How the US Government is Planning to Approve Contamination of the World’s Food Supply with Experimental GM Crops

The document criticizes a 2002 White House directive that allows "intermittent, low levels" of experimental GM genes in the food supply. It contends that the USDA, FDA, and EPA are implementing policies that lack mandatory safety testing, clear contamination limits, or rigorous oversight. The author highlights the risks of allergenicity, toxicity, and pharmaceutical contamination, noting that US exports and food aid spread these contaminants globally. The briefing calls for a return to a "zero tolerance" policy to protect human health and prevent the environmental amplification of GM traits.

• A 2002 White House directive from the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) seeks to make "intermittent, low levels of biotechnology-derived genes and gene products" in conventional crops or seeds "acceptable," provided they meet regulatory standards.
• The USDA's implementation of the directive lacks a defined maximum level of permissible contamination, and the agency has no plans to develop or require tests to measure the level and frequency of experimental GM contamination.
• The FDA's draft guidance from November 19, 2004, relies on voluntary consultation rather than mandatory requirements and fails to specify how tests for allergens or toxins should be conducted.
• The EPA may use "temporary tolerances" to allow GM contamination in food only for the duration it takes for the product to pass through the distribution chain, which the author describes as a legalistic tool to avoid liability.
• Experimental GM crops pose various health risks, including the production of anti-fungal proteins regarded as a "rich source of allergens," toxins like barnase that is toxic to rats, and pharmaceutical compounds such as aprotinin which can cause pancreatic disease in animals.
• Corporate secrecy is increasing in GM field trials; the percentage of permits containing genes listed as "confidential business information" (CBI) rose from 0% in 1987 to 69% in 2002.
• US-originated GM contamination has affected multiple regions, including food aid shipments to Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua, and Guatemala, as well as exports to Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2004). How the US Government is Planning to Approve Contamination of the World’s Food Supply with Experimental GM Crops. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/contamination.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. How the US Government is Planning to Approve Contamination of the World’s Food Supply with Experimental GM Crops. 2004. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/contamination.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=How the US Government is Planning to Approve Contamination of the World’s Food Supply with Experimental GM Crops |date=November 2004 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/contamination.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2004how, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{How the US Government is Planning to Approve Contamination of the World’s Food Supply with Experimental GM Crops}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2004}, month = nov, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/contamination.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }