Share The Wealth by Chris Gupta
May 14, 2007

Genetically Engineered (GE) Insects Soon In Canada?


"Transgenic arthropods as protein factories, e.g. to produce pharmaceuticals"

Like the genetic modifications of animals and plants, how could they not go after insects?

What they won't do for a buck, they simply can't be happy until the whole food chain comes tumbling down, only to sell us a generally toxic and ineffective pharmaceutical solution at inflated prices....

"The use of transgenic insects in plant pest control programs Agricultural researchers in NAPPO member countries are using the tools of biotechnology in an effort to develop less costly and more effective area wide plant pest control programs using genetically transformed insects. Sterile insect release (SIT) programs for eradication and suppression of invasive pests as well as preventive release programs are under consideration for adoption of this technology."

Besides making a fast buck, what these morons don't understand is that in the diverse natural order of things there always is a delicate balance. One advantage often offsets others. For example these supposedly new insects could very well be more efficient carries carriers of disease or deadly to other beneficial plants, insects etc....

Furthermore, as often is the case, should the problems not manifest in a timely fashion the adverse effects may not be seen 20 to 30 years down the road hence, making it nearly impossible to determine cause and effect of this technology. Easter Island all over again!

For Technicalities see: Making Transgenic and Paratransgenic Insects


Chris Gupta

-------------------

See also: Why Genetically Modifying (GM) Food Products Are A No No

-------------------------------

GE insects soon in Canada?

Maybe... An obscure North-American organisation NAPPO (North American Plant Protection Organisation) is consulting until July 11 on drafting guidelines to introduce GE insects in North-America.

Of course, we are being told that it will be a safe release into the environment. We were told the same for GE plants and after 10 years of commercialisation there are at least 142 cases of GE contaminations from GE crops. If we don't want the introduction of GE insects in Canada, contact:

Geoff Turner Agence Canadien d'Inspection des aliments
Email : gturner@inspection.gc.ca ; (613) 221-3763.

All links on the (french) blog at :
http://blogues.greenpeace.ca/


**********************************************************
NAPPO Newletter (March 2007)

The use of transgenic insects in plant pest control programs Agricultural researchers in NAPPO member countries are using the tools of biotechnology in an effort to develop less costly and more effective area wide plant pest control programs using genetically transformed insects. Sterile insect release (SIT) programs for eradication and suppression of invasive pests as well as preventive release programs are under consideration for adoption of this technology.

Insect species used in sterile release programs are being genetically modified for a wide range of purposes including developing genetic markers with fluorescent proteins to ensure 100% correct identification of the sterile release insect on monitoring traps, development of genetic sexing strains so that only male insects are produced in rearing facilities, and for the development of radiation replacement strains that require a lower dose of sterilizing radiation or no radiation to achieve sterility.

Potential advantages of these innovations include:

* the elimination of misidentifications of sterile release insects on monitoring traps and automatic trap screening;

* reductions of rearing costs by developing male-only strains; producing more competitive release insects by elimination or reduction of radiation treatment for sterility; and decreasing the risk of fertile insect escape from production facilities.

SIT programs for which genetically modified strains are in development include the Mexican fruit fly Anastrepha ludens, the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, Pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella, and codling moth, Cydia pomonella strains.

The research and development of these technologies is taking place using a cautious, stepwise approach within laboratory containment facilities or under controlled field conditions using physical containment measures such as quarantine field cages and biological confinement measures such as radiation to cause sterility.

NAPPO is developing a regional phytosanitary standard (RSPM 27) to provide guidance on the importation, transportation, and contained use of transgenic arthropods (NAPPO Newsletter, June 2006), which includes potential uses of transgenic insects in SIT programs as well as for other purposes such as basic research on arthropod biology and genetics. The standard is currently in draft form and will be available for country consultation from April 11 to July 11, 2007.

Source: Gregory Simmons, Ph.D.
NAPPO Expert Working Group on Transgenic Arthropods
Quarantine Field Cage for Pink Boll Worm (PBW)
Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein and Wild type

**************

NAPPO Newsletter (June 2006)

NAPPO is currently working on a regional phytosanitary standard designed to provide guidance on the importation, transportation, contained use, and release into the environment of transgenic arthropods. The standard will include transgenic arthropods used for biological control and other transgenic beneficial arthropods with the potential to affect plant health. It will take into account direct and indirect risks to plant health, the environment and biological diversity, including those risks affecting uncultivated/unmanaged plants, wild flora, habitats, and ecosystems.

