Starting a Dialogue Among Biotechnology Proponents, Skeptics and Opponents Frank J. Kutka Graduate Student Department of Plant Breeding Cornell University.
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Starting a Dialogue Among Biotechnology Proponents, Skeptics and Opponents Frank J. Kutka Graduate Student Department of Plant Breeding Cornell University Topics to be discussed: Our Complex and Interesting World The “Big” Problems Facing Humanity “Biotechnology” and “Genetic Engineering” What are these and how do they fit in? What do proponents have to say? What do opponents and skeptics have to say? Beginning a “True” Dialogue Context for the Dialogue Parting Thoughts We don’t always know our neighbors. What is probably the most numerous vertebrate in eastern forests? What threatens it? Our history has many surprises. What is probably the longest inhabited city in the United States? The “big” environmental problem... “less than one thousandth (0.1%) of Iowa's original prairie remains - not enough for viable habitat.” “Drainage tiles from nearby fields further emphasize flood events, digging the channel ever-deeper causing the water table to drop.” -Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation How can we solve malnutrition? Six determinants concerning malnutrition: Production of food Preservation of food Population in a given region Poverty within that population Politics within and outside that population Pathology or population health beyond nutrition Michael Latham, 1997, Human Nutrition in the Developing World; used in NS 680 - International Nutrition Problems, Policy and Programs Midwestern agriculture is productive but uneconomical. Net losses for corn have been seen in Iowa in 19 of the last 30 years *. Economic returns from major crops in Iowa, 2003, from C. Brummer and M. Duffy, Iowa State University Per Acre Basis Corn Soybean Alfalfa Cost of production $400.54 $308.18 $293.67 Estimated yield Price (CBOT, 9/03) 170 bu $2.09/bu 50 bu $5.19/bu 4 tons $87.50/t Average receipts $334.40 $271.00 $350.00 Net returns -45.24* -48.68* +56.33 * Without government subsidies; no subsidies for alfalfa Anne and Eric Nordell’s Beech Grove Farm, “an average of less than 10 lb fresh weight of weeds per acre in their fields… The lettuce had been cultivated, but received no hand weeding.” Organic “no-till”? Why does this matter? The world is full of surprises that regularly challenge our preconceptions and dearly held beliefs: “The truth is out there.” To be a scientist in this world requires that we remain open to new facts and ideas. We must actively try to refute our null hypotheses in defensible and realistic ways that are reflective of our complex world. Topics to be discussed: Our Complex and Interesting World The “Big” Problems Facing Humanity “Biotechnology” and “Genetic Engineering” What are these and how do they fit in? What do proponents have to say? What do opponents and skeptics have to say? Beginning a “True” Dialogue Context for the Dialogue Parting Thoughts James George, 2002, Asking for the Earth World Scientists Warning to Humanity, 1992, from UCS on behalf of 1600 scientists “Humans and the natural world are on a collision course.” “What we must do:” Bring environmentally damaging activities under control Manage resources more effectively Stabilize population Reduce and eventually eliminate poverty Ensure sexual equality WWW.Monsanto.Com “As the human race enters the 21st century, we face challenges that are unprecedented in the history of mankind.” “Finite and dwindling energy resources. A fastgrowing world population that will inevitably outstrip our capacity to produce enough food to meet our needs. Rapidly eroding soils that fill our waterways with sediment. Fresh water supplies that are limited but facing increased demand. The threat of global warming. Deteriorating air quality.” What lies at the center of our current, “big” human concerns? Dealing with the “population problem” (population growth, increasing food supplies, human habitat, water supplies). Cleaning up/maintaining/using the natural environment around us. Making sure that people have access to education, resources, personal liberty, nutritious food, a “better life”, etc. Topics to be discussed: Our Complex and Interesting World The “Big” Problems Facing Humanity “Biotechnology” and “Genetic Engineering” What are these and how do they fit in? What do proponents have to say? What do opponents and skeptics have to say? Beginning a “True” Dialogue Context for the Dialogue Parting Thoughts Paul Raeburn, 1995, The Last Harvest “…two technologies are on hand to help alleviate some