NUFS 139 Final

Evaluates the production process of creating genetically altered organisms

(3 Federal Agencies on Regulation of Biotechnology) Environmental Protection Agency function -

Evaluates whole foods, food ingredients, and food additives

(3 Federal Agencies on Regulation of Biotechnology) Food and Drug Administration function -

Evaluates whole foods and the production process

(3 Federal Agencies on Regulation of Biotechnology) US Department of Agriculture function -

Take steps to discourage pest build up

(4 Steps of IPM) 1. Prevention -

Set a level of loss that is acceptable. If past the threshold, action is warranted

(4 Steps of IPM) 3. Set action thresholds -

Mechanical, biological, and chemical control

(4 Steps of IPM) 4. Control, in order -

Allows the soil to retain more organic matter, which stores or sequesters carbon, which then is not available to contribute to global warming as carbon dioxide

(Benefits of No-till farming) Environment: A reduction in how often or how intensively the soil is tilled allows -

Sequester substantial amounts of carbon, allowing agriculture to contribute to US efforts to reduce and control greenhouse gas emissions

(Benefits of No-till farming) Environment: The adoption of less intensive tillage practice on a large number of farms could -

The plowing of land for weed and pest control and to prepare for seeding, has long been part of the cropland farming enterprise

(Benefits of No-till farming) Environment: Tillage is -

No till crop residue moderates soil temperatures reducing soil moisture evaporation, especially in the top two inches

(Benefits of No-till farming) Soil Moisture: No-till crop residue moderates -

An important tool to prevent loss of soil moisture

(Benefits of No-till farming) Soil Moisture: No-till farming is -

Reduced water infiltration and every tillage pass can cause available plant moisture to drop .25 inch

(Benefits of No-till farming) Soil Moisture: Soil tillage reduces soil moisture in several ways -

Naturally occurring substances that control pests by interfering with growth cycle

(Biopesticides) Biochemical Pesticides include -

Non toxic to animals and humans and various strains of Bt bacteria makes proteins toxic to specific classes of insects

(Biopesticides) Microbial Pesticides - bacillus thuringiensis is

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)

(Biopesticides) Microbial Pesticides - the compound is a specific strain of bacteria -

Contain a micro organism as an active agent

(Biopesticides) Microbial Pesticides contain -

Crossing different strains within closely related species in attempt to re create desired characteristics

(Biotechnology) Cross breeding/selective breeding is -

Manipulation on molecular or genetic level to transfer specific genes

(Biotechnology) Genetic Engineering is -

Pests should be managed, not eradicated, pesticides should be used as a last resort, BUT managing pests is more complex than killing them

(Complications of IPM) IPM Philosophy -

Must be custom developed for each farm depending on crop, local insects, climate

(Complications of IPM) IPM must be-

Farming skills and farmers must be in fields almost continually monitoring conditions

(Complications of IPM) IPM relies heavily on -

Farmers can work with local universities to develop individual programs, IPM appeals to younger, better educated farmers, and 15 to 25% of farmers are practicing IPM

(Complications of IPM) Other complications -

Community organization as a base for implementation and sharing of knowledge and partnering among institutions with two way flow of information (university researchers, government agencies, and local farmers groups)

(IPM Key Elements for Success) 1. Responsiveness to farmer's needs -

Use living organisms to reduce pest problems (ex release natural predators)

(IPM Techniques) Biological Control -

Change crops each year to discourage pest buildup, disrupts life cycles of insects

(IPM Techniques) Crop Rotation -

Modify genes in an organism using recombinant DNA technology

(IPM Techniques) Genetic Engineering -

Breed plants that are resistance to various pests

(IPM Techniques) Increase natural resistance -

System is envisioned in its broadest sense, from the individual farm, to the local ecosystem, and to communities affected by this farming system both locally and globally

(Sustainable Agriculture Themes) A system's perspective :

Gives tools to explore interconnections between farming and other aspects of our environment and implies interdisciplinary efforts in research and education

(Sustainable Agriculture Themes) A systems approach -

A responsibility of all participants in system, including farmers, laborers, policymakers, researchers, retailers, and consumers

(Sustainable Agriculture Themes) Reaching toward goal of sustainable agriculture is -

Natural and human resources is of prime importance. Stewardship of human resources includes working and living conditions of laborers, the needs of rural communities, and consumer health and safety in present and future

(Sustainable Agriculture Themes) Stewardship of both -

For farmers and normally requires a series of small, realistic steps

(Sustainable Agriculture Themes) Transition to sustainable agriculture is a process -

