Klaus Ammann,

Prof. emeritus University of Bern, Switzerland

January 16:

Help Fundamentalists Donate Brain

Forgot what we are protesting

http://www.nearlygood.com/

We are

programmed in

millions of years

of evolution to be

alarmed and

act accordingly

What helps:

Constant

framing

And moral self-

licensing

Merritt, A.C., Effron, D.A., & Monin, B.

(2010)

Moral Self-Licensing: When Being Good

Frees Us to Be Bad. Social and Personality

Psychology Compass, 4, 5, pp 344-357

http://www.ask-

force.org/web/Fundamentalists/Merritt-

Moral-Self-Licensing-2010.pdf

Genepeace,

Not Greenpeace

Map of history of movement of crops around the globe

Dubock, A.C. (2009) Crop conundrum. Nutrition Reviews, 67, 1, pp 17-20 <Go to ISI>://WOS:000261881200002 AND http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Golden-Rice/Dubock-Crop-Conundrum-2009.pdf

For the major crops, there is no indigenous original center of landraces existing

Defense of the Motherland...

A list of reasons and behavior for the

anxiety of the population on GMOs

1. (Moral self licensing Field liberations)

2. GMOs, non-GMOs not radically different

3. (Power of protest and industrial corporates, conspiracy

theories: Seed companies and revolving doors)

4. (Framing processes) and

5. (Science of Fear: Evil always fascinates, Goodness

rarely entertains)

6. (Tribal Life)

7. (Semiotic views about Nature)

8. Science, Ethics and Religion: Halal, Sharia, Vatican,

Kosher Food, Amish Farmers

8. Professional discourse of the second Generation

9. (Need for New World Visions)

Greene Joshua (2013),

Moral Tribes: Emotion, Reason, and the

Gap Between Us and Them edn.

Penguin Press HC, The, IS: ISBN-10:

1594202605, ISBN-13: 978-

1594202605. pp. 437,

http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1594

202605/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie

=UTF8&psc=1

Our brains were

designed for tribal life, for

getting along with a

select group of others

(Us) and for fighting off

everyone else (Them)

Gardner, D. (2008, 2009), The Science of Fear. Why we fear the

things we shouldn't - and put ourselves in greater Danger. Paperback

2009 Science of Fear: How the Culture of Fear Manipulates Your

Brain edn. Dutton, Penguin Group USA, inc., IS: 798-0-525-

95062-2. pp. 341, http://www.amazon.com/Science-Fear-Shouldnt--

-Ourselves-

Greater/dp/B001U0OGAY/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319

887666&sr=1-2 AND http://www.amazon.com/Science-Fear-

Culture-Manipulates-

Brain/dp/B0030EG0OS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319887

666&sr=1-1

Gardner gives example after

example of how societal

minions make us believe

something and then watch as

we bite their bait. Is research

ever considered?

You'll be surprised as to how

little it actually is.

Urban Myth, Anxiety

Genetic Engineering is

fundamentally different from

Natural Mutation,

lots of new and unknown risks

Wrong:

Natural Mutation and Transgenesis are

identical on the molecular level Ammann, K. (20120706)

Genomic Misconception: A fresh look at the biosafety of transgenic and conventional crops, a plea for a

process agnostic regulation New Biotechnology, in press, pp 32

http://www.ask-force.org/web/NewBiotech/Genomic-Misconception-20120706-names-def.pdf

NAS National Academy of Sciences, Kelman, A., Anderson, W., Falkov,

S., Fedoroff, N., & Levin, S. (1987)

Introduction of Recombinant DNA-Engineered Organisms into the

Environment: Key Issues. National Academy Press, Washington DC, USA,

pp 24

http://www.ask-force.org/web/NAS/NAS-Introduction-Recombinant-DNA-

Engineered-Environment-1987.pdf

NAS National Academy of Sciences, Committee on Genetically Modified

Pest-Protected Plants, Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources, &

National Research Council (2000)

Genetically Modified Pest-Protected Plants: Science and Regulation,

Prepublication and IS: ISBN: 0-309-06930-0, def: 0-309-50467-8 pp 290

http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9795.html AND prepublication: http://www.ask-

force.org/web/NAS/National-Research-Council-GM-Pest-Protected-

prepublication-2000.pdf

http://www.ask-force.org/web/NAS/NAS-Introduction-Recombinant-DNA-

Engineered-Environment-1987.pdf AND final copy: http://www.ask-

force.org/web/NAS/National-Research-Council-GM-Pest-Protected-def-

2000.pdf

Genomic Misconception

Clearly declared in 1987

By the US National

Academies

No difference between

conventional and

transgenic crops

“There is no evidence that unique hazards exist either

in the use of R-DNA techniques or in the transfer of

genes between unrelated organisms”, and:

“The risks associated with R-DNA engineered

organisms are the same in kind as those

associated with the introduction into the

environment of unmodified organisms and

organisms modified by other genetic

techniques.” and:

“Assessment of the risks of introducing R-DNA-

engineered organisms into the environment should be

based on the nature of the organism and the

environment into which it will be introduced, not on the

method by which it was modified.”

