GMOs

Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1999 13:44:42 +0000
From: rmayhew@ns.sympatico.ca (Ross Mayhew)
To: sust-mar@chebucto.ns.ca
Precedence: bulk
Return-Path: <sust-mar-mml-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects


	I  think that the indiscriminate nature of most of the  critisisms of
Genetically Modified (food) Organisms is perhaps overzealous,
under-informed, or both: it seems to me that modifications which
combine genes from different species should be differentiated from
those which simply use genes from other varieties or strains of the
same species, to increase resistance to frost, drought, and other
stressors, enhance flavor, increase shelf-life, etc.  While the jury
is still out on the dangers of inter-species meddling, it would seem
to me that simply using modern techniques to create different
varieties of a species,using alleles (ie, forms of a gene) from the
species' own gene pool is little different from selective breeding,
and has a rather low potential for harm to the organisms (mostly us!)
consuming them.  It is time for this distinction to be clearly made,
instead of simply reiterating a blanket condemnation of all biotech
methods: otherwise, much which is harmless yet very useful may be lost.
Sincerely,
Ross Mayhew.



-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
You received this because you are subscribed to "sust-mar", the
Sustainable Maritimes mailing list. To unsubscribe, send email to
<majordomo@chebucto.ns.ca> with "unsubscribe sust-mar" (without quotes) as
the body of your message. To post a message to sust-mar subscribers, send it to
<sust-mar@chebucto.ns.ca> Posts that are off-topic or excessive length
(10K) will be rejected. For help contact <sust-mar-owner@chebucto.ns.ca>
Archives: http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/lists/sust-mar

next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects