"Brazil Passes Law Allowing Crops with Modified Genes"
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/04/business/worldbusiness/04gene.html
This article, titled "Brazil Passes Law Allowing Crops with Modified Genes," mentions legislation approved in Brazil that would allow individuals and companies to genetically modify or alter crops grown in the country. Biotechnical companies lobbied for this legislation, and needless to say this is a major victory for these large companies.
This single issue seemingly divided the country in half: farmers and scientists against environmentalists and religious groups. However, this bill was passed in the legislature by a large number of votes (352 to 60). Moreover, this piece of legislation could possibly pave the way for the funding and research of embryonic stem cells, which has created moral and ethical debates here in the United States.
Up to this point, Brazil was among the few agricultural powers that did not genetically alter their products. On the other hand, the article mentions that agricultural specialists believe roughly 30 percent of the country's soy crop has already been genetically modified, even before passage of this bill.
From an economics viewpoint, as well as a worldwide social point of view, if Brazil has a comparative advantage in crop production, they are more likely to export that particular good, since societies around the globe, for the most part, believe genetically altered or modified food products are acceptable to consume or sell. Most countries around the world allow the private sector to modify agricultural foods, and these are the countries who are more willing to import Brazilian crops if they do not have some type of comparative advantage in agricultural production.
This article, titled "Brazil Passes Law Allowing Crops with Modified Genes," mentions legislation approved in Brazil that would allow individuals and companies to genetically modify or alter crops grown in the country. Biotechnical companies lobbied for this legislation, and needless to say this is a major victory for these large companies.
This single issue seemingly divided the country in half: farmers and scientists against environmentalists and religious groups. However, this bill was passed in the legislature by a large number of votes (352 to 60). Moreover, this piece of legislation could possibly pave the way for the funding and research of embryonic stem cells, which has created moral and ethical debates here in the United States.
Up to this point, Brazil was among the few agricultural powers that did not genetically alter their products. On the other hand, the article mentions that agricultural specialists believe roughly 30 percent of the country's soy crop has already been genetically modified, even before passage of this bill.
From an economics viewpoint, as well as a worldwide social point of view, if Brazil has a comparative advantage in crop production, they are more likely to export that particular good, since societies around the globe, for the most part, believe genetically altered or modified food products are acceptable to consume or sell. Most countries around the world allow the private sector to modify agricultural foods, and these are the countries who are more willing to import Brazilian crops if they do not have some type of comparative advantage in agricultural production.
2 Comments:
At 5:04 PM, Mighty2000 said…
I don't see what all the fuss is about because the Biotechnical companies pushed to have a bill passed to allow them to genetically alter foods. Of course they would want a bill like this to be passed because it allows them to continue to stay profitable in this specific area. I could see if they were trying to be the first to do this procedure but as you stated in your summary most of the world views food that has been genetically altered as the "norm." Different groups of people view it as "morally" or "unethically" wrong while others believe it to be against nature and the environment. I don't feel there is anything wrong with it since most foods these days are altered. As long as performing this procedure to the food does not in any way make it unfit under FDA approval or cause disease then i don't see why not.
At 1:10 PM, kipper said…
This is a scary situation, because produce industries are already altering or mutating their crops to enhance size and taste. Consequently, children's horomones and growth pattern are changing. This is all hearsay though, but I have read medical studies that stated that girls are beginning to hit puberty two years younger than what was previously recorded. Genetically altered food is the main factor affecting children. Although we cannot get away from it, we as parents will begin having to deal with different health issues relative to this sooner and quicker.
Post a Comment
<< Home