Based on what i think I know (and someone correct me if I’ve missed something),
GMO pollen carried by bees to your apple orchards will NOT generate GMO content
in your apples unless you actually test the apple seeds that form inside the
fruit. Unlike corn, wheat, and other grain crops where we eat the seeds,
apples seeds generally are not consumer. While cross-pollination is required
to make apples grow, the pollen carried to fruit in your orchards only affects
the seeds. The fruit grow from the base of the flower, and that tissue would
not be changed as a result of pollination with a GMO apple. If the DNA of the
fruit themselves changed depending on the pollen source, then we would end up
with a wild mixture of fruit sizes, shapes, colors, etc. on every tree every
year.
Thus, the question then might be whether testing for GMO apples will involve
testing of the fruit that people actually eat, or of the seeds within that
fruit despite the fact that seeds are discarded when apples are eaten? I
suppose some folks might be concerned about “contaminating” their compost heap
with apple seeds that might have a small percentage of GMO in the seed DNA. I
suspect that those would be the same folks who reported (in a SARE study many
years ago), that they felt better when wearing a sweater made from the wool of
organically raised sheep.
********************************************
Dave Rosenberger, Plant Pathologist,
Hudson Valley Lab, P.O. Box 727, Highland, NY 12528
Cell: 845-594-3060
http://blogs.cornell.edu/plantpathhvl/blog-2014/
********************************************
> On Mar 30, 2015, at 9:17 PM, Arthur Harvey <arthurhar...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> If my apple trees are close enough to a GMO orchard such that bees carry GMO
> pollen
> to my trees, that will contaminate my crop in two ways: 1) if my trees are
> certified organic,
> and testing reveals a GMO presence higher than a regulatory threshold (in
> Europe, .9 %),
> then my certification for that crop will be revoked. 2) if not organic, and
> I wish to export
> to Europe then the apples will be rejected if over .9% However, organic
> certification for
> my farm will not be affected so long as I take measures to prevent further
> contamination
> after a cooling=off period of 3 years. At present, I do not believe USDA has
> fixed the
> threshold for this type of contamination yet, but if Arctics are in the
> market, they will
> be obliged to.
> --------------------------------------------
> On Mon, 3/30/15, apple-crop-requ...@virtualorchard.net
> <apple-crop-requ...@virtualorchard.net> wrote:
>
> Subject: apple-crop Digest, Vol 51, Issue 24
> To: apple-crop@virtualorchard.net
> Date: Monday, March 30, 2015, 4:31 PM
>
> Send apple-crop mailing list
> submissions to
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>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
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>
> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. non-GMO non-browning apples (David
> Doud)
> 2. Re: Arctic Apples again - (Craig
> Tanner)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2015 12:41:42 -0400
> From: David Doud <david_d...@me.com>
> To: Apple-Crop <apple-crop@virtualorchard.net>
> Subject: [apple-crop] non-GMO non-browning apples
> Message-ID: <8e35364e-e8ba-43ce-b4d4-39feb897f...@me.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> If anyone has a need for an apple that doesn't brown, I'd be
> happy to send a stick or three of 'Sweet Emma', a chance
> seedling from grandfathers farm - white flesh that doesn't
> ever even hint of turning brown even while it dries to a
> crisp - a little flattened, red, 2.75", ripe early Oct, mild
> sweet crisp like a RD would dream of being - vigorous
> tree, early blooming, very scab susceptible, doesn't fill
> bins like Melrose or Mutsu, loses quality in six weeks
> (would probably respond well to 'Smart-Fresh') - I sell
> quite a few between Oct 5 and Thanksgiving -
>
> No charge - no obligation -
> David Doud
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2015 15:25:06 -0500
> From: "Craig Tanner" <cr...@tannersorchard.com>
> To: "'Apple-crop discussion list'" <apple-crop@virtualorchard.net>
> Subject: Re: [apple-crop] Arctic Apples again -
> Message-ID: <B9C45958024149E6BC95EB5CA7D78B52@CraigTannerPC>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> "GMO apples may contaminate nearby organic and conventional
> apple orchards
> and could potentially cause valuable export markets to
> reject U.S. apples as
> happened in past when wheat and rice crops were found to be
> contaminated by
> GMOs." A - See more at:
> http://www.foe.org/projects/food-and-technology/genetic-engineering/no-gmo-a
> pples#sthash.FRll2V3z.dpuf
>
> what? how? this statement makes my head spin
>
> Craig Tanner
> Tanners Orchard, Ltd.
