Passed: Stopping Suicide Seeds [Complete] [Complete]

Cove

Cove

TNPer
GENERAL ASSEMBLY PROPOSAL
ID: christian_democrats_1368248297

Stopping Suicide Seeds
A resolution to increase the quality of the world's environment, at the expense of industry.


Category: Environmental

Industry Affected: All Businesses

Proposed by: Christian Democrats

Description: The General Assembly,

Seeking to protect subsistence farmers and small farmers from multinational corporations (MNCs) that seek to maximize their profits at the expense of these individuals, thereby depriving them of their livelihoods and their ability to ensure dignified existences for themselves and their families,

Recognizing that MNCs, through genetic engineering, have developed technologies that try to make independent farmers dependent on the companies in order to maximize profit and to gain monopoly control over the agricultural industry,

Concerned by the possibility of widespread monopolization in the agricultural industry,

Identifying genetic use restriction technology (GURT) as a genetic modification technique that could be used by MNCs as a means to achieving the aforementioned ends,

Noting that this biotechnology produces what are known as terminator seeds or suicide seeds, which are seeds intentionally modified by the MNCs so that the seeds of their progeny are virtually useless and oftentimes unable to grow,

Realizing that the intent of this technology is to make seed saving obsolete and to make it necessary for farmers to buy seeds from the MNCs year after year,

Fearing that terminator genes inadvertently could escape into the general population of food crops, thereby resulting in decreased biodiversity, increased dependence on corporations, and increased world hunger due to the large number of intentionally sterilized seeds,

Aiming, therefore, to restrict GURT in order to protect small farmers from exploitation by biotechnology companies and to prevent genetic contamination of other crops or plants,

1. Defines the following terms for use in this resolution:

Variety genetic use restriction technology (V-GURT): a genetic modification technique that renders the seeds of a plant sterile;

Trait genetic use restriction technology (T-GURT): a genetic modification technique that leads to plants whose seeds are fertile; but those seeds must be treated with a special chemical (or chemicals), usually one that is produced only by a certain company, so that they will grow properly or so that the plants grown from them fully will express their genetic traits;

2. Requires that all member states ban or strictly regulate V-GURT and T-GURT;

3. Mandates that all companies, corporations, and other such entities that are engaged in GURT and in commerce within the jurisdiction of this Assembly disclose to the World Assembly Food and Drug Regulatory Agency (WAFDRA) all information regarding their activities related to GURT;

4. Bans government funding for any for-profit entity that is engaged in GURT or research of it subject to the provisions of this resolution and other active resolutions enacted by this Assembly;

5. Prohibits the transport across a national border, without preapproval from WAFDRA, of any plant or seed that has been modified using GURT subject to the provisions of this resolution and other active resolutions enacted by this Assembly; and

6. Calls upon member states, in their foreign policies (especially their trade policies) and in their laws regulating the biotechnology industry, to discourage V-GURT and T-GURT in other member states and in nonmember states.
Click to expand...

Please vote 'For', 'Against', 'Abstain' or 'Present'.
 
Having previously voted aye in TSP, I vote aye in TNP and encourage others to do so. Whilst I admit this is a bit vague this is close to the 3,500 character limit so that's not really an option.

Suicide seeds serve one purpose only; to cause and profit from starvation. As part of normal farming you can 'reuse' seeds but with this kind of modification you cannot, forcing farmers to buy new seeds each year. This makes farmers dependent on those selling the seeds; once you sow one set of suicide seeds, you're locked in. Companies have started adding these genes to their products as standard practice, especially in modified seeds which can be used to improve yields. There is literally no productive point to these kinds of seeds, short of forcing farmers to pay more to companies more often.

This is particularly destructive in the third world; there have been cases of these seeds (with all the positive genes making them give better yields and be less effected by trait) being practically given away to farmers by companies, so as to make an area dependent on them; after a couple of years everyone is using the suicide seeds, and then the price starts rising and oh there's no one has stocks of normal seeds left in the area.
 
This resolution is currently up for vote in the WA.

Please post your views and stance on this resolution below. Note, however, that you must have a WA nation in The North Pacific, or on active NPA duty, or be a RA member in order for the Delegate to count your vote.

1-1-0-0. Delegate is abstaining.
 
To quote Krulltopia, who exactly echoes my opinion on this proposal:

"I'd just like to point out that the interpretation of the science behind this is complete bullshit. Terminator genes are exclusively for experimental purposes, and are designed to prevent the escape of gm plant genes into the wild. The wording in this proposal is pure hyperbole and fear mongering."
 
Stopping Suicide Seeds was passed 9,956 votes to 4,312.



Voting on this resolution has ended.

Thanks to those nations who cast their votes. Your participation is a great help to the region.

This topic has been locked and sent to the Archives for safekeeping. If you would like this topic to be re-opened for further discussion, please contact the WA Delegate, a Global Moderator, or an Administrator for assistance. Thank you.
 
Voting on this resolution has ended.

Thanks to those nations who cast their votes. Your participation is a great help to the region.

This topic has been locked and sent to the Archives for safekeeping. If you would like this topic to be re-opened for further discussion, please contact the WA Delegate, a Global Moderator, or an Administrator for assistance. Thank you.
 
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