GEOG 1992
Introduction to Human Geography
University of Colorado-Boulder
Maymester 2005
Donna D. Rubinoff PhD
Debate: Genetically Modified Organism (GM or GMO) Crops and Food: Who Gets to Decide
What They Eat?
In this debate, we address the issues surrounding genetically modified (GM or GMO, sometimes also
called genetically engineered) crops and food. Although GMOs are an environmental issue, like the
problem of AIDS, the biology of this issue is just the tip of the iceberg: struggles over GMOs reflect
much larger questions relating to poverty, development, and ultimately, global power relations. Over
the last 20 years, agricultural biotechnology has developed new strains of crops by inserting external
genes into the plants in order to achieve various objectives of cultivation: faster growth, pest-resistance,
the ability to grow under adverse conditions, or consumer attributes such as better color and size.
Although these seem to be perfectly reasonable and laudable objectives, critics argue that agricultural
biotechnology is upsetting the delicate ecological balance, reducing biodiversity, promoting the use of
more toxic chemicals, decreasing food safety, possibly even decreasing productivity, and shifting both
livelihood and consumption choices from small farmers and individuals to large agricultural
corporations.
While many of us are not aware of this conflict here in the US, the issue of whether to allow GMO food
is especially contentious in Europe and in the developing world. Countries and people in these areas
feel less sure of whether to introduce GMO crops and foods, and at the same time, they feel that they are
being pressured to do so by the World Trade Organization and the US. Two central processes by which
they feel coerced to adopt GMOs are through WTO policies on barriers to trade and by foreign aid.
Under the WTO guidelines, if a country rejects GMO crop importation, it can be sued under rules
concerning barriers to trade and intellectual property rights (TRIPs); and Europe is most concerned
about this problem, because over the last several years, the US has been trying to pry open European
countries for the import of US GM products. Recently, previous US supporters such as Egypt have
defected from the US position on this issue.
In the developing world, Southern African and other countries such as Brazil and India have been
unwilling to accept GMOs, in some cases even if it means that people will starve. They are concerned
that the importation of GMO crops and food will interfere with long-term productivity, livelihoods, and
their traditional indigenous knowledge about food production.
By debating the issue of GM food, this debate addresses several of the issues that we have been
exploring in this course: economic globalization and trade; environmental change and the transborder
ecological processes; the role of the state and sovereignty in the 21st century; and ultimately, the path
that globalization will take.
Team A: Small Farmers/Third World Countries



Africa Action position: http://www.africaaction.org/docs03/tr0306b.htm
Third World Network Report: http://www.twnafrica.org/news_detail.asp?twnID=374
Food First “Voices from the South”
http://www.foodfirst.org/progs/global/ge/sactoministerial/voices.php
Team B: Consumer groups/ Slow Food


Organic Consumers: http://www.organicconsumers.org/
Slow Food: http://www.slowfood.com/ and
http://www.slowfood.com/eng/sf_stampa/sf_stampa_dett_comu.lasso?idstampa=US_00163
Team C: US Government



Go to the US Trade Representative Office agriculture and biotechnology pages.
http://www.ustr.gov/ and search on agricultural biotechnology or GMO
http://www.planetark.com/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=21376
Team D: Monsanto (producer of many GMO crops)
http://www.monsanto.com
Go to main page and search on GMO crops
Team E: European Union
Go to the EU home page, and check topics Agriculture and Food Safety
http://europa.eu.int/index_en.htm
Also check the Eurobarometer public opinion surveys for reports on European attitudes towards GM
food. http://europa.eu.int/comm/public_opinion/
Questions for each group to address:
1. Who are you and what is your role relative to GMOs?
2. What is your opinion of GMOs? How have you promoted this position?
3. Are GMOs dangerous or beneficial to people and/or the environment? Why?
4. Who should decide what they eat? How can we further this agenda?
5. How does the use of GMOs and policies surrounding their use change global
geographies?