Pontifical Academy of Science, Vatican

Bishop Marcelo Sanchez – Sorondo, Secretary

Prof. Dr. Werner Arber, President

Nobel Laureate 1978

Interestingly, naturally occurring molecular evolution,

i.e. the spontaneous generation of genetic variants has

been seen to follow exactly the same three strategies as

those used in genetic engineering14. These three

strategies are (after W. Arber, Nobel Laureate 1978)

(a) small local changes in the nucleotide sequences,

(b) internal reshuffling of genomic DNA segments, and

(c) acquisition of usually rather small segments of DNA

from another type of organism by horizontal gene

transfer. Arber, W. (2002)

Roots, strategies and prospects of functional genomics. Current Science, 83, 7, pp 826-828

http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Mutations/Arber-Comparison-2002.pdf

Arber, W. (2010)

Genetic engineering compared to natural genetic variations. New Biotechnology, 27, 5, pp 517-521

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Vatican-PAS-Studyweek-Elsevier-publ-20101130/Arber-Werner-PAS-Genetic-Engineering-

Compared-20101130-publ.pdf

However, there is a principal difference between

the procedures of genetic engineering and those

serving in nature for biological evolution. While

the genetic engineer pre-reflects his alteration

and verifies its results, nature places its genetic

variations more randomly and largely

independent of an identified goal.

After ca. 15 years of testing the GM crops are

brought to the field by millions in a few years Arber, W. (2002)

Roots, strategies and prospects of functional genomics. Current Science, 83, 7, pp 826-828

http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Mutations/Arber-Comparison-2002.pdf

Ammann, K. (2014), Genomic Misconception: a fresh look at the biosafety of transgenic and conventional crops. A plea for a

process agnostic regulation, New Biotechnology, 31, 1, pp. 1-17,

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1871678413000605 AND http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nbt.2013.04.008 AND open

source: http://www.ask-force.org/web/NewBiotech/Ammann-Genomic-Misconception-printed-2014.pdf and with full text references

for private use: http://www.ask-force.org/web/NewBiotech/Genomic-Misconception-20130415-names-links.pdf AND German

Abstract http://www.ask-force.org/web/NewBiotech/Ammann-German-Abstract-Highlights-20130415.pdf

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Baudo: comparison in genomic disturbance: GM crops are less disturbed (black dots) than classic breeds

Scatter plot representation of transcriptome comparisons, Baudo et al. 2006

transgenic vs.

control

endosperm

14 dpa

28 dpa 8 dpg

2 conventional

lines

Endosperm

14 dpa

28 dpa leaf at 8 dpg

transgenic vs.

conventional

Endosperm

14 dpa

28 dpa leaf at 8 dpg

Institute of Radiation

Breeding

Ibaraki-ken, JAPAN http://www.irb.affrc.go.jp/

100m

radius

89 TBq

Co-60

source at

the center

Shielding

dike 8m

high

Gamma Field

for radiation

breeding

Better

spaghettis, whisky

1800 new plants

Radiation breeding as field experiments

Gamma Field for Radiation Breeding

Radiation site for mutation breeding, Co-60 radioactivity source of 89 TBq in the center, Radius of 100m.

In this radiation field a human being would receive 3 deadly Sievers units of radiation after the exposure times given below

89 TBq represents the 140-fold of all Radioactivity of material stored in the German permanent storage site of Morsleben insgesamt eingelagerten Radioaktivität.

3,5 min 60 min

Was muss man sich darunter vorstellen?

Reuters, May 10, 2010

UN's International Atomic Energy Agency

since 1963, 2,252 new plant varieties,

including Italian durum wheat,

have been created using radioactive

substances such as cobalt and X-rays.

70% of the crops under cultivation worldwide

are radiation mutation varieties

Charles Margulis of Greenpeace USA:

"But now they tell us that scientists have been

artificially hybridizing plants since the 1960s.

That's, like, really uncool."

Activists, supported by Jane Rissler, called for a ban, since those irradiated varieties have never been tested for food safety, which would have wiped out 70% of the food products on shelfs.

Rissler: “Compared to these plants, genetically modified food is about as dangerous as a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest.” But excellent repair mechanisms working like zippers are reducing radiation damage considerably And worldwide there has been no correlation established between radiation mutation and negative food safety facts. (Reuters 2001 continued)

Durum Wheat, Triticum durum: all major breeds have gone though massive and inprecise radiation breeding, but with Important success unnecessary fearmongering

FRANKENSTEIN

European Biosafety and the Cartagena Protocol The biosafety protocol is based on the wrong Premises: See Genomic Misconception in this slides: Natural Mutation and transgenesis are the same on the molecular level.

www.strangevehicles.com

European Safety Attitude: let not the Europeans decide about

Biosafety in Africa and the Near East, do your own safety assessment

European safety attitude: a problem for many countries in the developing world

Cardow, Ottawa Citizen, 2012 http://www.caglecartoons.com/viewimage.asp?ID={B63D61CA-B96E-479E-B0BD-20421232AA77}

http://www.europabio.org/sites/default/files/position/120601_gm_approvals_status_may_2012.pdf#overlay-

context=agricultural/positions/undue-delays-eu-approval-safe-gm-products

Regulation. The trait and product not the

technology in agriculture should be

regulated, and the regulatory framework

should be evidence-based.

There is no validated evidence that GM has

greater adverse impact on health and the

environment than any other technology used

in plant breeding. EU GM legislation was

formulated when there was not yet sufficient

data to substantiate these conclusions, but

now there is.

Given the experience gained, the legislation,

data requirements and level of scrutiny need

to be revisited and recalibrated.

