|
 What
stake does the state of Iowa have in developing industries based
in biotechnology? How will biotechnology really affect the state
and its citizens? Who will benefit? Who will it harm? These are
the types of questions politicians and policymakers are struggling
with right now. Their answers will affect you.
Biotechnology,
and especially (GE), has the power to affect every aspect of our
lives. The medicines we take, the food we eat, the water we drink,
even the clothes we wear, can all be changed through genetic engineering.
GE allows scientists to take the building blocks of life, genes,
and recombine them in almost limitless ways. The results can be
amazing.
GE is already
helping researchers find treatments for diseases like .
Genetic engineering can create foods packed with extra nutrients.
Genetic engineering can make a cow produce medicinal milk. It even
provides the power to
(copy) entire organisms.
Promoters of
biotechnology point out the awesome possibilities and, of course,
the incredible economic potential. From the state's perspective,
biotech-based industries may mean big bucks with more jobs and a
stronger economy.
Along with
all the potential though, come serious concerns that cannot be overlooked.
What if a genetically engineered crop damages the environment it
grows in? What if foods from these crops trigger allergies? What
if a bacteria engineered to clean up oil spills also harms the wildlife
that come into contact with it? If the state is ready to reap the
benefits, will it also be ready for the responsibility if things
go wrong?
When the leaders
of Iowa are determining the state's stake in biotechnology, they
must use facts to carefully weigh both the potentials and
the risks.
|
Cloning
Ban
 Therapeutic
cloning may be banned by Congress. Why should you care? More
Stem Cells
 Research
into genetic diseases may be more difficult if only a limited line
of stem cells are available to science. Who will suffer the most?
More
IPTV Market
to Market Links
EU
Supports GM foods
With officials working to isolate every potential bioterroism threat,
there persists the question: how safe is a food system where one
government agency is responsible for cheese pizza and another for
pepperoni?
|
