[DRAFT] Repeal "On Genetically Modified Foods"

[Wrapper]

The World Assembly:

RECOGNIZING that food safety, as addressed in GAR #64, Food and Drug Standards, is paramount to the well-being of all creatures;

APPLAUDING the efforts of all nations to keep the food supply safe;

AWARE that, in order to feed the world, new and emerging methodologies of sustaining the food supply are necessary;

COGNIZANT that the production of genetically modified foods continues to increase as a viable method of improving crop yields while making foods resistant to pathogens, pests and herbicides;

NOTING that ill-advised governments are capitulating to the fear-mongering rhetoric of the uneducated, and outlawing foods just because they are labeled as genetically modified foods, even when they are safe to consume;

CONVINCED that genetically modified foods are virtually indistinguishable from conventional foods;

ALSO CONVINCED that food safety is adequately covered in GAR #64, Food and Drug Standards, which "DEMANDS that all food and drug products produced in member states must undergo safety and quality screening before being released to the consumer market";

ALSO ALSO CONVINCED that if any genetically modified food was proven unsafe to consume, it would fail this standard and would not be made available for public consumption;

THUS UNCONVINCED that genetically modified foods deserve any special labeling requirements above and beyond what is already required under national and international laws;

HEREBY repeals GAR #158, On Genetically Modified Foods.

The World Assembly:

RECOGNIZING that food safety is paramount to the well-being of all creatures;

APPLAUDING the efforts of all nations to keep the food supply safe;

AWARE that, in order to feed the world, new and emerging methodologies of sustaining the food supply are necessary;

COGNIZANT that the production of genetically modified foods continues to increase as a viable method of improving crop yields while making foods resistant to pathogens, pests and herbicides;

NOTING that ill-advised governments are capitulating to the fear-mongering rhetoric of the uneducated, and outlawing foods just because they are labeled as genetically modified foods, even when they are safe to consume;

CONVINCED that genetically modified foods are virtually indistinguishable from conventional crops;

ALSO CONVINCED that food safety is adequately covered in GAR #64, Food and Drug Standards, which "DEMANDS that all food and drug products produced in member states must undergo safety and quality screening before being released to the consumer market";

ALSO ALSO CONVINCED that if any genetically modified food was proven unsafe to consume, it would fail this standard and would not be made available for public consumption;

THUS UNCONVINCED that genetically modified foods deserve any special labeling requirements above and beyond what is already required under national and international laws;

HEREBY repeals GAR #158, On Genetically Modified Foods.

The World Assembly:

RECOGNIZING that food safety is paramount to the well-being of all creatures;

APPLAUDING the efforts of all nations to keep the food supply safe;

AWARE that, in order to feed the world, new and emerging methodologies of sustaining the food supply are necessary;

COGNIZANT that the production of genetically modified foods continues to increase as a viable method of improving crop yields while making foods resistant to pathogens, pests and herbicides;

NOTING that across all nations populations continue to grow as organisms show no ill effects due to the consumption of genetically modified foods;

CONVINCED that genetically modified foods are virtually indistinguishable from conventional crops;

ALSO CONVINCED that food safety is adequately covered in GAR #64, Food and Drug Standards, which "DEMANDS that all food and drug products produced in member states must undergo safety and quality screening before being released to the consumer market";

FURTHER CONVINCED that if any genetically modified food was proven unsafe to consume, it would fail this standard and would not be made available for public consumption;

THUS UNCONVINCED that genetically modified foods deserve any special labeling requirements above and beyond what is already required under national and international laws;

HEREBY repeals GAR #158, On Genetically Modified Foods.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION # 158

On Genetically Modified Foods

A resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce.

Category: Free Trade

Strength: Mild

Proposed by: Mahaj wa seat

Description: The World Assembly,

RECOGNIZING the existence and development of genetically modified foods,

AWARE that nations have different opinions on Genetically Modified Foods,

DEFINES Genetically Modified Foods as food or food products that have the genome of the organism directly manipulated through the process of genetic engineering via the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest,

DECLARES that all genetically modified foods crossing international borders be clearly labeled as being genetically modified,

CONVINCED that through proper labelling of genetically modified foods, less confusion will occur about the GM status of different foods, enabling trade to be quicker and more efficient,

DECLARES that this resolution applies to foods both genetically modified and foods genetically engineered,

CREATES the GM Foods Database as a gathering of genetically modified foods related information,

ENCOURAGES nations to contribute to this database,

STRONGLY URGES nations to abstain from imposing additional restrictions than in this Act on the import or export of genetically modified foods over natural food.

