The scientific evidence is mounting to support the verdict that genetically engineered foods are harmful to health and the environment, according to writer Jeffrey Smith. A leading researcher and speaker on the controversies surrounding genetic engineering, Mr. Smith gave an information-packed lecture to a meeting in Burnaby organized by HANS on October 24, 2006.

Mr. Smith cited numerous studies showing damaging effects of genetically engineered (GE) foods, also known as genetically modified organisms or GMOs. He also spoke of the problems of government regulation of GMOs, which undergo very little scrutiny before receiving approval. And he said that public opposition to GMOs makes a difference.

Mr. Smith cited the story of respected scientist Dr. Arpad Pusztai who demonstrated that rats fed GE potatoes suffered a wide range of health problems including damaged immune systems. Suspended for his unpopular findings, Dr. Pusztai was the subject of events chronicled in Mr. Smith's book, "Seeds of Deception," demonstrating the power politics behind the business of GMOs. Mr. Smith is currently working on a new book intended to thoroughly document the risks of GE foods.

Animals don't like to eat GE foods, and often for studies must be force-fed, Mr. Smith said. Knowing the dangers of these foods, he told the crowd that, in this regard, he is hoping to raise humans up to the level of animals! Most people in North America eat GE foods on a daily basis without even knowing it, he said. For information on avoiding GMOs in your diet,  see below.

Regulations are lax for GE foods, said Mr. Smith, partly because regulatory agencies have unduly close relationships with agri-business. Numerous executives, for example, have moved back and forth in top jobs with Monsanto and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), through a kind of government-industry revolving door. As part of that picture, Mr. Smith said that Monsanto and other industry giants have infiltrated and shaped the regulatory agencies, so that GE products now require little or no independent analysis. Basically, said Mr. Smith, if Monsanto says it's safe then the FDA says it's safe.

The basic science underlying GE is questionable, according to Mr. Smith. Inserting genes into foreign species can cause many unintended results, and has done so in many documented cases. Agri-business companies, according to Mr. Smith, regularly design research studies specifically to come up with the desired results. He said industry scientists have conducted  research studies so poorly designed that even when animal death rates doubled, it was still not considered statistically significant.

There are many activists - including Mr. Smith - working against GMOs, and the speaker said such work appears to have had success. Though Monsanto's goal was to have all foods patented  within 20 years, today - 10 years after the introduction of GM foods - the only species significantly covered are canola, corn, soy and cotton.

GM is grown in large amounts in only a few countries, including the United States, Argentina, and Canada. Activist groups close to home include the Coalition for a GE Free B.C. (www.gefreebc.org), which works for a safe and sustainable non-GMO food supply. The national activist group on this issue is CBAN: the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (www.cban.ca).

In an interview before the lecture, Mr. Smith also talked about the power of the citizenry, and the need for public awareness. "The more people learn about GM foods, the less they trust them," he said. Members of the public can call government and industry to account if they make their opinions known. Mr. Smith is engaged in campaigns to educate parents about the dangers of GE foods for children, and members of the general public about scientific findings on GMOs. You can read more about Jeffrey Smith's work at www.responsibletechnology.org or www.seedsofdeception.com.

HANS sponsored the lecture by Mr. Smith as part of its ongoing support for campaigns to promote natural health, and sustainable food and agriculture. HANS has been working for more than 20 years to promote natural medicine and an integrative approach to wellness.

Tips to Avoid GE Foods
1. As much as possible buy certified organic, which does not allow GMO contamination in growing, handling, or processing.

2. Be careful with canned or packaged foods containing conventional (non-organic) corn, canola, or soy. These have a high probability of containing GMOs.

3. You're fairly safe with fresh vegetables obtained in B.C., even if they're conventional, though organic is healthier.

4. Isolated species such as papaya from Hawaii may be GE.

5. If you eat and buy conventional meat, the animals may have been fed GE soy and corn. (In
the new film "Fast Food Nation," you'll see Avril Lavigne as a teen eco-activist outside an American meat-packing plant, trying to free the poor cows that are given "genetically engineered feed" instead of grass.)

5. For dairy products, be careful with American non-organic milk, cheese, and the like. These derive from cows which may have been injected with genetically engineered growth hormone.

6. Check out the useful booklet How to Avoid Genetically Engineered Food, at www.greenpeace.ca/shoppersguide.

7. Buy ethical and healthy non-GMO products from some of the companies that emphasize organics. There are many, including manufacturers such as Nature's Path and Avalon Dairy, retailers including Choices and Capers, organic food delivery services such as Organics@Home, Green Earth Organics, and wholesale distributors such as ProOrganics. There are also neighbourhood retailers, new organic manufacturers, and other companies in what is a growing market.

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