Genetically Engineered Crops: Interim Policies, Uncertain Legislation

Take a closer look at the questions surrounding the long-term impact of GE crops

Genetically Engineered Crops examines current controversies surrounding the potential health, environmental, and social impacts of plants produced using molecular biology techniques. Educators, professionals, and practitioners representing a wide range of disciplines, including plant biotechnology, environmental health risk assessment, law, food safety assessment, and bio safety, address the uncertainties of the science, biological risks, national and international governance issues in North and South America, Europe, and Africa, and the need for full public understanding of genetically engineered crops.

Proper regulation of food requires a broad understanding of the science and of varying public perceptions of the technology that will lead to effective governance. Genetically Engineered Crops examines ecological, health, and environmental concerns about crop genetic engineering, the need for precaution, biosafety, and liability, and the challenges faced in meeting the public’s demands for proper understanding of the risks involved. With no worldwide framework for regulation in place and public concern about food safety growing, this vital book takes a closer look at the long-term impact of GE crops and their place in the future of agriculture.

Genetically Engineered Crops examines:

• the laboratory hazards of gene splicing
  
• environmental releases of GEOs
  
• the loss of agrobiodiversity
  
• the ecological effects of HRCs
  
• ecological and environmental risk assessment of GE crops
  
• human health implications of GE foods
  
• allergenicity and toxicity
  
• the precautionary principle
  
• international trade and regulatory harm
  
• smart regulations in Canada
  
• shortcomings in risk assessment
  
• liability and compensation
  
• and much more

Genetically Engineered Crops is a vital reference resource for anyone working in the plant and crop sciences, the social sciences, national and international bioregulation, environmental law, and agribusiness.

Iain E. P. Taylor, PhD, holds BSc and doctorate degrees from the University of Liverpool. He joined the faculty of the University of British Columbia Botany Department in 1968. His research interests in plant cell walls have recently been paralleled by research on ethics in science, scholarly publishing, and professionalism. He retired and was appointed Professor Emeritus in December 2003. He was editor□in-chief of the Canadian Journal o f Botany from 1989 to 1999, and has served as assistant editor in chief of the NRC of Canada Research Journals since 1991. He is associated with the W. Maurice Young Centre for Applied Ethics at UBC and is the research director at the university’s Botanical Garden.