What is GMO?

What are genetically modified organisms (GMOs)?

Genetic engineering is a new technology that uses manipulation of genes. Scientists can transfer genes from one species to another, even if these species have nothing in common. For example, fish genes can be transferred to the home to make it more frost-resistant. Genetically modified tomato is genetically forced to produce chemicals in fish. Thus it produces a chemical - "antifreeze" that fish use to survive in ice cold water.

Genetic engineering can erase the boundaries between species created as a result of millions of years of evolution. Never before has it been possible to transfer genes from animals to plants or bacteria to humans. By combining the genes of unrelated species and altering their genetic codes to create new organisms to transmit genetic modifications to their generations by heredity.

Genetic engineering is a corporate technology that is used primarily by industrial agriculture. In 2000:

    Only five multinationals dominate the whole business of biotechnology in agriculture and animal husbandry.
    98% of all transgenic crops grown in three countries: USA, Canada and Argentina.
    Two main characteristics of transgenic crops dominate: 70% of them are plants resistant to herbicides and 20% plants resistant to insects.