30 - North Shore News — Sunday, November 21, 1999

one simple. question:
‘Shouid consumers be
concerned? ;

Foods produced with»
pian must be :
demonstrated to be just as safe

traditional foods. While
there is no such thing as “zero

&” in any food, years of >”
research show that biotechriol-

ig Organisms to improve o!
cate berieficial products — i
established 2s a'tool to

in, pra
hig

ay
nology is one of. the”
el ve carched

iS
'seleéctive, breeding ¢ tind includes

ple, the « cost of separatin GM
and non-GM foods is expected
“ to'add about 6% to the price

_ of groceries.

Myth: We should encour-
age only “organic” food pro-
duction.

Reality: We could not feed
the world’s population with
“organic food” production
today, let alone feed the grow-
ing world population in the
future. We have developed a
reliance on modern, science-
based agricattural practices to
feed the world. Biotechnology
and genetic improvements will |
"continue to make agriculture
* more productive. and thus
make the best € possible use cof
ae aves land.

combine ‘plants, mammals and
Reality: Foods availabe in

Canada have not been devel-

oped using genetic material

. from animals. Biotechnology.

* has also created i improved -

ngredichts for. bread, cheese, - 2

; beer, wine and other

. processed foods. In the labors- :
‘tory, researchers are exploring

ways to make plants hardier.
‘or exariple, by splicing genes
‘ plants those’.
fai ‘ould one day be more
sistant to cold weathe

ew produ ‘requires years of *

testing to meet rigorous safety
d inspection standards
Myth: Canada’s 5 regulator

—— HEALTH-

ication debated

~ inspection systems in the

world and serves as a medel
for many other countries.
Biotechnology — like any
other major scientific tool —~

has to be used with the sort of |

caution that is built in to
Canada’s regulatory system. In
practical terms, our science-
based system rei equircs years of
tests, studics and independent
assessment by regulatory
authorities before any new
products reach consumers.
This saree system has been
equally important for ensuring
that different production
metheds such as those.used

* for organic foods are safe for -

consumers,

Myth: Genetically modified -
plants will ran wild and either: 7
é, a “Frankenfoods” that :

i

create weeds that resist every”
herbicide known to man or. -
accidentally kill friendly species.

Reatity: The rules and reg-
ulations for use of genctically
modified plants outside a lab |

_. ‘are extremely stringent.
. -< Preliminary safety ASSESSMENES -
sare done before these crops: :
.can even be tested ii) small

research field trials. Only after
extensive field testing — with
a variety of restrictions such as
buffer areas to contain allen
— are crops approved
commercial use. Most con
mercial crops grown in
Canada do not have related
weeds where potential for
cross breeding could occur.
Canola, which és the excep-
tion, must be grown with
restrictions so as co mininize
any potential impact on our
environment.

~ The challenge in the com-
ing months in Canada will be
to separate the science from
the science fiction, the benefits
from the baloney that has.
been delivered so far by y
protest groups.

— Joyce Groote is the presi-
dent of BIOTECanada, the
association representing cmganti-
sations that develop and use

biotechnology. She ts chair of the
Global Industry Coalition and: :

a member of the Titernational

-»Bio-Industrics Forum. Grovte*

' has a post-graduate degree i in

: forest molecular genettcs.

1925-2525

DR. DEBRA ROVINEU —
DR. BART McROBERTS —
DR. CORINNE KNIGHT.
DR. NANCY HARLIN

WEST VANCOUVER OPTOMETRY CL

1069 24ia Street
(24th & Haywoud) ~

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