[Wrapper]

We the Puddle Jumping Wads of Wrapper are hungry. Very hungry. And we're tired of all this silly labeling on every single piece of food produced in our nation and on all of our planetary colonies and outposts (the irradiated soil and the confines of space make it impossible to produce conventional crops). We not-so-humbly submit this repeal for your digestion and comments.

[Mundiferrum]

I completely support this, but I suggest adding to your arguments how removing the labeling process won't actually hurt trade (a la WAR158), and how genetic modification as defined by the original resolution isn't a substantial reference (though I'm not sure this point is entirely necessary (or even somewhat correct, considering my so far only light background in the world of genetic engineering)).

A bit tangentially though, I sort of agree with WAR158 when it comes to its stance on maintaining an international database, if only because the newfound genetic diversity born from genetic engineering needs to be carefully documented for future researches and whatever. But perhaps, once it's been repealed, someone would make a thing for that.

EDIT: And perhaps make the language on how GMOs aren't bad for you a bit stronger, considering the flak this will probably get.

[Lexicor]

OOC: Humans have been genetically modifiying crops since antiquity. The major concern comes from granting monopolies on seeds, which is covered extensively in "Ban on Suicide Seeds"

[Defwa]

So is the only real problem with GAR 158 food labels?
Defweans, for the most part, support the use of GM foods but we welcome any kind of activity that increases consumer awareness.

We do not currently see GAR 158 doing anything objectionable.

[Wrapper]

So is the only real problem with GAR 158 food labels?
Defweans, for the most part, support the use of GM foods but we welcome any kind of activity that increases consumer awareness.

We do not currently see GAR 158 doing anything objectionable.

Such labeling practices place an unnecessary stigma on our exported foods. That is our objection.

[Defwa]

So is the only real problem with GAR 158 food labels?
Defweans, for the most part, support the use of GM foods but we welcome any kind of activity that increases consumer awareness.

We do not currently see GAR 158 doing anything objectionable.

Such labeling practices place an unnecessary stigma on our exported foods. That is our objection.

That's something that can be decided by the consumers.
In Defwa we believe these sort of things should be transparent. Provide consumers all the available information and if they fail to make an informed decision with it, we cannot be held accountable. However when you assume from the beginning that the consumer cannot handle the information or when you consider a product so terrifying that you have to hide its origins, I think you have other problems.

[Wrapper]

That's something that can be decided by the consumers.
In Defwa we believe these sort of things should be transparent. Provide consumers all the available information and if they fail to make an informed decision with it, we cannot be held accountable. However when you assume from the beginning that the consumer cannot handle the information or when you consider a product so terrifying that you have to hide its origins, I think you have other problems.

OOC: Yeah, this is going to be an uphill battle.

[Defwa]

That's something that can be decided by the consumers.
In Defwa we believe these sort of things should be transparent. Provide consumers all the available information and if they fail to make an informed decision with it, we cannot be held accountable. However when you assume from the beginning that the consumer cannot handle the information or when you consider a product so terrifying that you have to hide its origins, I think you have other problems.

OOC: Yeah, this is going to be an uphill battle.

OOC: Don't get me wrong- I'm in full support of genetically engineering everything. So is Defwa. Tomatoes with extra Vitamin A and Easy Tear Pre Perforated Oranges are selling points as far as I'm concerned. But for people who care, they should be able to tell at a glance if something is genetically modified, what kind of pesticides were used on it, what country it was made in, or if it was manufactured by prisoners.

[Separatist Peoples]

Such labeling practices place an unnecessary stigma on our exported foods. That is our objection.

That's something that can be decided by the consumers.
In Defwa we believe these sort of things should be transparent. Provide consumers all the available information and if they fail to make an informed decision with it, we cannot be held accountable. However when you assume from the beginning that the consumer cannot handle the information or when you consider a product so terrifying that you have to hide its origins, I think you have other problems.

"Nothing would stop the Defwaen government from maintaining that transparency, just prevent other nations from suffering through unnecessary restrictions. Some computer monitors have the minute but present risk of injuring a user during catastrophic failure, but that doesn't mean every monitor needs a WA-approved warning label. Genetic modification debate entirely aside, this has my tentative support."

[Defwa]

That's something that can be decided by the consumers.
In Defwa we believe these sort of things should be transparent. Provide consumers all the available information and if they fail to make an informed decision with it, we cannot be held accountable. However when you assume from the beginning that the consumer cannot handle the information or when you consider a product so terrifying that you have to hide its origins, I think you have other problems.

