New technologies have a great influence on our daily lives and plant biotechnology is no exception. After all, plants provide us with the food we need to survive. However, plant biotechnology is a controversial area where both the basic research and its application to our daily lives is viewed with suspicion by members of the public. Legitimate concerns have been raised. The content of the film addresses the role genetic modification and plant biotechnology plays and is likely to play in our society.

The unique approach to present the content is through a question and answer format. Is GM food safe to eat? What about the impact on our environment? Do we need it? Is all the truth told about GM crops? What about our right to choose? Can GM crops help the third world?

What about the future? The viewpoints represent different perspectives on the issues without resorting to exploit public emotions. The story in the film "GM food and you" is a journey through the maze of complexities surrounding genetic modification. The goal of the film is to make the issues understandable and to empower the public. In short, the movie illuminates the issues behind the scenes. The questions raised are applicable to most new technologies. The film is targeted towards the general public and educational institutions.

More information can be found in the summary (Word document) of the book "Genes on the Menu" by Paul Pechan and Gert de Vries (see below).

The term "genetic modification" regularly makes headlines in the news. Supporters and opponents as well tell us that it could change our lives more than any other technological advance. This book delivers the state-of-the-art facts in order to empower the public to make knowledge-based decisions about plant biotechnology and GM crops and GM food, in particular. It will function as a personal reference book for the interested public, for decision maker, and managers of consumer organisations. Hardcover with free CD-ROM, 240 pp, 35 illustr., 6 in colour ISBN 3540201785 (Springer).

South Africa - Clip on the Impact of Plant Biotech : South African farmers grow more than 1.2 million acres (500,000 hectares) of genetically modified (GM) corn, soybeans and cotton. Plantings of biotechnology in Africa have significantly increased each year. Farmers have increased their incomes by US$56 million and reduced pesticide applications by 330,000 pounds (150,000 kg) between commercial-scale introduction in 1997 and 2004. Small resource-poor farmers from the Makhatini Flats region of KwaZulu Natal — many with less than 2.5 acres (1 hectare) of land — have been able to rapidly adopt GM cotton and enjoy the same benefits of genetic engineering of food and crops as farmers in developed countries.

New Genes for Old : Slideshow, textual genetics video, useful to understand the basics.

Genetic Engineering in California Agriculture: Take a look at the science behind genetic engineering and see how it is used in food crops and animals. Learn where and why this technology is used and look at the science-based concerns about the use of genetic engineering in agricultural production systems. Series: "University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources "

Genetic Engineering in Agriculture: Super Plants for the 21st Century: During the 20th century, the yield of crop plants has increased dramatically thanks to new technologies and cultivation practices. Genetic engineering- the most powerful of these new technologies- has produced crops that are resistant to insects, viruses, and other pathogens. Within the next decade, scientists will have identified all of the genes necessary program the entire life cycle of crop plants and will understand their functions. We will soon be able to manipulate crops to grow under limiting conditions and to produce an abundance of food to feed an exponentially growing world population.

Plant Genetics and the Environment: What if plants could grow with less water, in poor soil, using less fertilizer or toxic chemical pesticides to produce food for a hungry ... all » world? Or what if plants could remove toxic substances from the environment? UCSD plant biologist Julian Schroeder takes you on an exploration of how genetic modification of plants may be able to achieve these goals and address environmental challenges that are in our future.