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Re: [SANET-MG] letter to editor (papaya contamination)



Replying to Hector's valuable comments. The  Dean wrote "Under USDA
regulations, fruit from non-GM papaya that
has been cross-pollinated by GM pollen can be sold as organic if the
grower can document that, except for
the cross-pollination, the crop was grown according to organic standards
and that every effort was made to
avoid cross-pollination." I would have thought the organic standards
board would agree that  organic farmers should not loose certification
due to genetic pollution from GM farms, but it seems unwise to market
the polluted crop as "organic" and I doubt that the standards board
intended that.
Some have expressed  concern that the patent holders will come after
them even though  the pollution of their crops was imposed by those who
distributed the GM sees to growers. I think that may be a possibility
and only the patent owners (corporate, university and  USDA)  know what
their intentions are. There seems to be a principle that "polluted must
pay" in the world of  GM crops.
Thanksagain for the comments, sincerely Joe Cummins

Hector Valenzuela wrote:

HI Joe:

RE: papaya contamination in HI

In your letter you indicate that:

"Instead USDA has made a peculiar regulation that the polluted papaya
fruit can be marketed as organic produce because the meat of the fruit
is not polluted , only the seed of the fruit is polluted."

Has the USDA actually ruled on this issue? I understood that the
college was relying on the ruling that "accidental" contamination is
allowed if the farmer was unaware of it. Isn't this ruling up to the
Organic Fed Standards Regulation Board?

On a separate note in the Dean's Editorial the Dean failed to indicate
that contamination can occur not only via pollen, but also by GM seed
being transported in one way or another (humans, machinery, animals)
from a GM to an organic field, or by getting mixed in the non-GM seed
supply (as this has already occurred). Once this 'volunteer' grows the
farmer or home-gardener may be unknowingly planting GM trees for
several generations or indifinitely.

Thx for writing this letter to the editor.

S,

Hector Valenzuela
Univ. Hawaii- Manoa

PD Papaya seed extracts are also used to clean the face(eg Lancome Eau
de Bienfait Clarte face cleanser), and even as face moisturisers for
men :) (Clarins Men Moisture Balm)




----- Original Message -----
From: jcummins <jcummins@UWO.CA>
Date: Wednesday, October 20, 2004 4:09 am
Subject: [SANET-MG] letter to editor



October 20, 2004

Prof. Joe Cummins

Professor Emeritus of Genetics

738 Wilkins Street

London,Ontario N6C4Z9

Canada

Telephone 519 681 5477

The Editor

Honolulu Advertiser

letters@honoluluadvertiser.com


<mailto:letters@honoluluadvertiser.com>


Dear Editor,

I am replying to the letter of Prof. Andrew Hashimoto, Dean of
CTAHR “How UH Helped Save Hawaii's Papayas” From the Honolulu
Advertiser, Sunday October 17th. In particular the comment “Under
USDA regulations, fruit from non-GM papaya that has been cross-
pollinated by GM pollen can be sold as

organic if the grower can document that, except for

the cross-pollination, the crop was grown according to

organic standards and that every effort was made to

avoid cross-pollination”.

Professor Hashimoto did not indicate that the University of Hawaii or
the patent holders of genetically modified papaya (Cornell


University,


Seminis Vegetable Seeds, Inc. and United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) along with a number of individuals from those
organizations) had made any effort to arrange compensation for


growers


of conventional or organic papaya who had been deprived of income


from


pollution by GM-pollen from the GM crops. Instead USDA has made a
peculiar regulation that the polluted papaya fruit can be marketed as
organic produce because the meat of the fruit is not polluted ,
only the
seed of the fruit is polluted. However, the reported USDA judgment
ignores the known fact that papaya seed is edible and consumed by


many


along with the meat of the fruit. USDA should, I believe, avoided an
obvious conflict of interest and turned to opinion of potential
importers of “organic” papaya.

Patents on GM papaya include the following US patents
5,877,403;6,002,072;6,046,384;6,750,382 ;6,005,166;pp12,481;pp


12,480.


These patents are public information.

Prof. Hashimoto has suggested that the GM papaya are free of adverse
health effects. My article “Allergenic GM Papaya Scandal” in
science in
society 2003, 18, 32 reviewed a peer reviewed science article
indicatingthat the GM papaya included a protein implicated as an
allergen. That
report should, ( according to United states EPA regulation) have
triggered an extensive experimental study on allergen properties
of the
GM papaya. However, no such study seems to have been done.

In conclusion, as a patentee of GM papaya USDA should not be making
regulations that designate GM papaya to be “organic”. A proper
regulatory organization should be formed to appropriately regulate GM
crops and field testing in Hawaii. USDA should participate in a
programto compensate those suffering financial loss from GM


pollution.


Sincerely, Prpf. Joe Cummins



letter to editor

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