Advances in the genetic modification of food have the potential to dramatically alter our food supply. Why are genetically engineered foods being introduced? What ethics come into play in the economics and technology of food production?
What current scientific research at Southern Illinois University Carbondale is related to food genetics and native plants? What are the implications for health, farming, and the environment? Who is making the crucial decisions about the future of our food supply?
Join us for a discussion of these important questions.
Suggested Readings:
Science for African Food Security by Gordon Conway and Gary Toenniessen (Science Vol. 299, 21 February 2003): A case study of how Sub-Saharan African farmers can improve food security by intensifying production with genetic and agro-ecological technologies that require only small amounts of additional labor and capital.
GM Crops: Science, Politics and Communication by Charles J. Arntzen, Andy Coghlan, Brian Johnson, Jim Peacock, and Michael Rodemeyer (Nature Reviews, Genetics Vol. 4, October 2003): A discussion of the economics of and how best to use GM crops; the authors argue for more impartial communication, less propaganda and an effective regulatory regime that is based on a careful case-by-case consideration of GM technology.
The Ecological Risks and Benefits of Genetically Engineered Plants by L. L. Wolfenbarger and P. R. Phifer (Science Vol. 290, 15 December 2000): A review of existing scientific literature reveals that key experiments on both the environmental risks and benefits are lacking.
Economic impact of transgenic crops in developing countries by Terri Raney (Current Opinion in Biotechnology 2006, 17:174–178): This review of research on the ex post economic impacts of transgenic crops in developing countries finds the impact of the technology to be positive and potentially pro-poor but highly variable across time and space.
Letting the gene out of the bottle: the population genetics of genetically modified crops by Mark A. Chapman and John M. Burke (New Phytologist Tansley Reviews 28 January 2006): This review of research on the economic impacts of transgenic crops in developing countries finds the impact of the technology to be positive and potentially pro-poor but highly variable across time and space.
The Safety of Genetically Modified Foods Produced through Biotechnology (Society of Toxicology Position Paper, Toxicological Science Vol. 71, 2003): This paper argues that accepted methods of analytical, nutritional, and toxicological research have established that the level of safety to consumers of current genetically engineered foods is likely to be equivalent to that of traditional foods, although assessing safety may be more difficult in the future if genetic engineering projects cause more substantial and complex changes in a foodstuff.
For more informaiton, please contact Kristin Millikan at 312.422.5580.