GMO Speaker Training

1. GMO Speaker Training With Jeffrey Smith

2. Welcome to the GMO Speaker Training Goals: To speak confidently, accurately, and with compelling facts about the risks of genetically modified foods, particularly in the area of human health, using short, medium and long formats, and to inspire the audience to take effective action. To speak in favor of labeling of GMOs

3. Volunteer Opportunities Speaker Local and Traveling General and specialized audiences Volunteer advocate Local or National Working Groups Member or Leader Team IRT volunteer Staff or Project basis

4. Questions?

5. Workshop concept A fully scripted PowerPoint is available to you online (3 versions) The workshop will provide; Depth Confidence Practice additional information strategies, and Q & A.

6. General Points for Speakers Homework and practice is recommended Find practice buddies This is not a certification. You will not be authorized to speak on behalf of the Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT) IRT provides a support community and referrals

7. 4 Topics Session 1 TODAY: Components of a presentation; how to structure a brief talk: Undermining the credibility of GMO proponents; Plus labeling Optional Session 2: Health risks of GMOs Session 3: Large scope of problem; action steps Session 4: How to facilitate an “activist circle” and mobilize your audience

8. Components of a GMO talk Identifying the key components Why they’re important What other information can be used How to give a short (2-3 minute presentation)

9. Exercise Write down the main points you believe are important in a short 2 minute talk on GMOs. (Just short notes) 90 seconds If you are with someone else, you can instead each give a 45 second presentation on GMOs

10. Minimalist Presentation FDA scientists warned that GMOs might create allergies, toxins, new diseases and nutritional problems. But the person in charge of policy at the FDA, Monsanto’s former attorney and later their VP, ignored the scientists and allowed GMOs onto the market without a single required safety study.

11. Minimalist Presentation 2. Now years later, the FDA scientists have been vindicated. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine says that animal studies show that GM food is linked to infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, organ damage, and gastrointestinal problems. They urge all doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets to everyone.

12. Minimalist Presentation 3. GMOs are genetically modified organisms, where genes are taken from one species, like bacteria or viruses, and forced into the DNA of other species, like soybeans and corn plants. Irrespective of what particular gene you insert, the very process of creating a GMO results in massive collateral damage in the plant, which can increase toxins, allergens, carcinogens, and anti-nutrients.

13. Minimalist Presentation Option to insert more health material, e.g. Furthermore, the only human feeding study shows that GM genes can remain inside us, in our intestinal bacteria and continue to function, long after we stop eating GMOs.

14. Minimalist Presentation 5. There are very few safety studies, mostly funded by the biotech companies and widely criticized as rigged to avoid finding problems. When independent studies do discover problems with GMOs, the scientists are typically silenced, threatened, and fired, and no follow-up studies are done. Thus, we don’t have enough data to say that a particular disease is caused by a particular GM food. But many experts believe that they GM foods are a significant contributor to many of the serious health problems that have been on the rise since GMOs were introduced in 1996.

15. Minimalist Presentation 6. Somehow, animals are clued into the problems. Eyewitness reports from around the world show that when given a choice, many species of livestock and wild animals avoid GMOs. For us humans, we need help. Go to www.NonGMOShoppingGuide.com to learn how to avoid the 8 GMO food crops and their derivatives.

16. Minimalist Presentation Since GMOs offer no consumer benefit, if even a small percentage of shoppers avoid GMO brands, we can create a tipping point of consumer rejection, to force them out of the market. This happened very quickly in Europe, and we believe it is going to happen soon here too. In fact, there is a campaign to achieve this in the near future. Go to www.HealthierEating.org to find out more.

17. Analyzing and Refining the Presentation What is your overall reaction to the presentation? What points were important to you? Convincing? Not convincing? Problematic? What questions did it raise? Are there any main points that are missing? Check your own lists.

18. 5 main components Undermine the credibility of those who promote GMOs Describe the risks (health risks) Cite third party support Convey the large scope of the problem Call to action

19. Undermine the credibility of those who promote GMOs Creates receptivity and handles the objection: “But if it’s so bad, why…” Tip: Try to bring out health risks with each example, so it does double duty Examples of undermining credibility: FDA corrupted Show quotes from FDA Independent scientists are thwarted/attacked Refer to first chapter of Seeds of Deception for Arpad Pusztai story Refer to Urban Garden magazine, November 2009: Carasco, Pusztai, Ermakova, Traavik, Seralini http://www.seedsofdeception.com/utility/showArticle/?objectID=4302 Industry research is rigged rbGH Soil protein Rigged control group Ignoring gender differences Short term studies Refer to Genetic Roulette part 3

20. Undermine the credibility of those who promote GMOs FDA scientists warned that GMOs might create allergies, toxins, new diseases and nutritional problems. But the person in charge of policy at the FDA, Monsanto’s former attorney and later their VP, ignored the scientists and allowed GMOs onto the market without a single required safety study.

21. Third party endorsements; The risks Gives us credibility, and the audience “permission” to reject GMOs AAEM (Doctors prescribe non-GMO diets) Read their statement http://www.aaemonline.org/gmopost.html Excellent quotes: Not a casual relationship lists specific disorders Read my write up of their position http://www.responsibletechnology.org/utility/showArticle/?objectID=2989

22. Third party endorsements; The risks 2. Now years later, the concerned FDA scientists have been vindicated. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine says that animal studies show that GM food is linked to infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, organ damage, and gastrointestinal problems. They urge all doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets to everyone.