EASAC (20130627), Planting the future:

opportunities and challenges for using crop genetic

improvement technologies for sustainable

agriculture edn. EASAC European Academies

Science Advisory Council, 21, EASAC, IS: 978-3-

8047-3181-3. pp. 78,

http://www.easac.eu/home/reports-and-

statements/detail-view/article/planting-the.html AND

http://www.ask-force.org/web/EASAC/EASAC-

Planting-the-Future-FULL-REPORT-20130627.pdf

Check for updates at http://www.europabio.org/filter/agricultural/type/position

or contact EuropaBio for more info

1. June 2012

Gómez-Galera, S., Twyman, R.M., Sparrow, P.A.C., Van Droogenbroeck, B., Custers, R., Capell, T., & Christou, P. (2012)

Field trials and tribulations—making sense of the regulations for experimental field trials of transgenic crops in Europe. Plant Biotechnology

Journal, 10, 5, pp 511-523

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7652.2012.00681.x AND http://www.ask-force.org/web/IP/Gomez-Galera-Field-Trials-Tribulatioins-2012.pdf

Milan, 16 - 17 November 2012

Destruction of 30 years of field research

Prof. Eddo Ruggini Università di Tusca

http://www.freshplaza.it/news_detail.asp?id=48131

Nature Biotechnology

“It can be seen as a

demolition of a

scientific cultural

monument,

an act of legal

vandalism,” says

Klaus Ammann from

the University of

Bern.“

Meldolesi, A. (2012)

Destruction of transgenic olive field trial

dubbed 'vandalism'. Nat Biotech, 30, 8,

pp 736-736

http://www.ask-

force.org/web/Fundamentalists/Meldoles

i-Destruction-Transgenic-Olive-Field-

Italy-2012.pdf

Gómez-Galera, S., Twyman, R.M., Sparrow, P.A.C., Van Droogenbroeck, B., Custers, R., Capell, T., & Christou, P. (2012)

Field trials and tribulations—making sense of the regulations for experimental field trials of transgenic crops in Europe. Plant Biotechnology

Journal, 10, 5, pp 511-523

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7652.2012.00681.x AND http://www.ask-force.org/web/IP/Gomez-Galera-Field-Trials-Tribulatioins-2012.pdf

Kuntz, M. (2011)

Academic and governmental research on GMOs has been the target of numerous acts of vandalism in Europe. In OGM, environnement,

santé et politique. Prof. Marcel Kuntz, Grenoble

http://www.marcel-kuntz-ogm.fr/article-news-55055856.html , news in English, French and Spanish AND

http://ddata.over-blog.com/xxxyyy/1/39/38/37/public-research-vandalized.pdf AND

http://www.marcel-kuntz-ogm.fr/article-news-55055856.html AND

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Field-Destruction/Kuntz-Public-Government-Research-Vandalism-Europe-2011.pdf

Kuntz M. (2012)

Destruction of public and governmental experiments of GMO in Europe. GM Crops & Food, 3, 4, pp 1-7

http://www.es.landesbioscience.com/journals/gmcrops/article/21231/?nocache=470501470 AND

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Fundamentalists/Kuntz-Field-Trial-Destruction-GM crops-2012.pdf

Paarlberg, R. (2009)

Starved for Science,

How Biotechnology is kept out of Africa

Harvard University Press; 1 edition

(August 5, 2009) Cambridge, USA,

IS: ISBN-10: 0674033477 ISBN-13: 978-

0674033474 pp 256

http://www.amazon.com/Starved-Science-

Biotechnology-Being-

Africa/dp/0674033477/ref=sr_1_1?s=boo

ks&ie=UTF8&qid=1331185222&sr=1-1#_

Royal-Society (2009)

Reaping the benefits: science and the sustainable intensification of global agriculture, Royal Socienty pp 89 RS Policy document

11/09 London (Report)

http://royalsociety.org/displaypagedoc.asp?id=35510 AND

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Benefits/RS-Reaping-the-Benefits-200910.pdf

Changes in per capita agriculture production 1961-2005

Urban Myth

Herbicide resistant weeds are caused by

transgenic soybeans: A new and dramatic risk

Wrong:

Herbicide resistant weeds are an old problem

in agriculture, still less severe with transgenic

crops than with conventional cropping

Mercosur consolidates as leading soybean region with 52% of world’s production

Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia harvest 136 million tons annually,

compared to the 83 from the United States and the world’s 260 million tons (2011)

http://en.mercopress.com/2011/09/17/mercosur-consolidates-as-leading-soybean-region-with-52-of-world-s-production

Development of resistant weeds

with herbicide use

Urban Myth

Crop varieties have diminished due

to modern biotechnology breeding

Wrong:

A new worldwide market study shows

the contrary:

Crop varieties have steadily grown in

numbers since WW II

van de Wouw, M., van Hintum, T., Kik, C., van

Treuren, R., & Visser, B. (2010)

Genetic diversity trends in twentieth century

crop cultivars: a meta analysis. TAG Theoretical

and Applied Genetics, 120, 6, pp 1241-1252

http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Biotech-

Biodiv/van-de-Wouw-Genetic-Diversity-Trends-

2010.pdf

Fig. 4 Wheat genetic

diversity (a) and crop

genetic diversity (excluding

wheat) (b) in the twentieth

century based on a

weighted meta analysis of

20 publications. The

diversity in the decade with

the lowest diversity was set

to 100

Ammann, K. (20120317)

