GE Contamination: The Ticking Time-Bomb

1. Briefing
Genetic Engineering Briefing Pack
October 2004
Clearfield), were first identified in Canada
GE CONTAMINATION, in1998, only 3 years after two types of GE
THE TICKING herbicide tolerant (Roundup Ready and
Liberty Link) oilseed rape were first grown2,3.
TIME-BOMB This resistance to more than one herbicide is
known as ‘gene stacking’ and arises through
Releasing GE (genetically engineered, also pollination of one herbicide tolerant variety by
called GM, genetically modified) organisms another. An Agriculture Canada project found
into the environment poses special threats to evidence of stacking at all 11 sites it sampled
the environment and the food chain. GE in 1999 with gene flow taking place at
crops are living and have the ability to distances of up to 800 metres4. To control
reproduce and multiply. Through cross- these herbicide tolerant weeds, both 2,4D
pollination, the foreign genes they contain and paraquat (grammoxone) are being
can be transferred to other crops and wild recommended by government agencies to
species. Genetic contamination can, control herbicide tolerant oilseed rape
therefore, magnify over time. GE seeds can volunteers in Canada5. 2,4-D is considered
also be spilt, mixed with non-GE seed and "highly toxic" due to its hazard to eyes6 and
grown illegally, compounding the problems. some forms are also highly toxic to fish.7
GE crops have been grown commercially Organic farmers do not use GE products
since 1996, largely in North America. Since because they do not consider genetic
that time, there have been a number of engineering fits with natural production
episodes of contamination of non-GE crops. systems. Because canola pollen can travel
Farmers have already suffered economic many kilometres (insect pollination has been
loss, consumers’ health has been threatened recorded at over 20 kms8), organic farmers in
and the integrity of non-GE farming put at Canada have been forced to stop growing
stake. Contamination has even arisen from canola. Some are taking legal action against
small-scale experimental growing and in one the biotech companies involved to get GE
case, Pioneer were fined $72,000 for not crops removed from the market and for
informing the authorities promptly of GE compensation.9
contamination from a GE field trial in Hawaii1,
underlining the difficulties of containing GE USA
contamination. This briefing reviews these
Starlink – how GE animal feed entered
incidents of contamination and their impacts.
Whilst the growing of GE crops is relatively
the human food chain
In 2000, a variety of GE maize known as
limited, there is an urgent need to prevent
StarLink was discovered in taco shells being
further contamination occurring.
sold for human consumption even though it
was not approved for this use and should
Canada only have been used for animal feed10,11. The
Canola contamination – driving out StarLink maize, produced by Aventis (now
organic farmers, pushing up pesticide Bayer), is genetically engineered to contain a
use gene from the bacterium Bacillus
GE canola, or oilseed rape as it is also thuringiensis coding for an insecticidal Bt
known, has been grown commercially in toxin known as Cry9C. This particular type of
Canada since 1996. Cross-pollination Bt toxin is not found in other GE insect
between GE canola crops has led to resistant crops and there are concerns that it
herbicide tolerant ‘super-weeds’ emerging. could be a human allergen because (unlike
These volunteer oilseed rape weeds (where the Cry1A and Cry3A Bt toxins used in other
seed shed from a crop grown in a field in the GE crops) it is heat stable and does not
previous season, germinates and is a weed break down in gastric acid in the human
in the following crop), that are tolerant to digestive system– characteristics shared by
three herbicides (Liberty, Roundup and many allergens12. Because Cry9C is not

2. Briefing
Genetic Engineering Briefing Pack
October 2004
found in Bt preparations used directly as an Hawaii – GE papaya spreads
insecticide, there is no experience with its unmonitored
use and safety. GE papaya, engineered to be resistant to a
viral disease, has been grown widely in
The contamination appeared to have been Hawaii since 1998.16 In 2004, it has been
caused by a lack of post-harvest segregation discovered that GE papaya trees have
between StarLink and other maize varieties contaminated both organic and conventional
and cross contamination of other non-GE non-GE papaya on a wide scale17. Local
maize varieties because farmers were not farmers fear that their markets will now be
aware or, or did not observe, separation lost18 as they may be in Thailand as a result
distances. As a result of the discovery, Kraft, of contamination (see below). Fifty percent of
Safeway and Western Family rapidly recalled Big Island papaya seed samples showed GE
their StarLink contaminated taco shells, an contamination including those taken from
action which is estimated to have cost them organic farms and people’s gardens.
