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The Oakville Beaver, W ednesd ay S ep tem ber 25, 2002 - A 3 Scientist says genetically modified foods are environment friendly By Liz Campbell SPECIA L TO THE BEAVER Genetically modified foods are environment friendly, according to Dr. Doug Powell, current direc tor of the five-year Agri-Food Risk Management and Communication project at the University of Guelph. Speaking at last week's Halton/Peel Canadian Club, Powell pointed out that genetical ly engineered foods are helping to reduce the negative impact farm ing can have on the environment. "Farmers are good stewards of the land. They want to maxi mize benefits and minimize risks and produce food with the least environmental impact," he said. "Genetic engineering increases yield and means farmers use sig nificantly less chemicals." As an example Powell explained that nearly 20 years ago, the loss of topsoil in the Canadian Prairies was reaching critical proportions. But using new techniques to inject seed into the ground along with using seed that was herbi cide resistant farmers no longer plow up the soil. This prevents precious topsoil from blowing away. It's also meant, he said, that farmers in the prairies saved 32 million litres of diesel fuel. Genetic engineering allows plants to be naturally resistant to destructive insects and reduces spraying by as much as 90 per "Genetic engineering increases yield and means farmers use significantly less chemicals." · Dr. Doug Powell, director o f the Agri-Food Risk Management and Communication project at the University o f Guelph cent. And he added, not spraying a com field means we aren't killing off good insects like Monarch but terflies. And currently, there are labs working on genetically engi neered foods like peanuts, from which the allergens have been removed. Genetically modified (GM) foods have many consumers apprehensive, mainly because they are little understood. Powell pointed out that the majority of crops and animals today are the result of cross-breeding. However, in the 1980s new genet ic engineering techniques such as gene splicing made it possible to cut and place a gene in a precise location on a DNA molecule. In Canada today, he said there are still very few genetically engi neered foods on the market. About 70 per cent of canola, 50 per cent of soy and 50 per cent of field com are GM crops, said Powell. Most of these, he said, are fur ther processed for oil and other products, and these end up in many different processed foods. At the University of Guelph, Powell leads a research team with the goal of promoting food safety by mixing scientific knowledge with public perception. Through the university, he has worked to create the Food Safety Network which `provides research, commentary, policy evaluation and public information on food safety issues from farm to fork'. "We live in a wonderful coun try with an abundance of food," he said, but about seven million Canadians (nearly one in four) become ill each year as a result of food and water problems. Walkerton was a high profile example of this but he says there's a background of illness that affects everyone. "There's no such thing as the 24 hour flu," he said. "Most of those are food related." And the most vulnerable are young children under age ten whose immune systems haven't matured enough, and people over 50 whose systems are starting to be less efficient. Powell offers consumers two web sites: www.eatwelleatsafe.ca and www.foodsafetynetwork.ca. In addition, a new toll-free call centre (1-866-50-FSNET) will be launched in October where ques tions will be answered by bilin gual agriculture, food and health professionals. S e n io rs ' D a y H a p p e n in g th is Thursday, S e p te m b e r 2 6 t] Shoppers Optim um Members" sa ve 2 0 % Carousel of Nations switches to one site For the first time since its inception in 1999, the Carousel of Nations will be held under one roof. In past years, the annual celebration of Oakville's cultural diversity was held in different pavilions throughout town. But this year's event takes place on Saturday, Oct. 19, in one location -- St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Secondary School. Advance tickets cost $8 each. Children under the age of 12 can attend for free. Carousel of Nations is a collaborative effort of a number of local organizations, including the Halton Multicultural Council, Halton Regional Police Service, United Way of Oakville, and various non profit cultural groups in the region. For more information, call June Ip at United Way of Oakville, 905-845-5571. 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