Biodiversity and the debate on GM crops - Can GM

crops help to enhance biodiversity? . In ASK-

FORCE AF-11, Vol. AF-11, pp. 103. K. Ammann,

Neuchâtel http://www.ask-force.org/web/AF-

11-Biodiversity/AF-11-Biodiversity-Biotechnology-

20120317-numbered.doc

http://www.ask-force.org/web/AF-11-Biodiversity/AF-

11-Biodiversity-Biotechnology-20120317-web.doc

http://www.ask-force.org/web/AF-11-Biodiversity/AF-

11-Biodiversity-Biotechnology-20120317-web.pdf

http://www.ask-force.org/web/AF-11-Biodiversity/AF-

11-Biodiversity-Biotechnology-20120317-

opensource.doc

http://www.ask-force.org/web/AF-11-Biodiversity/AF-

11-Biodiversity-Biotechnology-20120317-

opensource.pdf

Source: National

Geographic, July 2011

A Century Ago

In 1930 commercial seed houses offered hundreds of

varieties as shown in this sampling of ten crops

80 Years Later By 1983 few of those varieties were found in

the National Seed Storage Laboratory

with completely

wrong numbers

based on the old

RAFI study

Fowler, C. & Mooney, P., R., (1990) US: Shattering : food, politics,

and the loss of genetic diversity

GB: The threatened gene: Food, politics and the loss of genetic diversity US:

The University of Arizona Press

GB: Lutterworth Press P.O. Box 60 Cambridge CB12NT

Printed Billing & Sons Ltd, Worcester, US: Tucson GB: Cambridge, IS: ISBN 0

7188 2830 5. , pp xvi, 278 p

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0816511810/sr=1-

1/qid=1320748094/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&qid=1320748094&s

r=1-1&seller= AND from the etc Group:

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Biotech-Biodiv/Fowler-Mooney-The-threatened-

Gene-1990.pdf

Heald, P.J. & Chapman, S. (2011)

Veggie Tales: Pernicious Myths About Patents, Innovation, and Crop Diversity in the Twentieth Century. SSRN

eLibrary, pp

http://www.ask-force.org/web/IP/Heldt-Veggie-Tales-Pernicious-Myths-2011.pdf

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Urban Myth

Organic Farming and Modern

Agriculture including Genetic Engineering

cannot go together

Wrong:

Organic farming needs crops

adapted to the special needs of agro-ecology

by modern biotechnological methods

Ammann, K. (2008)

Feature: Integrated

farming: Why organic farmers

should use transgenic crops,

open source citations. New

Biotechnology, 25, 2, pp 101 -

107

http://www.botanischergarten.c

h/NewBiotech/Ammann-

Opinion-Integrated-Farming-

20080825-names-links-

edited.pdf

Ammann, K. (2009)

Feature: Why farming with high

tech methods should integrate

elements of organic agriculture.

accepted, corrected proof,

open links. New Biotechnology,

4, pp

http://www.botanischergarten.c

h/NewBiotech/Integrated-

Farming-Biotech-Org-

20090803-openlink.pdf

Why high tech farmers

should adopt Organic

management

Ronald, P.C. & Adamchak, R.W. (2008) Tomorrow's Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food Oxford University Press, USA (April 18, 2008) IS: ISBN-10: 0195301757 ISBN-13: 978-0195301755 pp 232 Book review by J. Gressel 2009 http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Gressel-Book-Ronald-2009.pdf

Sorry friends. What you think about

organic food is mostly wrong. The global

organic industrial-complex promises

everything and delivers nothing. But

don't blame organic farmers! They're

victims, along with millions of

consumers. Being organic is no longer

about farming fields. It's about filling

forms. Your taxes underwrite this

marketing subterfuge and help drive a

stake into the heart of the most efficient

food system ever known. Who's behind

this? You'll be surprised.

Popov, M. (2010) Is it Organic? The inside story of who

destroyed the organic industry, turned it into a socialist

movement and made million$ in the process Polyphase

Communication, USA, www.isitorganic.ca, Osoyoos, British

Columbia, IS: 978-0-557-54033-4, 978-0-557-54886-6, pp

593

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Organic/Popov-isit-Organic-

Message.pdf AND available through Amazon

ttp://www.ask-force.org/web/Organic/Popov-isit-Organic-

full-MS.pdf

Bauer de Jonghe in Holland, produziert Gemüse im Bio-Standard ohne PestizideFoto Claus Lange, Text Michael Miersch Weltwoche 06 2003

Amish farmers in biotech-debate: subsequent partial adoption

of transgenic crops: 1999, see:

http://www.ifpri.org/2020conference/PDF/summary_ammann.pdf

Urban Myth

Agro-Ecology and organic farming result in

more yield compared to biotech crops

Wrong:

All comprehensive statistics show that

agroecology in average has

20-30% less yield, in optimal cases 5% less

Winter Wheat

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

CA ID MI OH WI IL NY SD MO IA NE UT ND MT OK CO NM TX WY

Bu

shel

s/ac

re

Organic Yield

US Yield

Organic Winter Wheat represented 0.8% of 2008 acres but only 0.5% of total production 100%

conversion to Organic would have required 10.4MM additional acres, a 49% increase

Savage, S.D. (2008)

A Detailed Analysis of US Organic Crops. (publ. Steve Savage) (Audio-Visual Material)