millions of dollars. Aventis was forced to
remove StarLink from sale and a formal recall Researchers send GE tomato seeds
order was issued by the US Department of around the world ‘by mistake’
Agriculture for all 350,000 acres of StarLink Scientists from the University of California
corn planted across the US in 2000. Although have admitted that they mistakenly sent GE
the FDA has purchased over $13million of tomato seeds to researchers around the
Starlink seed since then, the Cry9C gene world for seven years without realising.19
sequences were still being detected in seed Twelve U.S. institutions, 14 foreign research
in 2003 possibly because contaminated seed facilities and two demonstration gardens
has been used in hybrid seed production13. received mislabelled GE tomato seeds.
Prodigene – how you could find drugs Latin America
in your cornflakes Mexican maize – contaminating native
Many companies and scientists are
varieties
promoting the use of GE crops as drug
A paper published in Nature in 2001 reported
factories. However, contamination of a food
GE contamination in native landraces of
crop with a drug producing GE variety is one
maize even though no GE maize should have
obvious problem that has already arisen,
been grown there commercially20. It seems
even though this is still at the experimental
that farmers may have kept and sown maize
stage. In a contamination incident which did
imported for food. The findings of the study
not involve cross-pollination, on November
came under considerable attack
12th 2002 in the USA, the Department of
(orchestrated, it seems, by the biotechnology
Agriculture (USDA) announced that it had
industry) but the finding of contamination has
quarantined over $2.7 million worth of
since been confirmed. Sampling in 2003 of
soybeans (500,000 bushels) destined for
maize from the nine regions of Mexico,
human consumption at a Nebraska grain
revealed contamination of native varieties
elevator after finding stalks of ProdiGene's
was widespread and occurred in 24% of all
GE maize mixed with the soybeans14. They
communities sampled.21 What is especially
later ordered their destruction. The field
disturbing is that maize originated in
where the soybeans were grown had been
Mesoamerica, so it is a centre of diversity,
used previously by ProdiGene to grow GE
and GE maize was not authorised to be
maize which contained genes to produce an
grown there.
experimental vaccine against a pig disease,
transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV).
Brazil – illegal growing opens the
The US Food and Drug Administration has
fined Prodigene £2 million15.
market for later
Until recently, GE crops were not allowed in
Brazil, but for years Monsanto’s GE soya was

3. Briefing
Genetic Engineering Briefing Pack
October 2004
smuggled into the country and grown illegally Japan – GE canola on the loose
creating severe problems for farmers and In 2004, it was revealed that GE canola was
exporters wanting to supply the growing found growing wild in many locations close to
export market of non-GE soybean products. the ports where it was imported into Japan
The illegal growing also forced the and the seed spilt during movement. The
Government to allow the planting of farm- contamination appears to be spreading and
saved GE soya for one year under certain establishing.27
restrictions.22 Monsanto – the developer of
the GE soya – did not assume any liability or Illegal GE cotton paves the way for
responsibility for its own product, but commercial introduction
benefited from the illegal cultivation through Mirroring the experiences in Brazil, illegal
increased sales of its pesticide, Roundup, growing of GE cotton preceded its official
which was used on the illegal GE soya fields, approval in India. In 2001, some 10,000
and improved prospects for official approval. hectares of GE cotton were grown illegally in
India from GE cotton seed sold by the
Europe Navbharat seed company.28 It is thought the
Experimental GE trials contaminated seed was produced by crossing US varieties
Two sites in the UK used by agrochemical of GE cotton. In 2002, some GE cotton
company Aventis (now Bayer) to test GE varieties were given official approval for
crops were found to include a second, planting in some states of India. Illegal
unauthorised GE sugar beet line resistant to growing of unapproved varieties and also in
two commonly-used herbicides. 23 It is other states of India continues29
thought the contaminated seed was the result
of cross-pollination in the fields of the Contaminated seed supplies
German breeder KWS who supplied the GE Across the world, there has been a worrying
seeds. Instead of producing a beet resistant incidence of low level GE contamination of
to the weed-killer Liberty, it produced a line non-GE seed supplies. Contamination at this
resistant to both Liberty and Roundup, stage, because of cross-pollination during
another widely-used herbicide. Further tests seed production or mixing at seed producers,
showed that seeds sown on dozens of test is damaging because seed forms the very
sites in Germany, France and the base of the food production chain and leaves
Netherlands were also similarly non-GE impossible to achieve.
contaminated.24
• In Canada, Monsanto had to replace its
canola variety ‘Quest‘ in spring 2001.