of the problems.” “One is actually an update of old technology. Alternative agriculture, or sustainable agriculture, as it is sometimes called, ...is designed to be less brutal to the environment…” “Another technology that could help is genetic engineering.” Genetic Engineering is the biotechnology of interest today. Most people accept plant breeding. Most people accept tissue culture. Most people accept artificial limbs and hearts. Many plant breeders, organic farmers and others accept “marker-assisted selection”. The “issue” appears to be the formation and use of transgenic organisms, especially their release into the environment. “Biotech” to most means “genetic engineering.” The Genetic Engineering Dialogue? ISAAA brochures and “Informing the Dialogue” mention a dialogue. Is there really? It would be great! Each side may have worthy issues. The Amish: “Masters of Technology” Society needs to arrive at the best answers. AgBioWorld and industry groups are very positive. No alternatives or downsides? NGO groups opposed to GE often discuss the negative only. No positives? The Message of GE Proponents: Genetic Engineering is a powerful tool that can solve human problems. It can increase food supplies, reduce pesticide use, improve human nutrition, reduce poverty, save soil, etc. We need these new products to make needed progress in the face of a growing population. They are safe and valuable. They represent science and progress. Success stories and new developments too. What are the Opponents and Skeptics Saying? We rarely hear more than the angry words of extremists presented by journalists. As with proponents, opinions and expertise of opponents and skeptics vary widely. We will take a quick overview of their perspectives on GE directly from them. Why? To become more aware of these many potential issues and how we can address them. Please note: Authors speak for themselves. Brewster Keen, 1999, Farmageddon “Yes, I am against all biotechnology… I think ‘modern biotechnology’ is a bad attitude… [It] is an assault on life; not an altruistic exercise in curiosity but a demand to control.” This book contains a fairly complete explanation of what transgenic technology is and how transformation occurs. “Strategies of genetic engineering for herbicide resistance… can also end up creating superweeds.” Vandana Shiva, 1993 Canola volunteers with multiple herbicide tolerance were discovered in Canada in 2000. (L. Hall et al. 2000. Weed Science 48:688-694) Mae-Wan Ho, ISIS, ACRE speech “CaMV 35S promoter, if transferred to human or animal cells could…” “All artificial constructs tend to be unstable, so much so that this is a topic in a standard textbook… Transgenic DNA is more likely… to recombine… This could change the transgenic line in unpredictable ways in terms of health and environmental risks.” WWW.GreenPeace.org “Genetically engineered organisms should not be released… as there is not adequate scientific understanding of their impact...” “Their release is… a threat because [they] cannot be recalled once released into the environment.” “Food security will not be achieved by technical fixes or even by increasing food production. It requires, among other things, access to land and money. GE provides neither.” “The reason organic farmers do not want [GE] crops is that they don’t need them. We do not have the same insect and other problems that conventional farmers do.” Mary-Howell Martens “Organic” vs “Conventional” yields and pesticide use in USA California Tomatoes -13% fewer pesticides Iowa Corn ns fewer pesticides Iowa Corn -26% fewer pesticides Iowa Soybean ns fewer pesticides USA Corn -6% fewer pesticides USA Soybean -6% fewer pesticides USA Wheat -3% fewer pesticides from Delate et al. 2002, Leibhardt 2001, Temple et al. 2000, Welsh 1999 The situation is complex, but organic methods are often competitive or even superior economically, sometimes without the premium. Jack Kloppenberg, 1988, First the Seed: The Political Economy of Plant Biotechnology “There is no question that biotechnology holds unprecedented promise for plant improvement. But we cannot rely upon private industry to explore the full range of technological possibilities. The research firms are necessarily limited by the inescapable parameters of profitability and the need to protect their own interests” Michael W. Fox, 1992, Super Pigs and Wonder Corn “I am not in principle opposed to biotechnology... However, I am opposed to those who seek to use it only for profit regardless of ethical, social, environmental, and animal-welfare concerns.” “ensure that our children and the rest of creation will not suffer