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Organic/Savage-Detailed-Analysis-US-Organic-2008.ppt AND http://www.ask-

force.org/web/Organic/Savage-Detailed-Analysis-US-Organic-2008.pdf see also Applied Mythology

http://appliedmythology.blogspot.com

Soybeans

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

NE NY IN PA MO KS OH KY SD NC GA MD ND

Bu

shel

s/ac

re

Organic Yield

US Yield

Organic Soybeans represented 0.13% of 2008 acres in the US, 0.09% of total production, but 0.17% of total soybean

payments. Organic soybeans sold at 2 times the price for conventional so with 66% of the yield that represented a net

advantage of 1.3 times the gross per acre income. To have produced all the 2008 soybeans Organically would have

required 38.2MM additional acres – a 51% increase

Savage, S.D. (2008)

A Detailed Analysis of US Organic Crops. (publ. Steve Savage) (Audio-Visual Material)

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Organic/Savage-Detailed-Analysis-US-Organic-2008.ppt AND http://www.ask-

force.org/web/Organic/Savage-Detailed-Analysis-US-Organic-2008.pdf see also Applied Mythology

http://appliedmythology.blogspot.com

In the US maize yields have accelerated in the last ten years due to modern breeding methods

• actual breeding plus cultural practice gain

Source: March 2006. Crop Science. Ref# 46:528-543

Corn yields in France and Italy in the

last 10 years fail to show the same positive trends

as in the USA

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010

10

0 k

g/h

a France

Italy

France 95-06

Italy 95-06

Source; Eurostat

THE GLOBAL INCOME AND PRODUCTION EFFECTS OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED

(GM) CROPS 1996-2011

Graham Brookes and Peter Barfoot, manuscript 2013

http://dingo.care2.com/pictures/greenliving/1078/1077877.large.jpg

Organic Tomatoes:

No better quality

There is scientific proof of the following

1. Tomato quality differs heavily on

environmental conditions Chassy, A.W., Bui, L., Renaud, E.N.C., Van Horn, M., & Mitchell, A.E.

(2006)

Three-year comparison of the content of antioxidant microconstituents and

several quality characteristics in organic and conventionally managed

tomatoes and bell peppers. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 54,

21, pp 8244-8252

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Organic/Chassy-AW-Three-Year-Comparison-

Tomatoes-2006.pdf

2. The claim that organic tomatoes have higher content of antioxidants is false Mitchell, A.E., Hong, Y.J., Koh, E., Barrett, D.M., Bryant, D.E., Denison, R.F., & Kaffka, S. (2007)

Ten-Year Comparison of the Influence of Organic and Conventional Crop Management Practices on the Content of Flavonoids in

Tomatoes. J. Agric. Food Chem., pp

http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Organic/Mitchell-tenyears-tomato-2007.pdf AND http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Organic/Mitchell-2007-

Fig-4.ppt AND rebuttal Hudson Institute http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Organic/Tomato-Flavonoids-Hudson-2007.pdf

3. The claim that organic food has higher quality has been falsified by several studies Dangour, A.D., Dodhia, S.K., Hayter, A., Allen, E., Lock, K., & Uauy, R. (2009)

Nutritional quality of organic foods: a systematic review, including controversy. Am J Clin Nutr, 90, pp ajcn.2009.28041 and 680-685

http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Organic/Dangour-Nutritional-Quality-Organic-2009.pdf AND

http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Organic/Benbrook-Methodological-Flaws-Dangour-2009.pdf AND

http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Organic/Gibbons-Reply-Dangour-2009.pdf AND http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Organic/Dangour-Reply-

to-Gibbon-Benbrook2009.pdf

Mukherjee, A., Speh, D., Jones, A.T., Buesing, K.M., & Diez-Gonzalez, F. (2006)

Longitudinal microbiological survey of fresh produce grown by farmers in the upper midwest. Journal of Food

Protection, 69, 8, pp 1928-1936

http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Organic/Mukherjee-Longitudinal-MicrobiolSurvey-2006.pdf

Prevalence of E.coli on

Semiorganic, organic and

Conventional farms

from Which at least one

contaminated sample was

collected in

A 2003

B 2004

2003

2004

Type: GIF

Slavo Mac (20110824)

Complexity Theorists Predict Food Crisis, Riots and Civil Unrest By April 2013. In SHTFplan.com

http://www.shtfplan.com/forecasting/complexity-theorists-predict-food-crisis-riots-and-civil-unrest-by-april-2013_08242011 .

Lagi Marco, K. Z. B., Yaneer Bar-Yam, (2011), The Food Crises and Political Instability in North Africa and the Middle East,

Physics and Society (physics.soc-ph), NECSI 2011-07-01, pp. 15, arXiv:1108.2455v1 AND

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Yield/Lagi-Food-Crises-Political-Instability-2011.pdf

“I eat organic food and drink only green tea– gallons of it when I’m writing.

I smoke cigarettes, but organic ones”

Discussing her “healthy” lifestyle in Organic Style magazine March 2005.