Asia Tests had shown that the herbicide
Thailand – experimental GE papaya resistant variety Quest GT 73 was
contaminates commercial farms contaminated with the alternative genetic
Confirming Greenpeace’s earlier revelations, event GT 200 which is not approved in
the Thai government has reported that at any of Canada’s major export markets,
least nine farms have been discovered to be including the U.S. and Japan.30 The
growing GE contaminated papaya trees.25 Quest canola variety accounted for about
The Thai government is taking action to 10 to 12 per cent of the canola growing
destroy the contaminated trees which can area in Canada in 2000.31
only have arisen from GE papaya trees being • In August 2002, Pacific Seeds of Australia
grown experimentally at the Government (an Advanta company) reported that it
station breeding the trees, because GE had found GE contamination in maize
papaya is not grown commercially in seed imported into, and grown, in New
Thailand. Exports of papaya to Europe have Zealand for seed production.32 The
been hit because of fears that contamination contamination was detected at harvesting
could have spread.26 of the maize and was destroyed.

4. Briefing
Genetic Engineering Briefing Pack
October 2004
• Pioneer Hi-Bred, worried about For farmers trying to farm sustainably without
contamination of conventional maize the use of GE crops, contamination poses a
seed, has moved most of its European threat to their environmentally beneficial
maize seed production from North forms of agriculture and their ability to supply
America to Romania, Hungary and a non-GE market. The prospect of food
Austria33. supplies being contaminated by GE crops
• In 2000, Advanta Seeds imported oilseed used for drug production raises obvious
rape seed into the UK which was found to questions of public safety. And the economic
be contaminated with around 1% of GE,34 costs of mistakes can be large as the Starlink
and this was sown on approximately episode has shown:
4,700 hectares and the crops had to be • Aventis paid at least $100 million to buy
destroyed and farmers compensated.35 back the 2000 crop.41
The seed was found to have been • The United States Department of
contaminated by GE rape grown over 4 Agriculture spent $20 million to buy seeds
kilometres away36. from small companies whose seed stock
• In 2002, Aventis (now Bayer), revealed was contaminated.42
that oilseed rape seed used at 12 sites in • Kraft lost an estimated $10 million in lost
the UK’s farm scale trials with GE crops, sales from its taco shells alone.43 Taco
was contaminated with an unapproved Bell franchises were awarded $60 million
GE variety. 37 by all the taco shell manufacturers: Kraft,
• In the USA, the Union of Concerned Azteca Foods and Mission Foods.44
Scientists reported widespread GE • Aventis, Garst and four food companies
contamination at levels of up to 1% in (Kraft, Kellogg, Azteca Foods and Mission
non-GE maize, oilseed rape and soybean Foods) settled a class action consumer
seed.38 lawsuit for $9 million to customers who
said they suffered allergic reactions.45
• In July 2001, the French Government’s
• Aventis and Garst settled a class action
Food Inspection Agency (AFSSA -
lawsuit by farmers seeking compensation
Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire
for lost markets. The lawsuit sought
des Aliments) reported that GE
damages as well as a requirement for
contamination of corn, soya and canola
Aventis to decontaminate all soil, farming
seed had occurred. Once source of this
equipment, etc. to prevent further
seed contamination was GE field trials.39
contamination. The firms will pay $110
million; farmers are likely to receive only
US$1 per acre.46
Counting the costs of
contamination In addition, GE contamination threatens
people’s wish to have choice about whether
GE contamination matters for a whole range
to eat or use GE food and crops.
of reasons - environmental, health and
Greenpeace believes that no more GE crops
economic. Even apparently low levels of
or other organisms should be released into
contamination are significant on a
the environment if serious and irreversible
commercial scale. In an average 10 hectare
GE contamination is to be avoided. As these
oilseed rape field, at a 0.3% seed
examples have shown, neither companies,
contamination level, 30,000 plants in the field
scientists nor regulators can be trusted to
could be GE. English Nature believe that for
establish and follow rules to prevent genetic
GE herbicide-tolerant crops, this would pose
contamination and the very nature of GE
an environmental problem because additional
organisms will mean that no system can be
weed control measures would be needed
foolproof.
with consequent harm to farmland wildlife.40

5. Briefing
Genetic Engineering Briefing Pack
October 2004
References GMO Contamination and Threats to Local Agriculture from
1 the University of Hawaii’s GMO Papaya.
