Letters

Genetically engineered ice cream and other foods

Dear Ms Thompson,

I was delighted to see your comments on GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) in the September 22 Gleaner, and to also note the article on GMOs and farmed salmon in the Food Section on Sept 23.

As a member of the Jamaica Organic Agriculture Movement (JOAM), I am particularly pleased to see the question of GMOs raised with the public in a critical manner. Most articles simply talk about the great increase in crops which will result from their use.

Many of these studies have proven faulty regarding the level of outputs and pest control. What has not been emphasised is that large companies such as Monsanto are, through this technology, controlling the planet's seeds. Farmers have to use not only the seeds but the chemicals fertilisers and pesticides that are required to go along with them.

They have to buy new seed each year as the companies construct the seeds so that there is no second generation. Further, drift of these GMO seeds is contaminating neighbouring farms and to add insult to injury, the seed companies then sue the farmers for breach of copyright!

The problem of spread of GMOs is exacerbated in our region because we do not require labelling on food products which would give us this information. Many of our farmers are probably using GMO seeds without knowing.

One of the key principles of organic farming is the principle of health. Organic certification requires that there be no GMO seeds used and no drift of the product from neighbouring fields. I am attaching more information on GMOs and, should you wish to pursue the issue further, many of us in JOAM will be delighted to assist you.

- Dorienne Rowan-Campbell

Rowans Royale Farm

( international organic Certification from CERES)

Good Day Ms Thompson,

I just read your article titled 'Genetically engineered ice cream and other foods' in the September 22 Gleaner. I was glad to see the issue front and centre in the Health section, because this is an issue that I am very passionate about and I do not think that most Jamaicans pay enough attention to what we eat and the ingredients in them or the processes that our food go through during the production stages.

I myself, steer far away from most processed foods, and I am very weary of soy, corn, cotton, and canola unless their labels state implicitly that they are non-gmo.

I came across an interesting video recently and I am happy to share it with you. Please share it with others if you have also found any merit in its contents: http://vimeo.com/6575475

Best Regards,

- Venessa Blair

Send questions and comments to our health specialists at Your Health, c/o The Gleaner, 7 North Street, Kingston; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com. Unless otherwise indicated, letters and the specialists' responses are usually published.