Crab-Rhino EVIL ALWAYS FASCINATES GOODNESS RARELY ENTERTAINS

http://seawayblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/chimeras-of-digital-age.html brawlsnapshots.com

bye bye Heliotis

bye bye pesticides

Percentage GM cotton

in the USA

Bt-toxin may be hazardous to your health, don‘t swallow and

keep away from children

The Euro-Bills are made out of transgenic Bt - cotton

Linden, A. & Fenn, J. (2003)

Understanding Gartner's Hype Cycles, Gartner Research pp 12 Strategic Analysis Report (Report)

http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Discourse/Linden-HypeCycle-2003.pdf

Linden, A. & Fenn, J. (2003)

Understanding Gartner's Hype Cycles, Gartner Research pp 12 Strategic Analysis Report (Report)

http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Discourse/Linden-HypeCycle-2003.pdf

Linden, A. & Fenn, J. (2003)

Understanding Gartner's Hype Cycles, Gartner Research pp 12 Strategic Analysis Report (Report)

http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Discourse/Linden-HypeCycle-2003.pdf

Urban Myth

Religious circles are against biotech crops

Wrong:

All major churches including Islam organisations

delivered positive statements

Full bibliography of the open

source volume of NEW

BIOTECHNOLOGY, Elsevier

27/5, p. 445-718, November

30, 2010

All published papers, statements and

conference presentations in:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/issue/43

660-2010-999729994-2699796

It must be understood, that statements by the

participants regarding the event do not

constitute the opinion of the Vatican or the

Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

The official information, beyond any interview,

is laid out in the English version of the

‚Statement’ agreed upon unanimously by all

participants

http://www.ask-force.org/web/PAS-Statement-

English.pdf

and in additional 15 world languages,

see link above For interviews contact Prof. em.

Ingo Potrykus ingo@potrykus.ch or Prof. em.

Klaus Ammann, klaus.ammann@ips.unibe.ch

or anybody else from the participants list:

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Participants-List-

2010.pdf

The spirit of the participants was inspired by the same approach to technology that

Benedict XVI expressed in his new Encyclica, in particular that ‘Technology is the

objective side of human action, Cf. John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Laborem

exercens, 5: loc. cit., 586-589. whose origin and raison d’être is found in the

subjective element: the worker himself. For this reason, technology is never merely

technology. It reveals man and his aspirations towards development, it expresses

the inner tension that impels him gradually to overcome material limitations.

Technology, in this sense, is a response to God’s command to till and to keep

the land (cf. Gen 2:15) that he has entrusted to humanity, and it must serve to

reinforce the covenant between human beings and the environment, a covenant

that should mirror God’s creative love’. Caritas in veritate, § 69.

Two recent international conferences on the position of Islam towards modern

agriculture yielded positive views:

1. The World Halal Forum 2010 sought to begin discussions

on the Islamic stance of Genetically Modified Food.

At the end of the workshop panelists and participants

unanimously agreed to the a positive statement

2. Sharia Compliance conference 2010 came to the same

positive conclusions

World Halal Forum (2010)

GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) CROPS & HALAL WORKSHOP REPORT (eds W.H. Forum), pp. 35. World Halal Forum,

Kuala Lumpur Convention Center

www.worldhalalforum.org AND http://www.ask-force.org/web/Islam/GM-Crops-World-Halal-Forum-Kuala-Lumpur-2010.pdf

Sharia Compliance (2010)

International Workshop for Islamic Scholars: Agribiotechnology: Shariah Compliance, pp. 7. Members of the Organization of

the Islamic Conference (OIC)], Traders Hotel, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Islam/Shariah-Compliance-Agribiotech-Resolution_Final-20101202.pdf

Possible Solutions 1

Inititation of professional discourses of the

second generation

Ammann, K. & Papazova Ammann, B. (2004)

Factors Influencing Public Policy Development in Agricultural Biotechnology. In RISK

ASSESSMENT OF TRANSGENIC CROPS. (ed S. Shantaram), Vol. 9, pp. 1552. Wiley and

Sons, Hoboken, NJ, USA.

P. Christou & H. Klee: Handbook of Plant Biotechnology,

http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Wiley/Factors-Discourse-Wiley.pdf

unfortunately, planning

problems in the field of green

biotechnology have now

evolved into wicked problems

with complex structures and

no obvious causal chains

Solving wicked

problems needs new,

second generation

system approaches in

communication and

decision making

1st Generation 2nd Generation 3rd

Generation

no follow-

up Operation Research

Simon (Nobel Prize 1978)

Artificial

Intelligence

Cognitive

Model

Schön Rittel

Model of

reflective

Practitioner

Argumentative

Model

Broadbent

Expert Systems

to be better

Planners ?

ill-structured + wellstructured

problems: bounded rationality

leads to satisfying solutions

Problem: Until today there

are no planning machines

possible, since any such structure

needs at a certain point some

guidance, bounded rationality is

just not enough. Problems cannot

be pre-defined precisely

Dialogue with

the situation of the

Problem

Problem:

Schön‘s instru-

mentarium is

not

broad and

practical

enough

Problem:

Rittels planning

unites people

with different

kinds

of knowledge

Symmetry of

Ignorance, unite

different kinds of

knowledge

Expertise

as

Hypothesis

Poppers

Conjecture +

refutation

Problem:

Symm. Of

Ignorance

Not >>

to Symm.

of

knowlege

Operation Research

(Simon)

Systems Approach

(Rittel)

Separation of Problem Definition

and Problem Solution Problem Definition and Problem

solution cannot be separated

Objectivity of Solution Political nature of solution

Classification (Taxonomy)

of planning problems

Every planning problem is

basically unique

Expertise alone Symmetry of ignorance

Different kinds of Knowledge

Ill- and wellstructured problems

depends on completeness of problem

description

Wicked and Tame Problems are

two different classes, no common

denominator

Every scientific or technical problem

is a social problem.

