Date Fruit Facts

Biotech crops & political gullibility

MANILA, Philippines — Some European organizations are rightfully promoting the green revolution, but unfortunately launching worldwide campaigns against Genetically Modified plants or biotech crops. They always say No, No to biotech crops, claiming that they are a great threat to human health and cause environmental pollution.

The strongest evidence of long-term GM plant safety is that Bt crops (corn and cotton) and other biotech crops (soybean) have been grown on more than 100 million hectares over 15 years in many countries, and there has not been a single substantiated report of human illness or allergy to date for an approved GM variety. There also has been a large decrease (particularly in cotton) in the amount of chemical insecticides used by farmers due to Bt crops. In 2010, 148 million hectares of biotech crops were grown in 10 industrialized countries and 19 developing countries. About 30 countries imported and consumed biotech crop products in 2010 (see Global Status of Commercialized Biotech/GM crops: 2010 by Clive James, ISAAA Board Chairman).

Unfortunately, some national and local politicians have believed campaigns against biotech crops. For example late last year, the Davao City government made a strong resolution against Bt eggplant, and people in support of the Davao City decision invaded the University of the Philippines Mindanao field experiment, and uprooted Bt eggplants last December 17. In another incident, some activists allegedly supported by Greenpeace destroyed the fence of the field experiment on Bt eggplant of the Institute of Plant Breeding, University of the Philippines Los Baños, last February 17, uprooted the eggplants, and left a placard announcing that Bt eggplant is an environmental hazard.

The UP Los Baños Institutional Biosafety Committee (UPLB-IBC) condemned the February 17 vandalism, stating that “the field trial was duly endorsed by the UPLB-IBC, and has undergone the biosafety evaluation of the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines (NCBP) before it was issued a permit by the Bureau of Plant Industry.”  It added: “Aside from trespassing and destruction of University properties, Greenpeace directly violated the academic freedom of the University and illegally interfered in its legitimate research activities.”

Political gullibility can be a big obstacle to economic progress

GM plants are science-based. Politicians should keep this in mind and refrain from making political decisions for or against any particular product of genetic engineering. Each case of GM plant needs to be studied carefully and scientifically to minimize if not completely eliminate risks to human health, environment, and biodiversity.

BCPS News - Fresh fruit and vegetable program to be in eight ...

TOWSON, MD. - Eight Baltimore County Public Schools have been selected to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program for 2011-2012.

The selected schools are Baltimore Highlands, Deep Creek, Dundalk, Logan, Mars Estates, Riverview, Sandalwood, and Sussex elementary schools.

Through the program, up to twice each week, samples of a new fresh fruit or vegetable are delivered to all of the classes so that students can try them. In addition to the individually portioned samples, schools often deliver one whole version of the fruit or vegetable to each classroom so that students can see what the fruit or vegetable looks like in its natural state. A program of nutrition education comes along with the fruit and vegetable samples. Students in the program try more commonplace fruits and vegetables - like pineapples, blueberries, sugar snap peas, and green and red peppers - as well as some they might not be so familiar with - like jicama, papayas, and pluots (plum and apricot).

"Students love trying foods they have never eaten before," said Karen Levenstein, director, BCPS Office of Food and Nutrition Services, "and our principals welcome the program in our schools. We know that students with healthier eating habits will be students who learn more."

While the Centers for Disease Control encourages everyone to eat more fruits and vegetables as a way to gain essential nutrients and fiber and prevent many chronic diseases, studies show that children in the United States do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. According to a 2009 study conducted by Ohio State University, children are not meeting federal guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption. Even worse, the study says, 46 percent of the vegetables consumed by children are fried potatoes.

"The idea of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is to encourage students to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and parents report that it works," said Cathy Haymaker, operations supervisor for the BCPS Office of Food and Nutrition Services.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program was first offered in just two BCPS elementary schools during the 2008-2009 school year, and it has grown steadily since then.

Each school finds unique ways to support the program. For example, schools have included interesting facts about the featured fruit or vegetable in the morning announcements and awarded prizes to students who maintain logs of the fruits and vegetables they eat.

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