Without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs

(Sustainable Agriculture Themes) We must meet needs of present without -

Prevention, identify pests, set action thresholds and control

4 Steps of Integrated Pest Management -

Soil health, soil moisture, and environment

Benefits of No-till farming -

Precision, speed, and can involve distantly related organisms

Advantages of Genetic Engineering, when compared to cross breeding are -

Tomato and fish

Advantages of Genetic Engineering: Can involve distantly related organisms such as -

Only transfer genes that code for the characteristics you are interested in

Advantages of Genetic Engineering: Precision is -

Land scarcity plus water scarcity equal food scarcity

Bad news for food security - equation :

Microbial pesticides and biochemical pesticides

Biopesticides include -

Cross breeding, selective breeding, and genetic engineering

Biotechnology includes -

Any technique that uses living organisms or parts of organisms to make or modify a product OR to improve an organism for a specific use

Biotechnology is -

Repeating sequences of genetic code, interrupted by "spacer" sequences - remnants of genetic code from past invaders

CRISP consists of -

Not regulate a mushroom genetically modified with the gene editing tool CRISPR-Cas9

CRISPR - The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will not -

A genetic memory that helps the cell detect and destroy invaders (called "bacteriophage") when they return

CRISPR - The system serves as -

Permanently modify genes in living cells and organisms and, in the future, may make it possible to correct mutations at precise locations in the human genome in order to treat genetic causes of disease

CRISPR - With these systems, researchers can -

Did not trigger USDA oversight because it does not contain foreign DNA from plant pests such as viruses or bacteria

CRISPR - Yinong Yang, a plant pathologist at Pennsylvania State University, engineered the common white button (Agaricus bisporus) mushroom to resist browning. The mushroom -

The hallmark of a bacterial defense system that forms the basis of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology

CRISPR are -

Target specific stretches of genetic code and to edit DNA at precise locations, as well as for other purposes such as for new diagnostic tools

CRISPR can be programmed to -

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats

CRISPR stands for -

Part of the bacterial immune system, defending against invading viruses cante in Spain

CRISPR: Francisco Mojica proposed that CRISPRs serve as -

Archaea (and later in bacteria) by Francisco Mojica, a scientist at the University of Ali

CRISPRs were first discovered in -

Fields must be organic for 3 years (transition) before they can be labeled and sold, annual inspections, document all soil inputs in fields, farmers must develop soil fertility and pest control plans, and buffer zone between them and conventional farms

Certification Process -

Registered with government

Certification Process - Certification agencies are -

Environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity

Sustainable Agriculture integrates 3 main goals -

Cleared the offspring of cloned animals for sale but asked owners of clones to continue to observe a voluntary moratorium on marketing them and the USDA is working with industry representatives on a plan to usher clones into the food supply

Cloned Animals - In Jan 2008, the FDA concluded that food from cloned cattle, pigs, and goats and their offspring is safe to eat: USDA immediately -

Pesticide resistant insects, increase in use of herbicides, transfer of characteristics to undesirable species (outcrossing), decrease in biodiversity, and unintended harm to other organisms

Concerns about Genetic Engineering: Environmental Issues -

"unnaturally occuring" hormones (ex rBGH), food allergies, unintentional change in nutrient content, and unintended changes to DNA

Concerns about Genetic Engineering: Safety Issues -

Who will it benefit, ethical and religious concerns, to label or not to label, anti competitiveness in the seed industry, and anti trust issues

Concerns about applications of genetic engineering -

Also object to cloning which often produces malformed newborns and there are biodiversity issues

Controversy with Cloned Animals - Animal welfare organizations -

Insufficient evidence, are pushing for government programs to track and label food derived from cloning

Controversy with Cloned Animals - Consumer groups maintain FDA's study based on -

Are the things that kill the existing weeds and are sometimes used to suppress growth of the sod cover crop that seeds will be planted into (not plows)

Disadvantage of No-till Farming: Use of Pre-emergent Herbicides - Chemicals -

Before the three pre-plant passes that the practitioner of tillage must make over the field

Disadvantage of No-till Farming: Use of Pre-emergent Herbicides - Herbicides are used before -

Some limits already approaching

Earth or Humanity that produces food?? If Earth -

Experience is ground for optimism: when asked for more food, worlds farmers and agricultural scientists have come through

Earth or Humanity that produces food?? If Humanity -

Both human and natural resources but balance between the two is shifting since every year world gains 80 million people, while farmland loses about 25 billion metric tons of topsoil

Earth or Humanity that produces food?? What are essential to agriculture -

Insect resistant plants and herbicide tolerant plants

Examples of Genetic Engineering in Agriculture -

GM salmon which was the first time GM animal has been approved in US, and Whole Foods, Trader Joes say they wont sell it

