Part 4 of the Biotech Reading

Here are my notes on the final section of the Biotech reading:

Pages 215 – 222
Consumer rights: putting labels on all food that indicates it is genetical modified
If there is nothing wrong with biotech food, then companies should have no problem labeling them
These labeling rules set a new standard in international law, where the rule arose out of consumer curiosity
labels inevitably produce fears that biotech foods aren't safe
labels: won't satisfy the goal of completely separating organic and biotech growing
regulations like that could cost the gov't around $4 billion
such regulations could lead to legal nightmares, and significantly raise the prices of processed foods
Any strict regulations on labeling could interfere with the workings of the WTO, and put a serious strain on a free international trade system
labels are “unjustly stigmatizing and costly and offer no consumer health or safety benefits”
regulations based on societal values can never be harmonized internationally
activist campaign against biotech → what they really don't like is free markets and globalization
Genes are resources, just like copper for example → beneficial genes are being wasted if we don't use processes like biotechnology
the REAL issue is inequity in food distribution
biotech companies will catch on in developing countries, and will help produce more food