12 reasons to scrap GMOs

Alliance for Natural Health Europe's GM ‘Dirty Dozen’: 12 reasons to not research, cultivate or consume genetically modified crops

1. GM has yet to demonstrate its potential to alleviate poverty [1], while non-GM farming practices have [2]
2. GM and intensive, conventional agriculture crops do not consistently provide either improved yields, or reduced agricultural (including energy) inputs [1, 3, 4]
3. Nearly all major developments in improving yields, drought resistance, insect or pathogen resistance, even in recent years, have been the result of non-GM plant breeding techniques [1, 5]
4. There are no benefits that have yet to be attributed to commercial GM crops that have not already been attributed to non-GM crops (e.g. insect or herbicide resistance, drought or heat tolerance, nutritional enhancement) [5]
5. GM crops may pose serious, unexpected and unpredictable long-term risks to human health and the environment [6, 7]
6. GM threatens the biodiversity and the viability of wild plant and animal species [7]
7. GM crops may generate ‘superweeds’ and ‘superpests’ [8, 9, 10, 11, 12]
8. GM places the control of the world’s staple crops in the hands of a few corporations [1]
9. GM threatens the viability of organic farming systems [13, 14, 15]
10. ‘Co-existence’ of GM and non-GM agriculture is untenable [14, 15, 16]
11. Safety assessments used for approving GM cultivation are inadequate [17, 18]
12. The public has demonstrated a consistent rejection of GM crop technology and consumes it usually only when it is unaware of its presence [19, 20, 21].

References (for evidential support, including references contained therein)

1. IAASTD, Agriculture at a crossroads, 2008, Island Press, USA.
2. INRA-CIRAD. Agrimonde: Scenarios and Challenges for Feeding the World in 2050. 2009. INRA-CIRAD, France. 
3. Rodale Institute. The Farming Systems Trial. Rodale Institute, Kutztown, PA, USA.
4. Pimentel D. 2006. Impacts of organic farming on the efficiency of energy use in agriculture. An Organic Center State of Science Review, Washington DC, USA. 
5. Conway G. One Billion Hungry Can We Feed the World? 2012, Comstock, USA.
   
6. Smith JM. Genetic Roulette: The documented health risks of genetically engineered foods.2007. Yes! Books, USA.
7. Garcia MA, Altieri MA. Transgenic Crops: Implications for Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture. Bull Sci Technol Soc, 2005; 25: 335-353. [Abstract]
8. Funke T et al. Molecular basis for the herbicide resistance of Roundup Ready crops. PNAS, 2006; 103: 13010-13015. [Full paper] 
9. Nandula VK et al. Glyphosate-resistant weeds: current status and future outlook. Out. Pest Manage. 2005; 16:183–187. [Full paper] 
10. Ives AR, Andow D. Evolution of resistance to Bt crops: directional selection in structured environments. Ecol. Lett. 2002; 5: 792–801. [Abstract]
    
11. Ives AR et al. The evolution of resistance to two-toxin pyramid transgenic crops. Ecol Appl. 2011; 21: 503–515. [Abstract]
12. Gilbert N. Case studies: A hard look at GM crops. Nature, 2013; 7447: 24-26. [News feature] 
13. Organic Agriculture Protection Fund, Saskatchewan, Canada
14. Levidow L, Boschert K. Coexistence or contradiction? GM crops versus alternative agricultures in Europe. Geoforum. 2008; 39: 174-190. [Abstract and full paper] 
15. Devos Y et al. Coexistence in the EU—return of the moratorium on GM crops? Nature Biotechnology. 2008; 26: 1223-1225. [Abstract]
    
16. Lee M, Burrell R. Liability for the Escape of GM Seeds: Pursuing the ‘Victim’? The Modern Law Review. 2002; 65: 517–537. [Abstract] 
17. Chopra S. Corrupt to the Core: Memoirs of a Health Canada whistleblower. 2009. KOS Publishing, Canada.
18. Antoniou M et al. GMO Myths and Truths Report. An evidence-based examination of the claims made for the safety and efficacy of genetically modified crops. June 2012. London. 
19. Frewer L et al. Societal aspects of genetically modified foods. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2004; 42: 1181-1193. [Abstract] 
20. Gaskell G et al. GM foods and the misperception of risk perception. Risk Analysis. 2004; 24: 185-194. [Abstract] 
21. Durant RF, Legge JS. Public opinion, risk perceptions, and genetically modified food regulatory policy reassessing the calculus of dissent among European citizens. European Union Politics. 2005; 6: 181-200. [Abstract] 

http://anh-europe.org/CAMPAIGN_FEATURE_UK_government_GM_propaganda_counteracted_by_ANHs_GM_Dirty_Dozen