Genetically Modified Organisms Genetically Modified Organisms some considerations some considerations Presentation for the World Presentation for the World Council of Churches, Council of Churches, Johannesburg, South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa, December 4, 2007December 4, 2007Dr. Priscilla Settee, University of Dr. Priscilla Settee, University of SaskatchewanSaskatchewan

First Nations member Cumberland House Cree Nations, largest tribal group in Canada

Serve on advisory board for Heifer International delegate at Slow Foods International as part of

Indigenous delegation, August 2006 Active member of urban community gardens for last

half decade(CHEP) Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Board Member Chair of Indigenous Food Symposium May 2007 PhD. in Agriculture/Education Contextualize S.A. meeting(UN, WCAR, 2001,WSAR,

2002, Convention on Biol. Diversity)

Globally Indigenous Peoples represent approximately300+ million peoples or about 7% of world populationRepresent thousands of language groups throughout The world whose homelands are the most biodiverseRegions of the world tremendous knowledge systems Which provide the basis for many scientific developmentsCultivated most of the world’s foods but have never hadTheir contributions recognized, documented orCompensatedAmong the world’s poorest, in LDC and DC

Definition: Genetic Engineering (GE) refers to taking the genetic material from one organism and inserting it into the genetic code of another. Examples of genetically engineered organisms include: potatoes with bacteria genes, pigs with human growth genes, fish with cattle growth genes, tomatoes with flounder genes, and thousands of other plants, animals, and insects. The distinction must be made between GE, which involves forcing the genetics from organisms of different species, and natural plant breeding, which involves hybridization between organisms of the same species.

Calls into question the fundamental principles of democracy and civil society rights and food security, local farmer’s and Indigenous Rights to seed saving

Market economy versus social and Indigenous economies,collective vs. individual rights

First Nations, and Indigenous response(Recolonization, New Conquistador)

Intellectual Property Rights, western concept sees natural resources as valuable only because of their commercial worth

Economic system that reduces all value to market prices and all human activity to commercial transactions is at root of biodiversity exploitation and undermining Indigenous sovereignty Represents clash of cultures, one whose worldviews based on non-monetary values

Plant-based medicines 43 billion in 1985 (Posey)

Not possible to separate cultural rights from rights to self-determination

Proposed to protect rights using patents Patents are individualistic and protect the

interests of one as compared to rights of communities

Utilized primarily by northern (developed) countries impacting LDC(own less than 1 % of world patent grants)

representing unequal relationships bet ldc and dc

GE organisms are being patented at an alarming rate and being released into the environment without any laws passed by Congress to regulate or manage them responsibly.

GE organisms are being approved by federal agencies despite admissions that they will contaminate native and conventional plants and pose other significant new environmental threats.

GE crops have already contaminated organic canola in Canada. This has devastated the organic canola industry and makes organic canola production in Canada virtually impossible.

Nine states of Mexico has corn that has been contaminated with as many as four different genetically engineered varieties, all patented by transnational biotechnology corporations. This has happened despite Mexico’s ban on the importation or cultivation of genetically engineered corn.

Recent U.S. production of GE corn that produces substances ranging from plastics and adhesives, to spermicides and abortifacients poses an even greater risk of contamination to native corn varieties.

GE grasses for landscaping and golf courses have also escaped into the wild.

Organic farmers (Percy Schmeiser with canola in Canada) have been sued by seed corporations when GE strains were identified in the farmer’s crops, even though the farmers did not want and were unable to see or stop GE pollen or seeds from blowing into their fields.

Pollen from Genetically Engineered corn has been found to kill Monarch Butterflies.

U.S. government officials have estimated that the European Union’s rejection of genetically engineered crops could cost the United States as much as $4 billion in agricultural exports to Europe alone.

Eight of the top 10 wheat importer countries have substantial consumer resistance to genetically engineered foods that ranges from labeling requirements to calls for outright bans on the importation of genetically engineered crops.

Currently, open trials of biopharmaceuticals (plants that are engineered to produce drugs such as antibiotics, anti-diarrheal medicals and contraceptives) are happening in Californa, Hawaii, and Texas

Corn that contains an anti-spermicidal drug which can attack sperm of all species-effects on humans, animals and insects-unimaginable

Done with lack of transparency and accountability to the public

Genetically modified organisms and seeds pose a serious threat to the native seed stocks and plants carefully cultivated by Indigenous agriculturalists for millennia, as in the recent genetic contamination of several varieties of native maize in Mexico, the center of origin and diversity for maize; in the meantime, the corporations and universities that produce these modified seeds are attempting to deprive Indigenous peoples of their intellectual property rights to traditionally cultivated seed strains.

From the Indigenous Environmental Network 12th Annual Protecting Mother Earth Conference “What We Do Now, Touches the Next Seven Generations”

Penticton Indian Band Okanagan Nation Territories, Penticton, British Columbia, Canada, August 2-5, 2001

Albuquerque, New Mexico March 2006Meet to discuss challenges and steps taken

to address Indigenous food sovereigntyA Declaration of Seed

Sovereignty: A living document for New Mexico

Whereas corporate seed industries have created a technology that takes the genetic material from a foreign species and inserts it into a landrace and is known as Genetically Engineered (GE) or transgenic crops.

Whereas seed corporations patent the seeds, genetics, and/or the processes used in the manipulation of landraces, and have gone so far as to patent other wild plants or the properties contained in the plants.

Whereas GE crops have escaped into the environment with maize in Oaxaca, Mexico and canola in Canada and crossed into native seeds and wild plants.

Whereas this declaration must be a living, adaptable document that can be amended as needed in response to rapidly changing GE technology that brings about other potential assaults to seeds and our culture.

Be it further resolved that we believe corporate ownership claims of landrace crop genomes and patent law represent a legal framework for the justification of the possession and destruction of stolen cultural property.

Be it further resolved that we object to the seed industry’s refusal to label seeds or products containing GE technology and ingredients and demand all genetically modified seeds and foods containing GE ingredients in the State of New Mexico to be labeled as such.

Be it further resolved that we will work with each other, local, tribal, and state governments to create zones that will be free of genetically engineered and transgenic organisms.

Declaration on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights to Genetic Resources and Indigenous Knowledge

Convened at the Sixth Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

May 14-25, 2007 New York, New York Reaffirming our spiritual and cultural

relationship with all life forms existing in our traditional territories;

Prepare a report on the social, cultural and economic impacts of commercialization of genetic resources and indigenous knowledge on Indigenous peoples.

Disseminate the Declaration and the above recommended reports to all relevant UN fora.

Other Considerations:Other Considerations:

The NFU(National Farmer’s Union) believes that all Canadians--farmers and non-farmers alike--must engage in an informed debate on the genetic modification of food. Citizens must examine genetically modified (GM) food in the largest possible social, historical, environmental, economic, and ethical context. After that debate, citizens--not the corporations that promote these products--must decide whether to accept or reject GM food.

Saskatoon Food Charter, Any Internt’l Agreements by our governments must respect the people’s right to adequate, nutritious, accessible, affordable, safe food at home and internationally. Govt’s must guarantee the right of communities to food security through supporting viable, sustainable, agricultural production