GMOs, Organic Agriculture, and Sustainability

Complex issues with poor vocabulary

18 years out it remains controversial in the media

What is Biotech and where is it going?

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Genesilencing

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Modifying gene

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Yield Nutrition

PestprotectionRx Heartier

plantsIndustrialproducts

What is Agricultural Biotechnology ?

Unmodified DNA

Gene ofInterest

PromoterGene

MarkerGene

A GMO plant is one that has been modified by inclusion of genetic material from another organism through molecular techniques (not traditional breeding)

Modified DNA

Common Types of Biotech/GMO Crops

• Disease resistance (USDA regulation)– Viral coat protein genes

• Herbicide tolerance (USDA regulation)– Alternative enzyme genes not affected by

herbicide• Insect resistance (USDA and EPA regulation)

– Bt genes (EPA: Plant Incorporated Pesticides)

Transgenic Introductions

• 1994 – Calgene s Flavr-savr tomato• 1995 – Newleaf potato• 1995 – Virus-resistant squash• 1996 – Roundup Ready soybeans• 1996 – Bt corn – Corn Borer• 1996 – Bt cotton• 1997 – Liberty Link Corn• 1997 – Roundup Ready Corn• 1998 – Attribute Bt sweet corn• 2000 – Bt potato discontinued• 2001 – Nicotine-free tobacco• 2003 – Bt corn – Corn rootworm• 2004 – Stacked BT traits in corn (CB+RW)• 2010 – SmartStax corn – Eight traits incorporated• 2010 – AcreMax 1 – Refuge in the bag• 2012 – Performance Bt/ Roundup Ready sweet corn• 2013 – Attribute II Bt sweet corn

2003 – Glofish

Biotech Tools in Agriculture

Sugarbeet HT (4)Wheat HT (3)Chicory HTTobacco HTCreeping Bentgrass HTLentil HTRice HT (3)Flax HTSunflower HTSoybean HT (5)Bt soybean *Cotton HT (9)Canola HT (14)Corn HT (14)Alfalfa HTNew Leaf Potato *New Leaf Plus Potato *Attribute Sweet Corn *Bollgard Cotton *Bollgard II Cotton *

Widestrike Cotton *VIP Cotton *Bt Tomato *YieldGard Corn *YieldGard Rootworm Corn *YieldGard Plus *Herculex I Corn *Herculex RW Corn *Herculex Xtra Corn*Agrisure Corn Borer Corn*Agrisure Rootworm Corn*Agrisure CB/RW Corn*YieldGard VT RW Corn*YieldGard VT3 Corn*YieldGard VT2Pro Corn*YieldGard VT3 Pro Corn*SmartStax Corn*Viptera Corn*AcreMax 1Corn*AcreMax 2 Corn*

FlavrSavr TomatoFreedom II Squash *Laurical CanolaCarnation Color, HT, ShelflifeUH Papaya *Soybean Virus Resistance *Vector Tobacco *Intrasect Corn*Performance Sweet Corn*Dicamba Resistant SoybeanEnogen Corn, for ethanolVistive Gold SoybeansPlenish SoybeansStarLink Corn *Knockout Corn *NatureGard Corn *Bt-xtra Corn *Attribute II Sweet corn*

* Directly affects insect management

Under Consideration in US

• Non-browning apple … in the news

– Arctic Golden– Arctic Granny– Arctic Gala ?– Arctic Fuji ?

In the Pipeline - Corn

• Nitrogen utilization enhanced corn – 2015?• Drought tolerant corn (2nd generation) – 2015?• Higher yielding corn – 2016?• Rootworm III corn – 2016?

Transgenic Animals

• GloFish (Modified Zebra fish) – required FDA approval

• Fast-growing Salmon (AquaAdvantage)– Significant opposition to approval

Regulatory Approval

• USDA – To determine if GM plants present environmental threats, also animal welfare (AWA)

• EPA – Regulates PIPs as a type of pesticide• FDA – Regulates PMPs, transgenic animals,

food safety

GMO Crops• Regulated by USDA APHIS

– Plant Pest Risk assessment (PPRA)

• Regulated by EPA– Environmental assessment (EA)

Public comments encouraged and addressed

Genetically Modified Foods

• Foods derived from GMO crops– Corn chips, corn syrup, soda

• Regulated by the FDA– The FDA considers foods derived from GMO crops to be

nutritionally equivalent to traditional foods

• Do not require labeling in the US– Initiatives for labeling in New Mexico, Washington, Oregon

and Vermont (California’s Prop 37 failed)

• Organic foods are GMO-free

GMO Labeling• Negative vs. positive labeling

– Who would pay for this?– A 2012 survey revealed only 3% of consumers asked for GMO

labeling

• Do not require labeling in the US– Initiatives for labeling in New Mexico, Washington, Oregon

and Vermont (California’s Prop 37 failed)

• Certified organic foods are GMO-free

• Does a ‘GMO’ provide meaningful information?

