Is GM canola good or bad?

Greenpeace

Many people say that GM herbicide tolerant canola is a good thing. Others say that they are worried by this development.

People who say that this GM canola is a good thing say that it:

is safe to eat
is better for the natural environment, because glyphosate is less toxic than other herbicides and is not washed into waterways
helps to minimise tilling and soil degradation
enables farmers to have a choice on the weed control strategy they use
saves farmers some of the time and the labour costs of spraying
improves profits because farmers get better crop yields, since the crop is not competing with weeds
is better for company shareholders, because company profits are increased (although Monsanto is the company that most people associate with GM food, there are in fact more than 20 other companies currently producing GM seeds, such as Advanta, Novartis, Dow, Pioneer, Bayer and Syngenta)
is better for the seed merchants, because they can sell higher quality seeds at a higher price

The people who are worried say that GM canola:

may produce substances in the plants that are harmful to humans and farm animals
may cause the plant to produce oil that does not have as much food value as unmodified canola
the herbicide tolerance gene may cross with other plants including weeds and make them herbicide resistant
inserting a new gene may have unpredictable effects on other canola genes and the way they work
may not be good for farmers because the seeds tend to be more expensive to purchase than the traditionally used seed
may encourage farmers to use more glyphosate and so weeds may be more likely to develop resistance to this useful chemical

A number of these points of view appear contradictory. One needs to examine the evidence to decide whether or not each of these views, for or against the use of GM seeds, is valid. It may be that apparently opposing points of view are valid depending on the circumstances.

For further points of view on these matters and some of the evidence that supports them, visit:

CSIRO: http://www.csiro.au/pubgenesite/faqs.htm

Agrifood Awareness Australia: www.afaa.com.au

Network of Concerned Farmers: www.non-gm-farmers.com

What people know about GM crops - work sheet [PDF 50kb | 3 pages]

People do not agree about genetic modification of crops - work sheet [PDF 47kb | 2 pages]

Growing GM crops in Australia? - work sheet [PDF 51kb | 3 pages]

A problem with weeds - work sheet [PDF 47kb | 2 pages]

Ask the experts - work sheet [PDF 53kb | 2 pages]

Looking at media views - GM foods - work sheet [PDF 55kb | 4 pages]

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What is biotechnology? Human uses Environment Food and agriculture Feed Me A problem with weeds - the canola story Why do we grow canola? What's the problem with weeds? Using herbicides to kill weeds A biotechnology solution to weeds Concerns about herbicide tolerance Concerns about GM herbicide tolerance Is GM canola good or bad? A problem with insects - the cotton story Other reasons to modify crops - soybeans The international scene Genetically modified food labelling Regulation of research in Australia Ethics for Food and Agriculture research Careers	Is GM canola good or bad? Greenpeace Many people say that GM herbicide tolerant canola is a good thing. Others say that they are worried by this development. People who say that this GM canola is a good thing say that it: is safe to eat is better for the natural environment, because glyphosate is less toxic than other herbicides and is not washed into waterways helps to minimise tilling and soil degradation enables farmers to have a choice on the weed control strategy they use saves farmers some of the time and the labour costs of spraying improves profits because farmers get better crop yields, since the crop is not competing with weeds is better for company shareholders, because company profits are increased (although Monsanto is the company that most people associate with GM food, there are in fact more than 20 other companies currently producing GM seeds, such as Advanta, Novartis, Dow, Pioneer, Bayer and Syngenta) is better for the seed merchants, because they can sell higher quality seeds at a higher price The people who are worried say that GM canola: may produce substances in the plants that are harmful to humans and farm animals may cause the plant to produce oil that does not have as much food value as unmodified canola the herbicide tolerance gene may cross with other plants including weeds and make them herbicide resistant inserting a new gene may have unpredictable effects on other canola genes and the way they work may not be good for farmers because the seeds tend to be more expensive to purchase than the traditionally used seed may encourage farmers to use more glyphosate and so weeds may be more likely to develop resistance to this useful chemical A number of these points of view appear contradictory. One needs to examine the evidence to decide whether or not each of these views, for or against the use of GM seeds, is valid. It may be that apparently opposing points of view are valid depending on the circumstances. For further points of view on these matters and some of the evidence that supports them, visit: CSIRO: http://www.csiro.au/pubgenesite/faqs.htm Agrifood Awareness Australia: www.afaa.com.au Network of Concerned Farmers: www.non-gm-farmers.com What people know about GM crops - work sheet [PDF 50kb \| 3 pages] People do not agree about genetic modification of crops - work sheet [PDF 47kb \| 2 pages] Growing GM crops in Australia? - work sheet [PDF 51kb \| 3 pages] A problem with weeds - work sheet [PDF 47kb \| 2 pages] Ask the experts - work sheet [PDF 53kb \| 2 pages] Looking at media views - GM foods - work sheet [PDF 55kb \| 4 pages]
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Is GM canola good or bad?