and plans by food companies to eliminate GM ingredients from their products. Chipotle Mexican Grill, a popular chain of restaurants, announced that it would eliminate GM from its ingredients primarily by switching from soybean oil to sunflower oil. Emboldened by a surge in sales recently, presumably because of its avowed pledge to eliminate GMOs from its food, the restaurant chain is also producing animated videos and short films attacking the “industrial agriculture.” Clearly, such a move has not gone well with Monsanto, whose chief technology officer Dr Robert Fraley countered Chipotle’s initiative by extolling the benefits of the GM technology, saying, “I only hope that misinformation and misunderstandings about the technology don’t prevent future generations from realizing the current and future benefits it offers. “ Other natural and organic food companies, including Hain Celestial and Whole Foods, are also exploring ways to eliminate GM ingredients from their product line-up. The New York Times carried a lengthy story by its science writer Amy Harmon on the politics of GM crops in the Hawaii County Council and the relentless quest of one council member to learn more about the safety issues of GM crops and his efforts to convince his fellow members on the benefits of this technology who nevertheless voted to ban cultivation of new GM crops in the “big island.” The three big agricultural companies in turn have sued the Hawaii County Council to overturn the law that would restrict or ban the planting of GM crops in the island. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it is considering a request by Dow Agrosciences to deregulate GM corn and soybean tolerant to the herbicide 2,4D. The move is opposed by many anti-biotech activist groups who are calling this as “Agent Orange Corn” because 2,4-D was among the ingredients in Agent Orange used as a defoliant in the Vietnam War. Farmer groups, in contrast, are welcoming the new GM crops as they would provide an additional tool to manage the weeds. The USDA’s approval is also being sought for non-browning apples, developed by a Canadian biotechnology company Okanagan Specialty Fruits. “Arctic” apples need not be treated with antioxidants when sliced, bruised, or bitten, and thus remain fresh longer. According to president and founder Neal Carter of Okanagan, the new apples have undergone extensive field-testing Maine and Connecticut have passed laws requiring labels on foods containing GM ingredients, although this would not have much impact as the laws would not go into effect until all the five states in the northeastern U.S. pass similar laws. In fact, New Hampshire’s House of Representatives killed a bill that would have required labeling on GM food. One member of the house, who opposed this initiative, says, “There’s a lot of hysterical momentum behind this anti-GMO movement. It’s sort of like an angry mob seeking justice for a crime just by lynching the first possible suspect.” The organic food industry is the biggest beneficiary of increasing public concerns about GM food and thus is behind many GM labeling initiatives in various states. Organic food sales in the United States have increased from $1 billion in 1990 to $26.7 billion in 2010, with a jump in sales of 7.7% in 2010 over the previous year. An organic industry expert Andy Grant of Grant Farms in Colorado acknowledged this fact recently to explain the recent boom in organic foods. “Confusion and concerns about genetically modified crops are certainly playing a role in rising demand.” The weekly magazine New Yorker carried a descriptive story on world’s largest genomics company B.G.I., based in China, and how it has aggressively dominated the global genomics scene. The company is sequencing the genomes of many crops, such as foxtail millet and cassava, and also developing GM varieties in many crops. In a bizarre twist of events, a Chinese national was arrested for stealing proprietary seeds of crops in the USA. Mr Mo Hailang was charged with lifting inbred corn seeds from agricultural company test farms in Illinois and Iowa while working for a Chinese seed company, Kings Nower Seed. In a separate incident, a scientist at Ventria Bioscience, Colorado and another at USDA have been charged with stealing engineered rice seeds expressing pharmaceutical protein and then passing it on to a Chinese company. Bill Gates, the software titan and the noted philanthropist, was recently asked about the controversy surrounding GM crops in a video interview. He responded enthusiastically, describing how this technology can be beneficial to developing countries