We can call it wicked, complicated

or wild…depending on how we

operate in society

Elements of second generation

communication and decision making:

reduce hidden agendas

encourage collaborative learning

atmosphere

Symmetry of ignorance

different kinds of knowledge:

to respect different kinds of knowledge

is better than the stakeholder concept

factual knowledge

deontic knowledge

explanatory knowledge

instrumental knowledge

procedural knowledge

conceptual knowledge

traditional knowledge

only those should

Participate who are

part of the problem

and who are ready for

active listening and ready

for an open end debate

Possible Solutions 2

Change the international regulatory procedures

From process-oriented to product-oriented

Procedures:

Some preliminary ideas which need discursive

Processes for some time to come

Potrykus, I. (2010)

Regulation must be revolutionized. Nature, 466, 7306, pp 561-561

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/466561a AND

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Regulation/Potrykus-Regulation-Revolutionized-2010.pdf

The Golden Rice waits for 12 years to feed the poor and help to

save hundreds of thousands of lifes, its a crime against humanity

not to have it regulated immediately

Conventional and transgenic crops cause the same kind of risk

Conclusions

The above-mentioned 1987 opinion of the National Academy of Science (USA) is now largely confirmed by

present day experience: 1) 15 years of cultivation of increasingly larger area of GM crops (from 1.7 million

hectares of GM crops in 1996 to 148 million hectares in 2010) without identification of health problems; 2) the data

on pre-market GM food safety assessment; and 3) additional research by academic laboratories, for example, as

summarized here using large scale “omic” profiling or long-term feeding studies on animals.

Thus, on a scientific basis, it may be time to simplify the assessment of food products derived from plants

obtained by modern biotechnology (at least those with agronomic traits and no deliberate metabolic changes), and

therefore reduce their costs. However, the GM food scare has never been science-based, but rather originates

from a different rationality.

Kuntz, M. & Ricroch, A. (2012)

Is it Time to Adjust the Current Regulatory Risk Assessment for GM Food and Feed? ISB News Report,

Agricultural and Environment Biotechnology, February 2012, pp 1-4

http://www.isb.vt.edu/news/2012/Feb12.pdf

Giddings, V., Potrykus, I., Ammann K., & Fedoroff, N. (2012)

Confronting the Gordian knot, Opinion. Nature Biotechnology, 30, 3, pp 208-209 http://www.ask-force.org/web/Regulation/Giddings-Confronting-Gordian-Knot-2012.pdf AND

Editorial A. Marshall http://www.ask-force.org/web/Genomics/Marshall-Agnostic-About-Agriculture-2012.pdf

The world has seldom seen a greater discrepancy between the inherent hazard

of a product and the level of regulatory burden imposed on it than exists today

for crops improved through biotech. It is important, here, to be very clear:

There is no basis in science for regulation specific to crops

and foods improved through biotech or ‘GMOs‘.

The time has come for the scientific

community to advance a new generation of

international organizations that expressly

promote scientific ccooperation —

agencies that can help foster technological

cooperation for Africa’s economic

transformation.

Juma, C. (2011) The New Harvest: Agricultural Innovation in Africa Preprint 3 Chapters Oxford University Press (14. Januar

2011) IS: ISBN-10: 0199783195 ISBN-13: 978-0199783199, pp 296

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Developing/Juma-Governing-Innovation-2011.pdf and http://www.ask-force.org/web/Developing/Juma-

Growing-Economy-Ch-1-2011.pdf and http://www.ask-force.org/web/Developing/Juma-Introduction-2011.pdf AND

https://www.amazon.de/New-Harvest-Agricultural-Innovation-Africa/dp/0199783195/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320909861&sr=8-1

Juma, C. (2011)

Preventing hunger: Biotechnology is key. Nature, 479, 7374, pp 471-472

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/479471a AND http://www.ask-force.org/web/Developing/Juma-Preventing-Hunger-Nature-2011.pdf

Juma, C. (2011)

Science Meets Farming in Africa. Science, 334, 6061, pp 1323

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/334/6061/1323.short AND http://www.ask-force.org/web/Developing/Juma-Science-Meets-Africa-

20111209.pdf

African countries should break the logjam by creating an

“International Institute for Biotechnology.” The new

institute would be created under a charter signed by

governments and other invited agencies. The legislative

authority should come from the government agencies,

private enterprises, universities, scientifi c associations,

farmers’ groups, and others charged with advancing

biotechnology and allied fields.

Juma, C. (2011) The New Harvest: Agricultural Innovation in Africa Preprint 3 Chapters Oxford University Press (14. Januar

2011) IS: ISBN-10: 0199783195 ISBN-13: 978-0199783199, pp 296

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Developing/Juma-Governing-Innovation-2011.pdf and http://www.ask-force.org/web/Developing/Juma-

Growing-Economy-Ch-1-2011.pdf and http://www.ask-force.org/web/Developing/Juma-Introduction-2011.pdf AND

https://www.amazon.de/New-Harvest-Agricultural-Innovation-Africa/dp/0199783195/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320909861&sr=8-1

Juma, C. (2011)

Preventing hunger: Biotechnology is key. Nature, 479, 7374, pp 471-472

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/479471a AND http://www.ask-force.org/web/Developing/Juma-Preventing-Hunger-Nature-2011.pdf

Juma, C. (2011)

Science Meets Farming in Africa. Science, 334, 6061, pp 1323

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/334/6061/1323.short AND http://www.ask-force.org/web/Developing/Juma-Science-Meets-Africa-

20111209.pdf

After (Durham Tim et al., 2011), amended by K. Ammann 2011. The scheme needs amendment

also for the three general risk-levels to be assessed as helping scale.