> Speer, IL
> 309-493-5442
> 309-493-5741 fax
> 306-360-5610 cell
>
>
> _____
>
> From: apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net
> [mailto:apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net]
> On Behalf Of David Doud
> Sent: Monday, March 30, 2015 11:28 AM
> To: Apple-Crop
> Subject: [apple-crop] Arctic Apples again -
>
>
> Sorry to beat this, but I think it's in our interest to stay
> informed - if
> the powers that be want me to give it a rest, I will -
>
> I copy and paste an email that went out to subscribers to
> Well.org - it was
> forwarded to me - I am unfamiliar with this organization and
> a peek at their
> website doesn't impress and the website itself doesn't have
> any content
> about Arctic Apples -
>
> I've been made aware of at least one other organization
> promoting
> anti-Arctic Apple sentiment -
> http://www.foe.org/projects/food-and-technology/genetic-engineering/no-gmo-a
> pples
>
> I investigated the claim that "McDonald's and Gerber..." and
> it's not as
> presented - they have 'no plans' because there is no product
> available to
> buy, but they have not rejected and Gerber specifically
> admits and defends
> using GMO products -
>
> Looks like battle lines are being drawn and strategies
> arctic-ulated -
>
> David Doud
> peach leaf curl spray this week -
> 2012 on this date was apple full bloom - not at silver tip
> yet this year,
> but soon -
>
>
>
>
>
> You're hearing from us because you subscribed via
> <http://vitaloriginswellorgllc.cmail2.com/t/t-l-thbijk-illrihdyd-j/>
> Well.org. Last year, we released the Origins documentary for
> free to over
> 700,000 people across the world. If you want to
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> click
> here.
>
>
> Well.org
>
>
> On Friday the 13th, the USDA approved the unnecessary,
> unlabeled, and poorly
> tested GMO apple. It was an unlucky day indeed for the apple
> growers, food
> companies, and people like us who want to protect our
> families from GMO
> foods.
>
> But it's not all bad news. Thanks to pressure from thousands
> of people like
> you, McDonald's and Gerber -- two of the biggest purchasers
> of apples --
> have already confirmed that they have no plans to sell GMO
> apples. Their
> commitments will help keep this risky product off the
> market.
>
> Now, we need to get other fast food companies to join them.
> If we can get
> the top 10 fast food companies, including Burger King,
> Wendy's, Subway and
> Dunkin' Donuts, to commit to not sell the GMO apple, we may
> be able to
> prevent it from ending up on our plates!
>
> <http://vitaloriginswellorgllc.cmail2.com/t/t-l-thbijk-illrihdyd-t/>
> Tell
> these fast food restaurants to say NO to GMO apples!
>
> The apple in question - known as the "Arctic AppleR" -- was
> designed for
> purely cosmetic purposes. It was genetically engineered to
> not turn brown
> when cut. Of course, browning in apples can be prevented
> naturally by
> applying lemon juice or another source of vitamin C --
> making this risky
> apple completely unnecessary.
>
> What's more, without natural browning, apples may look fresh
> when they are
> actually decaying. In fact, scientists believe apples'
> natural browning
> enzyme may help fight diseases and pests.
>
> In other words, if farmers grow these new apples, they may
> have to increase
> their pesticide use. And since they won't be labeled, we
> won't even know if
> the apples we're buying are pesticide-doused GMOs!
>
> The evidence is clear: this experiment is all risk, no
> reward. Fast food
> restaurants have no excuse -- they must say NO to GMO
> apples!
>
> <http://vitaloriginswellorgllc.cmail2.com/t/t-l-thbijk-illrihdyd-i/>
> Tell
> fast food companies that their customers don't want GMO
> apples!
>
> Like other GMOs, this apple won't be labeled and didn't
> undergo independent
> safety testing -- the USDA relied on the company's own
> assessment that it is
> safe for human consumption. Worse yet, this GMO apple was
> genetically
> engineered via a new, virtually untested experimental
> technique called RNA
> interference -- which many scientists are concerned may have
> unintended
> negative impacts on human health and the environment.
>
> So who stands to benefit from the GMO apple? Not consumers.
> Definitely not
> apple growers, who have been opposing this apple all along.
> The only
> benefits will go to Okanagan Specialty Fruit -- the biotech
> company that
> produces the Arctic AppleR.
>
> Now that the USDA has approved the apple, it could end up in
> everything from
> school lunches to fast food, kids' meals and grocery produce
> aisles. The
> risks to our health, our environment and apple farmers
> across the U.S. could
> be enormous.
>
> Fast food restaurants are increasingly trying to provide
> healthier options
> and are among the biggest potential buyers of these GMO
> apples -- so if we
> can stop them from buying the Arctic AppleR, we can send a
> strong signal
> that there is no market for it.
>
> <http://vitaloriginswellorgllc.cmail2.com/t/t-l-thbijk-illrihdyd-d/>
> It's
> not too late to keep GMO apples off our plates -- tell fast
> food restaurants
> to say no to this rotten idea.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Pedram Shojai, OMD
>
>
> <http://vitaloriginswellorgllc.cmail2.com/t/t-l-thbijk-illrihdyd-h/>
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> End of apple-crop Digest, Vol 51, Issue 24
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