Jackline Galvan

April 16th 2019

Food Security and GMOs
The Netherlands

Food Security has really affected us after World War II since “baby boom” happened.
The netherlands had to find some way of working around it since it is said that because our world
population has risen by 20% our food supply would be difficult to everyone in the future. GMOs
had really started in 1994 when a specific company had an un-efficient production on tomatoes.
Since then, many cash crops have been used to grow with GMOs. It's become a normality up
until many speculations started to happen with the public if GMOs were safe. If GMOs were not
safe the Netherlands or any country as a matter of fact that has been coexisting with GMOs
wouldn't be using if it wasn't already tested. So far there has not been any evidence that the
GMOs have been causing any harm to the people's health. The Netherlands may not be suffering
with Food Security but it is one of Europe's large seed exports and should have a matter on the
say that we should have less GMO regulation since it has helped out others.

The Netherlands has currently not been in agreement with the EU (European Union)
since the Netherlands feels strongly that these new GMO techniques could be a key to many
solutions in the future. They feel as if the EU is still allowing GMOs to be used then NPBTs
shouldn't as anywhere near the same regulation and strict laws that GMOs have. This way is so
that the netherlands could expand their knowledge on developing even better NPBTs ( Newly
Plant Breeding Techniques) [since the word ‘GMO’ is seen as a denotation]. If we were to go the
more the natural route (without GMOs) we would have less success of crops that can survive
through climate change that could very much threaten agriculture around the world. It can be
very risky and much trouble to the world's ongoing development challenge that is food security.
GMOs is not an only way to help food security but plays a big step in it. The Netherlands has
been taking this topic to the European Court of justice to rule on this. The Netherlands does not
see the the wait that the court is doing since inevitably GMOs or NPBTs are going to be needed
in the future if our population is increasing the way it is now. If the NPBTs are seen to be
regulated like any other GMO the EU will make others deal with the vast amounts of money will
be used on these and only ginormous companies with good economy growth will be able to
afford these costs, and this will lead to their further development in agriculture through a very
steep hill.

The Netherlands proposes that a solution to this topic would be for them to be allowed a
trial run of these NBPTs. So far there is very little evidence on both GMOs and NPBTs to be
harmful. It can be an ongoing experiment to see if these NBPTs could really help us and make
others trust on this new technique of GMOs. Having a trial could maybe expand our knowledge
and open more on the country's research .to not only the EU but other countries with food
security issues. When having everyone on the same page they could all see it from the
[perspective of having a better future for generations to come, instead of just having this back
thought that GMOs or NPBTs are “dangerous”. This is why the Netherlands would want to
continue this progress of more GMOs or as they call it NBPTs.
Work Cited

NO Author, cbc 2012

https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/publication/2012/17/baby-boomers-in-the-netherlands
Joseph Gakpo, Cornell Alliance For Science 2018
https://allianceforscience.cornell.edu/blog/2018/10/netherlands-eu-ruling-new-breeding-techniqu
es-harm-seed-exports/
NO Author, GMWATCH 2017
https://www.gmwatch.org/en/news/latest-news/17841-dutch-propose-exempting-new-gm-techni
ques-from-gmo-law
Frank Viviano, National Geographic 2017
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/09/holland-agriculture-sustainable-farming/
The Law Library of Congress
https://www.loc.gov/law/help/restrictions-on-gmos/netherlands.php
Lisa Cornish, 2018
https://www.devex.com/news/are-gmos-the-key-to-global-food-security-91862
Sarantis Michalopoulos, Genetic Library Project 2017
https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2017/09/13/netherlands-wants-crispr-gene-edited-crops-exemp
t-europes-gmo-laws/
Battelle Staff, Inside Battelle 2015
https://inside.battelle.org/blog-details/five-good-reasons-to-support-gmos
Government
https://www.government.nl/topics/development-cooperation/the-development-policy-of-the-neth
erlands/food-security
Best Food Facts 2018
https://www.bestfoodfacts.org/gmo-human-health/
Gabriel Rangel, Harvard University 2015
http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2015/from-corgis-to-corn-a-brief-look-at-the-long-history-of-gm
o-technology/
Admin, 2013
https://learn.uvm.edu/foodsystemsblog/2013/01/23/what-are-genetically-modified-organisms-gm
os/
Richard Williams, Mercatus Center 2015
https://www.mercatus.org/expert_commentary/gmo-labels-wont-make-foods-safer-only-more-ex
pensive
Thank you honorable Chair, The country of Netherlands feels that the issue of GMOs is
important to speak about because it deals with food security that is an ongoing challenge in this
world. Also how economically everyone could improve. As well as to strengthen us together by
beating against the climate change with GMOs

This body should understand that due to the problem of baby boomers and poverty our food
security has been really low. About 20% our our world population has increased and we weren't
prepared for it. As more research came in, in 1994 that's when GMOs has started to really be
used by many countries and has had success.

The government of Netherlands has dealt with the issue of GMOs by going under European
Judicial Court to rule if NPBTs should be treated the same as GMOs. This country has always
seen the topics that has been issued through the EU that could benefit the majority. Netherlands
have been with the UN since 1945. It has experienced many difficult time periods. As well as
help keep the peace with other countries. It's been part of the EU since 1952 and was the first to
be given genetically modified crop rights.

The country of Netherlands encourages the committee to discuss this topic more to evaluate
how we can help out more in the future with the genetically modified crops and to expand our
growth in them as we can avoid further issues like food security. As well as to see the high
points on how GMOs could help not only agriculturally but economically as well.