Examples of Genetic Engineering in Aquaculture -

Chymosin/rennet and delayed ripening, "Falvr-Savr" tomato

Examples of Genetic Engineering in Food Processing -

Insulin decreased allergic response and HIV

Examples of Genetic Engineering in Medicine -

Increased protein quality, increased micro nutrient content, and decreased fat absorption

Examples of Genetic Engineering in Nutrition -

Crop rotation, biological control, increase natural resistance, and genetic engineering

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Techniques -

Management of pests with combination of natural and biological controls rather than indiscriminate application of pesticides

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is

Developed in 1959 by University of California entymologists and incorporates some pre pesticides ideas about how to control pest problems

Integrated Pest Management was developed in -

Responsiveness to farmers needs, absence of subsidies and incentives for non sustainable agricultural practices and policies that support sustainable practices

Integrated Pest Management: Key Elements for Success -

Disappear through erosion and can become chemically unsuitable for agriculture

Land Degradation: Soil can -

Nutrient depletion, salinization, and acidification

Land Degradation: Soil can become chemically unsuitable for agriculture which includes -

Same crop year after year

Land Degradation: Soil chemically unstable for agriculture - Nutrient Depletion example -

There is about 30% more land available worldwide for cultivation but can only increase land by 30% if none of currently available land is lost to agriculture

Land Scarcity: Can land under cultivation continue to grow -

New technologies will help increase production and pessimists believe that the 30% more land available includes much marginal land that will not produce good yields

Land Scarcity: FAO says that -

Expansion of ocean areas and flooding of coastal areas

Land Scarcity: Global warming may result in -

Degraded through soil loss or contamination so that it can no longer be used for crops - may be biggest factor

Land Scarcity: Land currently under production may be -

As urban areas expand, farmland paved over but urban areas worldwide take over 3% of land mass, so this may not be a big factor

Land Scarcity: Reasons for concern -

Arable land constant but total agricultural land has continued to grow due to more land as pasture, as more meat and dairy products added to average diet

Land Scarcity: Since 1980s -

Crop rotation, mechanical cultivation, biological pest controls

Methods used in organic farming -

Dealing transparently and systemically with risk, uncertainty and irreversibility, ensuring appropriate valuation, appreciation and restoration of nature, and conservation of biodiversity and ecological integrity

More Principles: Sustainability -

Ensuring inter generational equity, recognizing the global integration of localities, a commitment to best practice, no net loss of human or natural capital, principle of continuous improvement, and the need for good governance

More Principles: Sustainability - Ensuring -

Increasingly vocal opponents vs increasingly unified scientific community, Europe against (ban by EU), and American consumers turning against

More concerns about application of genetic engineering -

Cost for small farmers may be prohibitive, both in terms of time of money, ideal diluted by large agribusinesses, "beyond organic" movement in which farmers have opted out of organic certification, and some small farmers burdened by new requirements (ex antibiotic regulations)

Organic Controversies -

Only organic ingredients

Organic Definitions: "100% Organic" label means -

70% organic

Organic Definitions: "Made with organic ingredients" label means -

95% organic ingredients

Organic Definitions: "Organic" Label means -

There is no genetically modified organisms and no synthetic chemicals

Organic Farming is different from IPM because -

Naturally derived, not synthetic, pesticides and fertilizers and farming practices that restore, maintain, and enhance ecological harmony

Organic farming is based on the use of -

Then serve cause of sustainability by choosing conservative path and leaves society in less precarious position if chosen path turns out to be wrong path

Precautionary Principles of Sustainability - If competing "experts" recommend diametrically opposing parts of action regarding resources, carrying capacity, sustainability, and the future -

Risk that an action could cause harm, and lack of scientific consensus on the matter, the burden of proof is on those who would support taking the action

Precautionary Principles of Sustainability - If there is a risk that -

Animals must have outdoor access and freedom of movement and farming should minimize erosion and runoff

USDA National Organic Program believes that -

Antibiotics or growth hormones, genetically modified organisms, irradiation, synthetic pesticides, petroleum based or sewage sludge based fertilizers, and animal feed that contains manure, parts of slaughtered animals, plastic pellets, or urea

USDA National Organic Program does not allow -

Environmental Protection Agency, US Department of Agriculture, and Food and Drug Administration

Who Regulates Biotechnology - In US regulation by 3 federal agencies -

Not a mass market item, produce is picked ripe so there is shorter shelf life, environmentally friendly practices are more labor intensive, and methods used are not subsidized by taxpayers therefore, consumers are paying the full cost of growing the food

Why does organic food cost more?