Emily Gersema. April 23, 2003. Pioneer pays fine in 18
New 'gene flow' problems concern crop producers The
biotech corn mix-up; USDA begins new Investigation. The Associated Press, September 23, 2004.
Associated Press; Justin Gillis. April 24, 2003. Firm Fined http://pressroom.geaction.org/news/item.tcl?news_item_id=1
for Spread Of Altered Corn Genes; Government Wasn't Told 01548
Soon Enough. The Washington Post: E04; Elizabeth Weise. 19
UC Davis mistakenly ships biotech tomatoes to scientists.
April 24, 2003. Biotech traces found in regular corn. USA Associated Press, December 18th 2003
Today: 11. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-
2
Downey, R.K. (1999) Gene flow and rape – the Canadian bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2003/12/18/financial1708E
experience. 1999 BCPC Symposium Proceedings No. 72: ST0140.DTL&type=science
Gene flow and agriculture: relevance for transgenic crops. 20
Quist, D, & Chapela, I.H. (2001) Transgenic DNA
British Crop Protection Council: Farnham introgressed into traditional maize landraces in Oaxaca,
3
Hall, L., Topinka, K., Huffman, J., Davis, L. & Good, A. Mexico. Nature 414: 541-543; CEC (Commission for
(2000) Pollen flow between herbicide-resistant Brassica Environmental Cooperation of the North American Free
napus is the cause of multiple-resistant B.napus volunteers. Trade Agreement) 2004. Maize and biodiversity: the effects
Weed Science 48: 688-694. of transgenic maize in Mexico.
4
Beckie, H.J., Hall, L.M. & Warwick, S.I. (2001) Impact of http://www.cec.org/maize/index.cfm?varlan=english. In
herbicide-resistant crops as weeds in Canada. Proceedings press.
Brighton Crop Protection Council – Weeds pp 135-142. 21
Boletín de prensa colectivo de comunidades indígenas y
5
Outcrossing Between Canola Varieties - A Volunteer campesinas de Oaxaca, Puebla, Chihuahua, Veracruz,
Canola Control Issue. CECCAM, CENAMI, Grupo ETC, CASIFOP, UNOSJO,
http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/crops/canola/outcrossing.html AJAGI
6
2,4-D Pesticide Fact Sheet. Prepared for the U.S. México, 9 Octubre 2003 Contaminación transgénica del
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service by Information maíz en México: mucho más grave.
Ventures, Inc. http://infoventures.com/e- http://www.etcgroup.org/documents/boletinmaize.pdf
hlth/pestcide/24d.html 22
Vice President of the Republic of Brazil (2003) Executive
7
EXTOXNET (1996) Extension Toxicology Network, Order No. 4,846 & Provisional Measure 131. Unoffical
Pesticide Information Profiles 2,4, D translation provided by: USDA Foreign Agriculture Service
http://extoxnet.orst.edu/pips/24-D.htm. (2003) Brazil approves biotech soybeans. GAIN Report
8
Ramsay, G., Thompson, C. & Squire, G. (2003) #BR3613
Quantifying landscape-scale gene flow in oilseed rape. 23
DETR News Release 2000/0638: 10 October 2000. GM
DEFRA Final Report RG0216 crops - Aventis sugar beet
http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/research/epg- http://www.press.dtlr.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2000
rg0216.htm _0638
9
Organic Agriculture Protection Fund, press release, 24
Financial Times (October 9, 2000) Modified beet seed
December 20, 2002. Organic farmers apply for class dropped after trial mistake.
certification in lawsuit against GMO giants. Losses due to 25
Government Admission: GM papaya confirmed in NE. The
introduction of GM canola estimated to be in excess of $14 Nation, September 14, 2004; GM papayas found on 8 more
million http://www.saskorganic.com/oapf/pdf/press-rel- farms. The Nation (Thailand), September 21, 2004. Available
20dec02.pdf on: http://www.agbios.com.
10
Biotech Critics Cite Unapproved Corn in Taco Shells. 26
Europeans shun Thai papaya. The Nation (Thailand),
Washington Post, September 18th 2000 September 2, 2004.
