Golden Rice

Golden rice is a genetically modified, biofortified crop. Biofortification

increases the nutritional value in crops. Golden rice is genetically modified in
order to produce beta carotene, which is not normally produced in rice. Beta
carotene is convereted into Vitamin A when metabolized by the human body.
We need Vitamin A for healthier skin, immune systems, and vision.

The Golden Rice Project was first introduced in 1999, when two professors Ingo
Potrykus and Peter Beyer, proposed their project to Rockefeller Foundation to
genetically engineer rice to increase its nutrients. Rockefeller Foundation
supported their goal to provide a sustainable biofortification approach to
combat vitamin A deficiencies in developing countries. Vitamin A deficiency
(VAD) is prevalent in developing countries whose diets are dependent on rice
or other micronutrient-poor carbohydrate foods, which do not contain vitamin
A. The World Health Organization estimates that about 250 million preschool
children are affected by VAD and about 2.7 million children die because of the
deficiency. VAD can have numerous negative health effects such as dryness of
the eye that can lead to blindness if untreated; reduced immune system
response, and an increase in the severity and mortality risk of infections. VAD
is one of the main causes of preventable blindness of young children from
developing countries.

The Golden Rice Project began as a proposed solution for VAD; however,
despite the establishment of a Humanitarian Board and abiding by national
and international regulations governing GMOs, opposition to the project has
blocked the roll-out of the Golden Rice Project in developing countries.
 White Rice

White rice is the name given to milled rice that has had its husk, bran, and
germ removed. This alters the flavour, texture and appearance of the rice and
helps prevent spoilage and extend its storage life. After milling, the rice is
polished, resulting in a seed with a bright, white, shiny appearance. The milling
and polishing processes both remove important nutrients. A diet based on
unenriched white rice leaves people vulnerable to the neurological disease
beriberi, due to a deficiency of thiamine. White rice is often enriched with
some of the nutrients stripped from it during its processing. Enrichment of
white rice with B1, B3, and iron is required by law in the United States,
although these nutrients are only a small portion of what has been removed. At
various times, starting in the 19th century, brown rice and wild rice have been
advocated as healthier alternatives. The bran in brown rice contains significant
dietary fiber and the germ contains many vitamins and minerals. As with all
natural foods, the precise nutritional composition of rice varies slightly
depending on the variety, soil conditions, environmental conditions and types
of fertilizers.
 BT- Corn

The Bt corn brings "positive impacts to growers, including organic producers,"

according to the study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"Bt corn suppresses pests regionally, with declines expanding beyond the planted Bt
crops into other non-Bt crop fields," the study says. "We show that widespread Bt field
corn adoption is strongly associated with marked decreases in the number of
recommended insecticidal applications, insecticides applied, and damage to vegetable
crops in the United States."
• Transgenetic refers to genetically modified organism, or GMOs, which have been
given genetic traits to protect them from pests, give them tolerance to pesticides or
improve their quality.
• Bt corn is a type of GMO. The list of GMO field crops include Bt corn, Roundup Ready
soybeans and Roundup Ready corn.
• Bacillus thuringiensis is a naturally occurring soil bacterium that produces proteins
toxic to insects. It's widely used commercially to control insects important to
agriculture.
According to information from the University of Maryland, Bt corn, which now
accounts for more than 90 percent of corn grown nationwide, was first introduced and
adopted in the United States in 1996. The study evaluates data from the 20 years before
1996 and and the 20 years after it.
"Safety of Bt corn and other GMOs has been tested and proven extensively, but this
study is about effectiveness of Bt corn as a pest management strategy, particularly for
offsite crops or different crops in different areas than the Bt corn itself," Dilip
Venugopal, a University of Maryland scientist involved in the study, said in published
comments.
"These benefits have never before been documented and showcase Bt corn as a
powerful tool to combat pesticide resistance and advance the agricultural industry,"
he said.
Venugopal cautioned, however, that Bt corn should be treated "as one of many tools in
an integrated pest management tool box."
Galen Dively, another University of Maryland scientist involved in the project, said the
study "ultimately shows the importance of evaluating GMO crops beyond the field that
is being planted."
Non-Gmo Corn

The difference between conventional and non-GMO

corn is simply a higher level of trait-free purity. This
is achieved by seed production practices, farmer
production practices and marketing strategy. Similar
to conventional corn, non-GMO corn seed does not
contain any intentionally added GM material. When
the term non-GMO is used, typically the farmer is
growing un-traited corn with the intent to market the
crop for a premium. There are often additional
segregation and handling steps that must be taken to
meet contract specifications to get a premium on
non-GMO corn. They may also include seed testing
and grain testing. Some contracts require a farmer to
have grain with a 98 percent or better purity from GM
events. The details in various contracts can be quite
different; always review your contract closely to
understand the purity that must be delivered to meet
contract requirements.