We dedicate this issue of the Report to information about how plants in the food chain are being directly modified to survive herbicide which is widely applied to get rid of competing weeds. Our guest, Steve Smith, will take us through this complicated set of terminology and help us understand what it all means. With his permission, I have adapted this information from his website Institute for Responsible Technology.
What is a GMO? GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organism. We can also use genetically modified or genetically engineered.
How are GMOs created? Typically, scientists transfer genes from one species (like bacteria or viruses) and force them into the DNA of other species (like soybeans or corn.) Alternatively, instead of transferring genes, gene-editing equipment rearranges genes in the sequence, takes genes out, etc. It’s all artificial changes in the DNA done in a laboratory.
Let’s go over a little of the history of how GMOs were introduced. Monsanto is a big GMO producer, AND they sell Roundup herbicide. They had a patent on glyphosate- the chief poison in Roundup -, that was expiring in the year 2000. So, they genetically engineered crops to withstand the herbicide Roundup. These are called Roundup-ready crops, and they comprise more than 80% of all GMOs. They are engineered so that farmers can spray Roundup over the top of the field of corn or soy, and it will kill the weeds but not the crops. Normally, the Roundup would kill those crops, but the Roundup-Ready crops survive.
Soy, corn, cotton, canola, sugar beets, and alfalfa, are genetically modified as Roundup-ready. Over 90% of those crops (except for alfalfa) in North America and in many places around the world, are Roundup-ready crops.