GMO Labeling

• Voluntary Labeling by Okanagan Specialty Fruits (B.C. Canada)

• OSF strongly opposed to mandatory labeling

What is Bt?• A common soil bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis

• Many strains and types

• They produce many types of toxins (>500), some have ag uses, some do not– Delta endotoxins have been used against insects (beetles,

caterpillars, mosquitoes)

Why Use Bt Toxins ?

• Effective against troublesome pests

• Selective, do not affect beneficial insects- Compatible with biocontrol- Safe for pollinators

• History of use on food crops

• Not known to cause problems with fish, birds, mammals or environment

History of Bt Use in US

• Used since the 60’s as a foliar spray– IR-4 enabled initial registration

• Very popular with organic producers• Many OMRI formulations, some non-OMRI• Those in use target:

insects with alkali guts• Caterpillars• Mosquito larvae• Some beetle larvae

How Bt Reduces Losses to Insect Pests

Pests Sensitive to Bt in crop plants: Caterpillars and some beetles

Types of GM Vegetable Crops

• Sweet corn– Attribute Series (Bt and Liberty Link)– Performance Series (Bt and Round Up Ready)– Attribute II Series (Bt and Liberty Link)

• Squash– Freedom II squash - resistance to several viruses

What are the Issues with GM crops ?

• Unapproved traits appearing where they shouldn’t

• StarLink Corn (2000)

• LibertyLink Rice (1998-2006)

• GM Wheat (OR, MT)

• Effect in national/international sales

What are the Issues with GM crops ?

• Traits from GM crops will get into ancestral populations

• Pests will develop resistance to Bt crops

• Weeds resistant to common herbicides used with GM crops

• Herbicide resistance: May create “super weeds” (Sorghum, squash, canola)

YieldGard RW, Urbana, July 2, 2007: Mike Gray, Univ of IL

July 29, 2011

• High Dose – Renders heterozygous (RS) individuals susceptible– Yieldgard Bt25X LD99 for corn borers

– Rootworm Bt’s not high dose

• Refuge Strategy– Allow Bt susceptible moths (SS) to survive– Provide 20% non-Bt corn on each farm (refuge)– Grower’s responsibility

High Dose / Refuge Strategy

Resistance Management• High-dose refuge strategy

– Goal 500 : 1 ratio of susceptible to resistant • KEY ASSUMPTIONS

– Random mating

– High dose event at correct time/tissue in plant

– Frequency of resistance initially low (10-6)

– Resistance is not dominant or near dominant

– Growers plant structured refuges

© Bessin 2009

0% refuge 1-19% refuge

20 to 40% refuge

40 to 60% refuge

> 60%0

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2010 Earlybird Mtg56 respondents

Column1

What is the size your “B.t.” corn refuge?

Volunteer Corn in Soybeans

Impact on insect management– Food for larval rootworm development – Food for adult rootworms and egg laying– Unmanaged segregating Bt traits– Implications for disease management

What are the Issues with GM crops ?

• Antibiotic resistance may move to harmful microbes

• Increasing problems with allergenicity

• Impact on non-target organisms- Herbicide movement (Dicamba, 2,4-D)

• Acceptance of foods overseas

• Subject to intellectual property law

Non-Target Effects (?)MonarchGreen lacewings

Direct vs. Indirect effects

What are the Benefits with GM crops ?

• Reduction of losses to pests and disease

• Reduction of insecticide use

• Reduced risk of some plant viruses and other pathogens

• Reduced impact on non-target organisms

• Improved grain quality

• Compatibility with biological control of pests

• Regional reductions in European corn borer populations

• Reducing pests on non-GMO crops

What are the Benefits with GM crops ?

What are the Potential Benefits with GM crops ?

• Increased yields

• Improved nutritional quality of foods

• Reduced animal waste

• Promotion of no-till agriculture

• Assist with introduction of new crops

Impact on Non-targets:

Monarch butterflyDirect or Indirect impact?

Issues to watch:Severely reduced monarch populations

Other Issues to Watch

• FDA’s ruling on AquaAdvantage fast-growing Atlantic salmon– Retail acceptance among major chains

• USDA/EPA ruling on Arctic non-browning apples

• State initiatives on GMO food labeling