"Nothing would stop the Defwaen government from maintaining that transparency, just prevent other nations from suffering through unnecessary restrictions. Some computer monitors have the minute but present risk of injuring a user during catastrophic failure, but that doesn't mean every monitor needs a WA-approved warning label. Genetic modification debate entirely aside, this has my tentative support."

We do believe everyone should have the same privilege. I don't see how it is a restriction to anyone.

That information should be in the instruction book somewhere but it's not what I said anyway. Its a brief notification about the circumstances the thing is made under- I am not expecting everyone to include a full listing of every possible thing that could happen to their products.

[Separatist Peoples]

We do believe everyone should have the same privilege. I don't see how it is a restriction to anyone.

That information should be in the instruction book somewhere but it's not what I said anyway. Its a brief notification about the circumstances the thing is made under- I am not expecting everyone to include a full listing of every possible thing that could happen to their products.

"Forcing nations to onerously label products to satisfy the curiosity of a few individuals is ridiculous. If they want to know the status of a product, they can do the research on their own time."

[Defwa]

We do believe everyone should have the same privilege. I don't see how it is a restriction to anyone.

That information should be in the instruction book somewhere but it's not what I said anyway. Its a brief notification about the circumstances the thing is made under- I am not expecting everyone to include a full listing of every possible thing that could happen to their products.

"Forcing nations to onerously label products to satisfy the curiosity of a few individuals is ridiculous. If they want to know the status of a product, they can do the research on their own time."

I think you're vastly exaggerating the work required to label a product.
Its an odd thing to take so personally.

I take it the CDSP does not require nutritional labels?

[Hakio]

"We believe that it is the consumer's right to know whether or not they're eating perfectly safe GMOs or if they're eating stupid overpriced organic foods. Repealing this to make a point seems frivolous at best and posturing at worst. People have a right to be paranoid about nothing to the point where the market may have to accommodate for their ill-advised uninformed paranoia."

~Sia Hedishi

[Separatist Peoples]

"Forcing nations to onerously label products to satisfy the curiosity of a few individuals is ridiculous. If they want to know the status of a product, they can do the research on their own time."

I think you're vastly exaggerating the work required to label a product.
Its an odd thing to take so personally.

I take it the CDSP does not require nutritional labels?

"Nope. Just ingredients. Its not the effort of labeling. Its the effort of enacting such laws and enforcing both the labels and their veracity, as well as the loss in profits in genetically modified products through negative stigma. The onus of such research lies with the individual. Its fairly ridiculous to require it at an international level.

"And I'm sorry if this is an issue so close to your heart that you extend that to others, ambassador. I thought you knew me better then that."

[Hakio]

"And I'm sorry if this is an issue so close to your heart that you extend that to others, ambassador. I thought you knew me better then that."

"Actually, yes it is. I am a strong advocate for the rights of paranoid anticorporatist hippies, and after protesting perfectly safe nuclear energy powerplants, a lot of these unshaven smelly people complain to our government over accidentally eating something genetically modified to survive better. Now, you may say 'But you can just enforce it in your country, there's no reason to force it on others', well that's where your absolutely wrong. Because, if I don't support keeping this resolution like all the others here in support of the original document, we will have tons of hippies harassing our diplomatic officials to reinforce the resolution. Soon, they may even start more of their smelly people communes where they take up perfect farming territory to live in 'one with nature'. You must support the original resolution for fear of the hippie rebellion against our organization!"

Sia Hedishi snorts more cocaine.

"Good day sir!"


~Sia Hedishi

[Scow Creek]

As the Kingdom of the Scow Creek Islands Group already bans such products from our lands, we can not support this resolution. We maintain that we have a right to know what we are admitting to our lands, and what we are purchasing. The use of world-wide labeling is not only a protection against fraud, it is a standard approach towards transparency in market transactions, and prevents smaller nations from being at the mercy of larger trading entities who would prefer to operate as a law unto themselves.

[Separatist Peoples]

"Actually, yes it is. I am a strong advocate for the rights of paranoid anticorporatist hippies, and after protesting perfectly safe nuclear energy powerplants, a lot of these unshaven smelly people complain to our government over accidentally eating something genetically modified to survive better. Now, you may say 'But you can just enforce it in your country, there's no reason to force it on others', well that's where your absolutely wrong. Because, if I don't support keeping this resolution like all the others here in support of the original document, we will have tons of hippies harassing our diplomatic officials to reinforce the resolution. Soon, they may even start more of their smelly people communes where they take up perfect farming territory to live in 'one with nature'. You must support the original resolution for fear of the hippie rebellion against our organization!"