Paratransgenic insects and nematodes will be specifically excluded from the scope of this standard.

The technology for construction of transgenic arthropods is well established and transgenic strains are currently available in laboratories for future use in some plant pest control programs conducted in NAPPO countries.

Transgenic arthropods released in one country may cross shared borders, thereby impacting other NAPPO countries. This necessitates the development of NAPPO guidelines on their release into the environment. A wide range of uses have been proposed for transgenic arthropods. Applications may differ considerably in species, scale, altered trait(s), interaction with the environment and other aspects that may affect the pest risk. Some examples of actual or proposed applications include:

o Basic laboratory or ecological research

o Transgenic arthropods as protein factories, e.g. to produce pharmaceuticals

o Improving the traits of the mass-reared strain in Sterile Insect Technique pest control programs

o Alteration of the sensitivity of a wild pest population to a condition such as day length

The availability of efficient gene transfer technology for arthropods allows for rapid advances in genetic modification of important agricultural pests and the enhancement of beneficial arthropods. With these advances comes the responsibility of making decisions concerning the potential impact of transgenic arthropods on plant health. Regulatory decisions on the importation, transport, contained use, and release into the environment should be based on sound science on a case-by-case basis. Risk management and mitigation measures should be based on the level of risk.

Some of the risk issues to be addressed may include:

* Attributes of the unmodified organism
* Ecological relationships and roles
* Attributes of the genetic alteration
* Phenotype of the modified organism compared to the unmodified organism
* Attributes of the accessible environment

NAPPO Member Countries Requirements related to confined release should allow for a determination that the transgenic arthropod is adequately characterized, that no transgenic arthropod material will persist in the environment, and that any unintentional or unanticipated effects, if any, can be restricted to the confined field site and can be managed in such a way that there are no potential significant plant health risks after the confined field release is terminated.

Module 3: Unconfined Release into the Environment

The review of transgenic arthropods prior to their movement into operational or agricultural programs includes an assessment of the potential plant pest risks associated with the transgenic arthropods unconfined release into the environment. In most cases, the transgenic arthropod will be a well characterized species that has been modified by the addition of one or several genes that result in the presence of one or more new traits, such as a selectable marker or auto- sterilization.

Risk assessments should consider the plant health risk potential associated with the release of the corresponding unmodified arthropod as compared with the consequences of unconfined release of the transgenic arthropod. For transgenic arthropods where the recipient organism is already considered a plant pest, the assessment should include consideration of whether the new trait(s) increases or decreases the plant pest risk of that organism as compared to the unmodified counterpart.

THE EXPERT WORKING GROUP
Members of the Working Group include:
USA:
Susan McCombs, APHIS, Steward; Terri
Dunahay, APHIS; Greg Simmons, ARS;
Canada: Geoff Turner CFIAgturner@inspection.gc.ca, (613) 221-3763
Hemendra Mulye,
Health; Anoop Poovadan, Environment
Mexico: Cristina Zepeda, Jorge Aguilar, SAGARPA
International: Alan Robinson, Internacional Atomic
Energy Agency; Luke Alphey, Oxitec Ltd.
Source: Ian McDonell, (Working Group initial meeting)


Eric Darier
Responsable de la campagne OGM
Greenpeace
454, ave. Laurier Est, 3e étage
Montreal H2J 1E7
Tél. (514) 933-0021 x 15
Cell. (514) 605-6497
Fax. (514) 933-1017
Skype: ericdarier
Internet : www.greenpeace.ca/f

----------------------------------
Please visit the Beyond Factory Farming Coalition's website at www.beyondfactoryfarming.org

The Beyond Factory Farming Coalition is a national organization promoting socially responsible livestock production in Canada. Our vision is "Livestock production for health and social justice". BFF staff can be reached via info@beyondfactoryfarming.org

 


posted by Chris Gupta on Monday May 14 2007

URL of this article:
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/chris/2007/05/14/genetically_engineered_ge_insects_soon_in_canada.htm

 

 


Related Articles

Artificial Water Fluoridation: Off To A Poor Start / Fluoride Injures The Newborn
Please watch this short 5 minute video: Little Things Matter: The Impact of Toxins on the Developing Brain Toxins such as Arsenic, Lead, Mercury, Aluminum and other known and unknown chemicals, that are often above the legal limits, are deliberately added to our water to manage the disposal of toxic industrial waste chemicals under the pretense of "safe and effective" for water fluoridation mantra.Knowing and acting on the above should... [read more]
December 30, 2014 - Chris Gupta

Drinking Water Fluoridation is Genotoxic & Teratogenic
This paper by Prof. Joe Cummins is a very important 5 minute delegation made to London Ontario Canada "Civic Works Committee" public participation meeting on January 25, 2012 on fluoride*. While a bit technical it is short and easy to grasp. A must read as it goes to the heart of the matter regarding the well established toxicity of fluoride which is well in all scientific circles even before water... [read more]
February 06, 2012 - Chris Gupta

Democracy At Work? - PPM On Fluoride
Here is a commentary on the recent (Jan, 25th, 2011) Public Participation Meeting (PPM) on Fluoride in the City of London, Ontario. The meeting started with a strong pro fluoride stance form the City engineer. His lack of knowledge on chemistry of the toxic wastes used to fluoridate water could embarrass even a high school student never mind his own profession. He blatantly violated his "duty to public welfare" as... [read more]
January 29, 2012 - Chris Gupta

 

 


Readers' Comments















Security code:




Please enter the security code displayed on the above grid


Due to our anti-spamming policy the comments you are posting will show up online within few hours from the posting time.



 

   

 

A Person Is Only As Valuable As She Can Be Of Help To Others

 

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

These articles are brought to you strictly for educational and informational purposes.
Be sure to consult your health practitioner of choice prior to any specific use of any of the non drug device or food based medicinal products referenced herein.

 

2865



Enter your Email


Preview | Powered by FeedBlitz


 

 


Most Popular Articles

Bad News About Statin Drugs

Cod Liver Oil - Number One Superfood

Statin Drugs & Memory Loss

Cold remedies that really work.- update

STATIN DRUGS Side Effects

 

 

Recent articles
Drinking Water Fluoridation is Genotoxic & Teratogenic

Democracy At Work? - PPM On Fluoride

"Evidence Be Damned...Patient Outcome Is Irrelevant" - From Helke

Why Remove Fluoride From Phosphate Rock To Make Fertilizer

FOFI Codex Meeting Report On Labelling May 9 - 13, 2011

Misconduct Of Health Canada Bureaucrats


Archive of all articles on this site

 

 


Most recent comments

Cold remedies that really work.- update

Why Doctors Don't Recommend More The Use Of Coq10?

Re: Dispelling the Night-Time Frequent Urination

Health via Meditation/Stress Reduction

Build a Low cost & simple Magnetic Pulser

 

 

Candida International

What Does MHRA Stand For??

Bono and Bush Party without Koch: AIDS Industry Makes a Mockery of Medical Science

Profit as Usual and to Hell with the Risks: Media Urge that Young Girls Receive Mandatory Cervical Cancer Vaccine

 

Health Supreme

Multiple sclerosis is Lyme disease: Anatomy of a cover-up

Chromotherapy in Cancer

Inclined Bed Therapy: Tilt your bed for healthful sleep

 

Evolving Collective Intelligence

Let Us Please Frame Collective Intelligence As Big As It Is

Reflections on the evolution of choice and collective intelligence

Whole System Learning and Evolution -- and the New Journalism

Gathering storms of unwanted change

Protect Sources or Not? - More Complex than It Seems

 

Consensus

Islanda, quando il popolo sconfigge l'economia globale.

Il Giorno Fuori dal Tempo, Il significato energetico del 25 luglio

Rinaldo Lampis: L'uso Cosciente delle Energie

Attivazione nei Colli Euganei (PD) della Piramide di Luce

Contatti con gli Abitanti Invisibili della Natura

 

Diary of a Knowledge Broker

Giving It Away, Making Money

Greenhouses That Change the World

Cycles of Communication and Collaboration

What Is an "Integrated Solution"?

Thoughts about Value-Add

 

Best sellers from