Genetically modified plants

MALTA MEETING

November 2013

They're plants whose DNA has been modified using genetic engineering techniques to improve their qualities or change their colours to make them beautiful.

What are Genetically modified organisms?

Genetically modified food cultivation is banned in nine European Union countries: France, Germany, Austria, Greece, Luxembourg, Ireland, Poland, Hungary and Italy.

Spain is the principal cultivator in Europe. In Europe, any country that wants to ban

the growing of genetically modified foods is allowed to do it, if they believe that they present a health or environmental risk.

Things about these plants

http://ec.europa.eu/food/dyna/gm_register/index_en.cfm

Comparative chart of GMO’S cultivation in Europe

(thousands of hectares)

GMO’S cultivation in Spain(thousands of hectares)

Regions without GMO’S cultivation in Spain

Jose Miguel Mulet, who is a professor at the Polytecnic University of Valencia, believes that GMO’S are a technological advance in the production and consumption of food and thanks to them we can save acres of land and improve people’s health.

The European Agricultural Union has started to give the green light to the entry and cultivation of GMO’S after they have seen the benefit that these products have had in the U.S.A.

The Spanish agricultural ministry supports the cultivation of transgenic foods for the same reasons.

Opinions

We can eat them without cooking (snacks) Little fat More vitamins More variety of products They look nicer

Advantages

Lost flavour Products are more expensive It's restricted/forbidden in Europe More research is needed to make them 100%

safe. Research and treatment are very expensive We don’t know exactly if GMO’s are healthy or

not because we don’t have enough evidence or data to suggest either way.

Disadvantages

Don Carlos Baixauli is the head of the plant of experimental products in Valencia.

He told us about he new projects that are going on in the Valencian agricultural field at the moment.

In the Valencian community there is a big agricultural area where vegetables and fruit are grown.

Interview with the head of the cultivation plant in Valencia

Nowadays agricultural engineers are experimenting with new varieties to improve their quality, appearance and durability by means of new seeds or using the traditional farmers methods - crossing two specimens to create a hybrid product without using modified genetic techniques-. This is what they do in that plant as you can see in the following pictures.

During the visit they gave us some specimens that they grow and we are showing to you.

We have discussed the visit with our classmates.

Interview with the head of the cultivation plant in Valencia

New products being experimented in the plant

Thanks for your attention

Ana and Pau (Spain)