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Jewish
Perspectives on Food and Agriculture
Coalition
on the Environment and Jewish Life’s Environmental
Policy Platform, March 2005
Agriculture
COEJL supports comprehensive testing
of all genetically engineered products for their
capacity both to disrupt ecosystems and to cause
illness. COEJL supports policies which promote
sustainable agricultural practices — including soil
conservation, minimized use of pesticides and
fertilizers, and maintenance of the genetic diversity
of food crops (JCPA [Jewish Council for Public
Affairs] Agenda for Public Affairs 2000-2001).
In addition, governments should protect agricultural
lands and public health through programs to safeguard
groundwater, regulate chemical and animal waste
runoff from farms and livestock facilities, and
promote organic agricultural practices (JCPA Agenda
for 1999-2000).
Jewish Council for Public Affairs Agenda for
2000-2001
New Technologies: Genetic Engineering
The JCPA supports comprehensive testing of all
genetically engineered products for their capacity
both to disrupt ecosystems and to cause illness,
as well as policies which promote sustainable
agricultural practices — including soil conservation,
minimized use of pesticides and fertilizers, and
maintenance of the genetic diversity of food crops.
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The debate over
the safety of genetically engineered crops is
escalating rapidly. Already over 50% of some major
crops — such as cotton, soybeans, and corn —
grown in the U.S.
are from genetically engineered seeds. Biotechnology
advocates claim that genetic engineering can improve
substantially the quality and increase the quantity
of food grown around the world. It is widely acknowledged
that the FDA and USDA do not require comprehensive
testing of these new technologies for either their
potential health effects or for their potential
to cause disruption in ecosystems. There are also
concerns among some religious groups that genes
from prohibited animal species might be inserted
into vegetable crops without consumers' knowledge.
Currently, there are no labeling requirements for genetically engineered foods. There was such
vigorous protest in Europe
and Asia to the development
of "terminator technology" -- seeds
that produce sterile plants -- that
Monsanto Corporation, the lead developer, has
agreed to abandon all plans to market this technology.
Trade of genetically engineered foods is causing
strains in the relationship between Europe
and the U.S.
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