the legacy of a world impoverished by genetic engineering run amok.” “Billions of dollars are being invested in applying biotechnology... even though no cost analysis has been done…” Michael W. Fox, 1992, Super Pigs and Wonder Corn “The costs and consequences, risks and benefits, of this new world order need to be rigorously evaluated. Such concern should not be misjudged as antiscience or antiprogress sentiment. Rather, it should be recognized that only with greater involvement of an informed public in the policy-making process will advances in science and technology...be likely to serve the public good…” Lappe’ and Bailey, 1998, Against the Grain “we believe it is unwise to raise tolerances [of glyphosate from 6 - 20 ppm] simply to permit more widespread use of transgenic technology.” “we… would like to see labeling of transgenic products made mandatory in keeping with the ethical maxim of full disclosure.” “Cautious regulation would allow us the opportunity to avoid potential risks while insuring that biotechnology contributes to our social and long term environmental well-being.” Wolfenbarger and Phifer. 2000. The ecological risks and benefits of genetically engineered plants. Science 290:2088 “Neither the risks nor the benefits of GEOs are certain or universal.” “Our capacity to predict ecological impacts of introduced species… [has] limitations.” “Additional or unidentified risks and benefits may exist.” E. Ann Clark, 2000, What is Sound Science? “The needs of society are ill-served when only two choices are provided - chemical or biotechnology. Non-proprietary approaches to food production may achieve the same ends, but with lesser effects on the environment while leaving more profit in the farming community.” “The current, largely assumptions-based risk assessment process confers great power on the proponent, both as the sole source of research data and as the decisionmaker on what… to provide.” Miguel Altieri, interview, 2000 “any integrated pest management program, which uses cultural practices such as crop rotations or cover crops and releases of beneficial insects, saves between 30 and 50% of insecticides.” “Although glyphosate is considered less prone to weed resistance, the increased use of the herbicide will result in weed resistance… as it has been already documented with Australian populations of annual ryegrass, quackgrass, birdsfoot trefoil and Cirsium arvense.” “The 22% jump in glyphosate pounds applied per acre from 2001 to 2002 was caused by the major price reductions offered to farmers, the need to control more difficult sets of weeds, and the emergence of resistance… in many weed species that were once fully controlled by one glyphosate application.” Pesticide use on GE Crops 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 Charles Benbrook, BioTech InfoNet Technical Paper Number 6, Nov 2003 1998 1997 1996 -5 0 5 10 % Change in Pe sticide Applied 15 “Perhaps the most disturbing result that has emerged from the commercialization of transgenic crops is the increasingly common practice of patenting genes and plant varieties, notwithstanding that genes exist naturally and that plant varieties are the product of years of selection.” “The use of HRCs per se is not as large a problem as using them to drive a fundamentally flawed agroecosystem.” “Feeding the world is the most specious reason of all to support any agricultural technology”. Charlie Brummer, Forage Breeder, Iowa State Current corn yield goes up 1.9 Bu/A annually. What genes would improve this? John Dudley, 2003 ASTA Meeting For traits like Bt or herbicide tolerance that you cannot get except from bacteria, [genetic engineering] is fine, “but for yield the technology is bankrupt.” Dani Zamir, 2003 PLBR Seminar “One potential hazard in current experiments derives from the need to use a bacterium like E. coli to clone the recombinant DNA molecules and to amplify their number. Strains of E. coli commonly reside in the human intestinal tract, and are capable of exchanging genetic information with other types of bacteria…” Paul Berg et al. 1975, NAS report to the Asilomar Conference “Three of seven ileostomists showed evidence of lowfrequency gene transfer from GM soya to the microflora of the small bowel before their involvement in these experiments.” Netherwood et al. 2004. Nature Biotechn. 22:204 Genetic engineering is sometimes very expensive at both ends Tray Thomas told the 2003 ASTA meeting that it cost $80-100 million per trait. Albert Lea Seed House 2004 catalog: Isoline 8518 - $55 7292 - $60 6901 - $60 6899 - $57 Single Transgene Stacked Traits R8519 - $80 R7291 - $84, W7294 - $126 BtR6006 - $92 W6898 - $126 WR6894 - $144 Soybean - $13.25 RRSoybean - $23.50 Mike Duffy, Iowa State: insignificant economic benefits to farmers DuPont brought us tetraethyl lead, Monsanto brought us PCBs, Syngenta brought us atrazine, Aventis brought us aldicarb, etc. Have they taken responsibility for these and paid for any damages? If there are downsides to transgenic organisms, who will be held liable and will the affected parties be compensated? In a hungry world, how do you compensate for contaminated water and food? Perspectives of GE proponents, skeptics and opponents: There is an enormous range of issues! There is some agreement on the bigger human problems that need to be addressed. There is little agreement on the risks and benefits of transgenic organisms or our immediate need for them. Topics to be discussed: Our Complex and Interesting World The “Big” Problems Facing Humanity “Biotechnology” and “Genetic Engineering” What are these and how do they fit in? What do proponents have to say? What do opponents and skeptics have to say? Beginning a “True” Dialogue Context for the Dialogue Parting Thoughts Lets start the dialogue about transgenic organisms. How? Many voices must be heard, not just favorites. Lets face the big goals and decide on the most appropriate, safe and effective means to reach them. Good engineers do this. We should move past technophobia and technophilia. Lets be responsible, collegial, honest and clear. Lets talk things over open-mindedly and without foregone conclusions or prejudice. Lets all set a good example. Lets promote well designed studies of issues. Who would we be speaking with? GE proponents: I have spoken and eaten with some, they were human and I like lots of them. Some were reasonable and even intelligent. Some were ignorant of some things and I learned from all of them. GE opponents and skeptics: I have spoken and eaten with some, they were human and I like lots of them. Some were reasonable and even intelligent. Some were ignorant of some things and I learned from all of them. Topics to be discussed: Our Complex and Interesting World The “Big” Problems Facing Humanity “Biotechnology” and “Genetic Engineering” What are these and how do they fit in? What do proponents have to say? What do opponents and skeptics have to say? Beginning a “True” Dialogue Context for the Dialogue Parting Thoughts There is a catch... Those of us who are GE proponents must clearly show safety and cost-effectiveness for reaching the big goals. Those of us who are GE opponents or skeptics must present our concerns in defensible ways. Alternatives must also be proven safe and effective. ALL must try to think across the wider context. ALL must listen and be prepared to change their minds based on facts. We must also remain aware of the big picture and big problems. “Ultimately human populations must stabilize at some number… since there is an ecological limitation to the number of any species the earth can support.” - Robert L. Smith, 1966, Ecology and Field Biology Questions: What will stop population growth? Why wait? What is gained by growing our population larger? What is lost? What about our ecological footprint? Politics? Equality? Health and nutrition status? Poverty? Topics to be discussed: Our Complex and Interesting World The “Big” Problems Facing Humanity “Biotechnology” and “Genetic Engineering” What are these and how do they fit in? What do proponents have to say? What do opponents and skeptics have to say? Beginning a “True” Dialogue Context for the Dialogue Parting Thoughts A modest proposal: Since there seems to be some agreement concerning the problems at hand and on most of the “biotechnologies” available… How about if we work together toward some major goals using appropriate tools from the toolkit that we all agree upon already? Lets think big and just do it! “They have solutions looking for problems.” Kendall Lamkey, Midwest Corn Improvement Conference, 2004 “Lets not forget that there are a lot of bright minds there in St. Louis.” Shepard Ogden, NOFA-NY Conference, 2004 Perennial grains? Forage-based agriculture? Breeding for organic agroecosystems and wider rotations? Explaining why and how they work? Alternative fiber crops, like milkweed? How about relating genes, their expression, and environmental parameters: ecology and genetics? Even if cooperation begins, we must remain aware of the larger issues beyond agriculture and production. With great power comes great responsibility. I am [a plant breeder]. Spiderman [paraphrased] “Whatever tomorrow brings I’ll be there, with open arms and open eyes…” Incubus, from their song “Drive”