11
www.gefoodalert.org http://www.safetybio.com/news/Inter/2547/September/02092
12
National Research Council (2000) Genetically Modified 004-4.htm
Pest-Protected Plants. Science and Regulation. National 27
Bio Journal - August 2004, Trend: Serious GM canola
Academy Press: Washington DC. pollution in Kashima port, Ibaraki Prefecture,
13
Mellon, M & Rissler, J (2004) Gone to Seed, transgenic http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~cbic/english/2004/journal0408.
contaminants in the traditional seed supply, Union of html
Concerned Scientists: Washington DC. 28
Jayaraman, K.S. (2001) Illicit GM cotton sparks corporate
http://www.ucsusa.org/food_and_environment/biotechnology fury. Nature 413: 555.
/page.cfm?pageID=1315 29
Bhattacharya S. (2003) Modified crops ‘have big benefits
14
See USDA press release for Third World’, New Scientists 15. Feb 2003
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/press/2002/11/prodigene.html Jayaraman,K.S. (2002) Poor crop management plaques Bt
15
Alarm as GM pig vaccine taints US crops. The Guardian, cotton experiment in India, NatureBiotechnology, Vol 20,
24th December 2002. 1069.
16
Gonsalves, D. et al (2004). Transgenic virus resistant 30
Monsanto (April 25, 2001) Quest Canola Seed
papaya: From Hope to Reality for Controlling of Papaya Replacement Offered. Press release
ringspot virus in Hawaii. Online. APSnet feature July 2004, 31
Reuters (April 25, 2001) Monsanto replacing GMO canola
American Phytopathological Society.
seed in Canada
http://www.apsnet.org/online/feature/ringspot/ 32
17
Hawaii GEAN and GMO-Free Kauai, press release Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, New Zealand.
September 9, 2004: New Research Reveals Widespread Testing Imported Seeds For the Presence of GM Seeds.

6. Briefing
Genetic Engineering Briefing Pack
October 2004
Investigation into GM maize grown in Pukekohe and
Gisborne, August-September 2002
http://www.maf.govt.nz/biosecurity/imports/plants/papers/gm
-seeds/
33
Nuttall, N. 2000. Firms move to avoid risk of
contamination. The Times (UK). May 29. www.the-
times.co.uk/news/pages/tim/2000/05/29/timnwsnws01017.ht
ml
34
House of Commons Agriculture Committee inquiry into
genetically modified organisms and seed segregation:
memorandum by the MAFF and the DETR. 10th July 2000.
35
Rogue GM seeds taint UK crop. The Guardian (UK)18th
May 2000.
36
Written submission from Advanta Seeds UK to the UK
House of Commons Agriculture Select Committee, 10th July
2000.
37
BBC News 16 August, 2002, Urgent tests on GM crop
seeds. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/uk/2195762.stm
38
Union of Concerned Scientists (2004) Gone to seed.
Transgenic contaminants in the traditional seed supply. UCS:
Cambridge, MA. www.ucsusa.org/documents/seedreport_full
report.pdf.
39
AFSSA - Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des
Aliments. July 23, 2001. de l’Agence française de sécurité
sanitaire des aliments relatif à l'évaluation, en termes de
santé publique, de la signification d’un signal positif à 0,2%
par une sonde 35S et du risque éventuel lié à la présence de
semences de maïs OGM non identifiés, au regard notamment
des taux de présence observés et de la fréquence des cas.
40
See BBC News online. 13 October, 2002. 'GM seed spread'
warning;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2321443.stm; and
submissions by English Nature dated April 2001 (MAFF
consultation on adventitious presence of GM seeds in seed of
conventional varieties) and August 2002 (DEFRA
consultation on Commission proposals on thresholds for the
adventitious presence of approved GMOs in seeds).
41
Reuters Nov. 16th , 2000. US exports hurt by StarLink bio-
corn chaos.
http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/cornsalesdown.cfm
42
Schuff, S. 2001. Major seed companies say they have
StarLink isolated. 12 March. Feedstuffs.
43
Madigan, K. 2003. Risky business. Los Angeles, CA: State
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,+CA:+State+Public+Interest+Research+Groups,+As+You+
Sow+Foundation&hl=en&lr=lang_en
44
International Franchise Association. Taco Bell Franchisees
Receive Financial Assistance From Taco Shell Suppliers. 8
June.2001 http://bizjournals.bison.com/press/pr6-
8tacobell.html
45
U.S. Judge Approves $9 Mln StarLink Settlement – 8th
March 2002 Reuters
http://www.fass.org/fasstrack/news_item.asp?news_id=208
46
Elias, P.. Biotech firms pay $110 million to settle StarLink
lawsuit, 7th 2003 February, Associated Press.
http://ipm.osu.edu/trans/023_071.htm