23. Health Risks (Process itself) Process is unsafe, causing massive unpredictable side effects This answers the question about golden rice, etc. It also answers questions about GM oils, and other products without DNA or proteins E.g. The endocrine disruptor changed in GM corn is expected to remain in corn syrup (see pg 37 Genetic Roulette) Use Stomach Lining slide from Pusztai’s potato study (see PPT slides)

24. Health Risks, continued(adding “definition” and “process itelf”) 3. GMOs are genetically modified organisms, where genes are taken from one species, like bacteria or viruses, and forced into the DNA of other species, like soybeans and corn plants. Irrespective of what particular gene you insert, the very process of creating a GMO results in massive collateral damage in the plant, which can increase toxins, allergens, carcinogens, and anti-nutrients.

25. Health Risks continued Option to insert more health material, e.g. Furthermore, the only human feeding study shows that GM genes can remain inside us, in our intestinal bacteria and continue to function, long after we stop eating GMOs.

26. Large scope of problem Creates sense of urgency and leads to commitments for action Statistics on rising health issues in the US, e.g. multiple chronic illness, food allergy, autism, diabetes Industry plans to replace all food Self-propagating pollution is irreversible

27. Undermining Credibility; Large scope 5. The very few safety studies are mostly funded by the biotech companies themselves and widely criticized as rigged to avoid finding problems. When independent studies do discover problems with GMOs, the scientists are typically silenced, threatened, and fired, and no follow-up studies are done. Thus, we don’t have enough data to say that a particular disease is caused by a particular GM food. But many experts believe that they GM foods are a significant contributor to many of the serious health problems that have been on the rise since GMOs were introduced in 1996.

28. Third party endorsements Animals avoidance is VERY compelling Cows, pigs, geese, squirrels, elk, deer, raccoons, mice, rats, chickens, buffalo, dogs, and chickens Reference Seeds of Deception or page in Genetic Roulette

29. Action (avoid) Avoid See www.NonGMOShoppingGuide.com iPhone App, ShopNoGMO Pocket Guide Downloadable pages 4 tips Non-GMO Project verified New standard New criteria for Guide (enrolled products only)

30. Action (label) Vote Volunteer Social media Tell others Donate

31. Third party endorsements; Action (avoid) 6. Somehow, animals are clued into the problems. Eyewitness reports from around the world show that when given a choice, many species of livestock and wild animals avoid GMOs. For us humans, we need help. Go to www.NonGMOShoppingGuide.com to learn how to avoid the 8 GMO food crops and their derivatives.

32. Action (vision and activism) Tipping point rbGH & Europe are examples How to help IRT site learn more tell parents, show videos pass on CDs, podcasts Email and FaceBook network Other healthcare practitioners religious organizations Natural food store Etc.

33. Action (vision and activism) Since GMOs offer no consumer benefit, if even a small percentage of shoppers avoid GMO brands, we can create a tipping point of consumer rejection to force them out of the market. This happened very quickly in Europe, and we believe it is going to happen soon here too. In fact, there is a campaign to achieve this in the near future. Go towww.HealthierEating.org to find out more.

34. Exercise Draw something that incorporates the main points of a talk on GMOs. 90 seconds Picture, diagram, cartoon, mind map, whatever.

35. 5 main components Undermine the credibility of those who promote GMOs Describe the risks (health risks) Cite third party support Convey the large scope of the problem Call to action

36. Starting the Presentation • Connect immediately • Joke • Show of hands • Praise someone in the room • Envision a warm, appreciative audience

37. Style points • Model optimism • No need to emphasize negative emotions. The facts are potent enough. • Can be humorous in the face of gloomy details

38. Notes are found on PPT • You can use “Notes Page” under View • Or click and drag the bottom of the slide up to reveal the notes • Presenter View • Allows you to view the notes on your computer while showing the slideshow version to the audience • Enable under SLIDE SHOW tab, under SET UP SLIDE SHOW

39. The Health Risks of Genetically Modified Foods

40. US GM crops Soy 94% Corn 88% Cotton 93% Canola 90% (Canada) Sugar beets 95% Alfalfa (hay, not sprouts) ?%

41. Hawaiian papaya virus resistant Zucchini crookneck squash virus resistant Minor Food Crops

42. How do we avoid GMOs? • Buyorganic • Buy products that are labeled non-GMO • Buy products listed on a Non-GMO Shopping Guide • Avoid at-risk ingredients See www.NonGMOShoppingGuide.com for shopping guides and tips

43. Rate yourself 1-100, How vigilant were you to avoid GM food when eating out? 1-100, How vigilant were you this week to avoid bringing GM food home?

44. Rate yourself 1-100, How active you have been in educating people on this issue?

45. cells nucleus chromosome DNA gene G T A C T C A Basepairs: A-T & C-G (nucleotides) T T A C A G G

46. How does Genetic Engineering work? • Isolate a gene with a desired trait* • Change the gene so it will work in plants* • Prepare plant cells or tissue • Transform plant cells using a gene gun or bacteria infection method* 5. Re-grow cells to plants via tissue culture (cloning)* * Steps that contain scientific uncertainties and risk potential

47. Geneconstruct often CaMV (virus) Promoter:on switch e.g. Bt toxin gene from soil bacterium Gene sequence e.g. from pea Stop signal

48. Identify cells withincorporated genes Test for markers Add antibiotic Only transformed cellssurvive

49. Grow transformed GM cells via cloning(tissue culture)

50. Antibiotic Resistant Genes “IT WOULD BE A SERIOUS HEALTH HAZARD TO INTRODUCE A GENE THAT CODES FOR ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE INTO THE NORMAL FLORA OF THE GENERAL POPULATION.” Director, Division of Anti-infective Drug Products