Schematic diagram representing the main

components of the risk analysis of genetically

modified crops. Dark shaded boxes depict

policy activities that should be carried out by

policy-makers or risk managers. Light grey

boxes depict science-based activities that are

to be conducted by risk assessors (adapted

from (EPA, 1998); (Nickson, 2008; Wolt et al.,

2010), amended by K. Ammann, avoiding the

Genomic Misconception by introducing a

process-agnostic vision, together with the de

minimus approach in mind. After (Sanvido et

al., 2011) amended by K.Ammann

Additional information the original schemes cited in

caption of Fig. 21: EPA figures: http://www.ask-

force.org/web/Regulation/EPA-FIgures-1-2-

1998.pdf Tom Nickson:

http://www.botanischergarten.ch/Regulation/Nickso

n-Planning-Stress-2008.pdf

Jeff Wolt et al. http://www.ask-

force.org/web/Regulation/Wolt-Problem-

Formulation-Environmental-Risk-2010.pdf

The advent of genetically modified crops in the late 1980s

triggered a regulatory response to the relatively new field of

plant genetic engineering. Over a 7-year period, a new

regulatory framework was created, based on scientific

principles that focused on risk mitigation. The process was

transparent and deliberately sought the input of those involved

in crop development from non-governmental organizations,

industry, academia and federal research laboratories. The

resulting regulations have now been in place for over a

decade, and the resilience of the risk-mitigating regulations is

evident as there has been no documented case of damage to

either environment or human health. Correspondence

(fax 306-966-8413;

e-mail stuart.smyth@usask.ca)

Smyth, S. & McHughen, A. (2008)

Regulating innovative crop technologies in Canada: the case of regulating genetically modified crops. Plant Biotechnology Journal,

6, 3, pp 213-225

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Regulation/Smyth-McHughen-Regulating-Innovative-Crop-Technologies-Canada-2008.pdf

Smyth, S. & McHughen, A. (2008)

Regulating innovative crop technologies in Canada: the case of

regulating genetically modified crops. Plant Biotechnology

Journal, 6, 3, pp 213-225

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-7652.2007.00309.x AND

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Regulation/Smyth-McHughen-

Regulating-Innovative-Crop-Technologies-Canada-2008.pdf

Because of this, government evaluators carefully assess

potential impacts before these modified plants can be

released into the environment. Environmental safety

assessments examine five broad categories of possible

impacts of a PNT. (Plant Novel Trait)

1. The potential of the plant to become a weed or to be

invasive of natural habitats.

2. The potential for gene flow to wild relatives.

3. The potential for a plant to become a plant pest.

4. The potential impact of a plant or its gene products on

non-target species.

5. The potential impact on biodiversity (CFIA, 2004b).

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) (2004b)

Directive 94-08: Assessment Criteria for Determining

Environmental Safety of Plants

with Novel Traits

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/

bio/dir/dir9408e.shtml [accessed on 4 December 2004].

Smyth, S. & McHughen, A. (2008)

Regulating innovative crop technologies in Canada: the case of regulating genetically modified crops. Plant Biotechnology Journal,

6, 3, pp 213-225

http://www.ask-force.org/web/Regulation/Smyth-McHughen-Regulating-Innovative-Crop-Technologies-Canada-2008.pdf

Novel food

notification/

submission.

Source: Health

Canada (2006d).

Health Canada (2006d)

Processing a Novel

Food Notification/

Submission in the Food

Directorate

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/

fn-an/legislation/guide-

ld/novel_notification-

avis-nouveaux_e.html

[accessed on 8 March

2007].

Switzerland

(no copyright)

piss off !!

Always say what you think! you can only die once

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Fig. 14 Bryum capillare TYPE C

David Smith Stokesley, North

Yorkshire, England

"Bryum capillare is a common moss

that grows unnoticed on stones,

walls or paving in most British

gardens. Each spring I delight in

seeing its nodding, translucent

spore capsules glistening in the

early morning sunshine, and I hoped

to convey this feeling in my

photograph. To show them at their

best I have photographed the spore

capsules life size as they approach

maturity and are still translucent,

and I have caught them naturally

backlit by the rising sun."

http://www.igpoty.com/competition0

2/gallery/1_PlantPortraits/Image5_X

L.jpg With its hanging capsules the

exostome does not readily open,

since it must be prevented that the

spore mass is just falling out due to

gravity.

Timmia megapolitana, caption see fig. 2.

http://www.botany.org/plantimages/ImageData.asp?IDN=ca07-029&IS=700

from (Budke et al., 2007).

Agriculture

Foster renewable natural

resources, knowledge

based agriculture: Organic

Precision Biotech Ag,

Balance local production

with global trade

Socio-Economics

Equity: reconcile traditional

knowledge with science,

foster biomimetics, reduce

agricultural subsidies,

global dialogue including

new creative capitalism

Technologies

Innovation supported

by artificial intelligence,

influence evolution,

new technologies to

process and use of

housing, food, energy

Sustainable World

Seasons Greetings with a smile from Allah Attribution: Photo Courtesy of Faye Adams Copyright ©2010 Leona. All Rights Reserved http://eliot.stlwritersguild.org/wordpress/?cat=188