"What the hell...

Sia Hedishi snorts more cocaine.

"Oh. Ok. Cheers, then!"

[Wrapper]

As the Kingdom of the Scow Creek Islands Group already bans such products from our lands, we can not support this resolution. We maintain that we have a right to know what we are admitting to our lands, and what we are purchasing. The use of world-wide labeling is not only a protection against fraud, it is a standard approach towards transparency in market transactions, and prevents smaller nations from being at the mercy of larger trading entities who would prefer to operate as a law unto themselves.

Yeah, right, get back to us when your population hits a billion and you can't feed everyone anymore.

Food safety is already guaranteed by GAR #64, and any government that outlaws GMOs just because they are GMOs, even if they are safe to consume, is just foolishly giving in to the fear-mongering rhetoric of the uneducated. Good day, Ambassador.

[The Dark Star Republic]

NOTING that across all nations populations continue to grow

In The Dark Star Republic, we greatly revere the noted philosopher Liz Lemon. Allow me to quote her:
"I want you to pay close attention to the following over-the-top eye roll "
Moving words.

That line aside, we support the repeal.

[Wrapper]

NOTING that across all nations populations continue to grow

In The Dark Star Republic, we greatly revere the noted philosopher Liz Lemon. Allow me to quote her:
"I want you to pay close attention to the following over-the-top eye roll "
Moving words.

Is that "snark", Ambass -- er, Ink -- uh, Gru-- umm, Al -- who the fuck are you again?

IC: Noting that that NOTING line is weak (OOC: but not quite as weak as the start of this sentence), we are considering replacing it with something the Creekers have inspired: "NOTING that ill-advised governments are capitulating to the fear-mongering rhetoric of the uneducated, and outlawing foods just because they are labeled as genetically modified foods, even when they are safe to consume". Yes, this may piss off the anti-GMO lot, but they aren't voting for this anyway, so why cater to them?

[The Dark Star Republic]

In The Dark Star Republic, we greatly revere the noted philosopher Liz Lemon. Allow me to quote her:
"I want you to pay close attention to the following over-the-top eye roll :roll: "
Moving words.

Is that "snark", Ambass -- er, Ink -- uh, Gru-- umm, Al -- who the fuck are you again?

I find it impossible to maintain any kind of coherent in-character voice in the current state of the WA. :/ Even moderators conflate IC and OOC; it's totally untenable. Nonetheless, if it serves you, "Ambassador" works fine I guess.

IC: Noting that that NOTING line is weak (OOC: but not quite as weak as the start of this sentence), we are considering replacing it with something the Creekers have inspired: "NOTING that ill-advised governments are capitulating to the fear-mongering rhetoric of the uneducated, and outlawing foods just because they are labeled as genetically modified foods, even when they are safe to consume". Yes, this may piss off the anti-GMO lot, but they aren't voting for this anyway, so why cater to them?

Full support! There are so few sharply written repeals anymore.

[Scow Creek]

Yeah, right, get back to us when your population hits a billion and you can't feed everyone anymore.

Yeah, ask India how that's going. Patented, monopolized seed banks and the highest rate of farm failure and farmer suicide in the world. GMO is accompanied by Monsanto control of agriculture. Period.

[Separatist Peoples]

Yeah, right, get back to us when your population hits a billion and you can't feed everyone anymore.

Yeah, ask India how that's going. Patented, monopolized seed banks and the highest rate of farm failure and farmer suicide in the world. GMO is accompanied by Monsanto control of agriculture. Period.

"Whats an india? And who is Monsanto? Is he a gardener? If you are incapable of preventing this Monsanto fellow from affecting your agricultural sector and you don't like him, might I suggest that your government actually do it's job and stop him?"

OOC: nationstates =/= Real life. And declaring that all GMO use immediately precedes agricultural monopolies with no exceptions is an "All Xs are Y" statement, which is heartily frowned upon. Just a friendly heads-up.

[The Dark Star Republic]

Yeah, right, get back to us when your population hits a billion and you can't feed everyone anymore.

Yeah, ask India how that's going. Patented, monopolized seed banks and the highest rate of farm failure and farmer suicide in the world. GMO is accompanied by Monsanto control of agriculture. Period.

The original resolution doesn't provide any kind of regulation to address that, though: it only addresses one specific issue, of labelling food products; the database isn't even mandatory for participation. So even were the resolution repealed, those issues would remain unaddressed.

As it happens, the WA has separately restricted biological patenting, and legislated on seed availability and monopolistic practices in agriculture.