Examining Genetically Engineered Crops from Many Angles

“GMO” stands for “genetically modified organism.” However, it is a somewhat ambiguous term since most farmed and domesticated plants and animals have been genetically modified for hundreds of years. In these papers, we use the term “genetically engineered” (GE) to describe organisms that have been altered by means of genetic engineering.

To help inform policy discussions and public discussion about genetically engineered (GE) agricultural products, Dan Arp, Dean of OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences, commissioned a series of white papers to explore five areas of public interest:

• Defining GE organisms in agriculture (pdf)
• How human values affect views on GE crops (pdf)
• Food safety and regulations for GE organisms in agriculture (pdf)
• Assessing the net social benefit of GE organisms in agriculture (pdf)
• Implications of gene flow and natural selection for GE crops (pdf)

Ag Sciences faculty drafted these papers as a service to the public for the purpose of providing information from several scientific perspectives. You can find these papers at http://agbiotech.oregonstate.edu