Creation Season 2006 (Year B):
October 1 through November 5, 2006
Week 3 – October 15 – Proper
23
Resolution & Harvest
Issues within Minnesota Regarding Native
Wild Rice Harvest:
Resolution 2005 - 05 of the Izaak Walton League
to Support Prohibition of the Introduction of Genetically Engineered
Wild Rice into the State of Minnesota
Natural wild rice is of extreme ecological importance
to Minnesota lakes, rivers, and wildlife, providing important
habitat and sustenance for migrating waterfowl and aquatic life.
Natural wild rice is also of great importance to
Minnesotans, and is a sacred part of the religion of the Anishinabe
people.
Minnesota is the center of biodiversity for naturally
occurring lake and river wild rice.
Risk assessment regarding the introduction of genetically
engineered organisms into the environment is in its infancy, and
there are many potential environmental impacts from the release
of genetically engineered organisms including: 1) gene flow to
related taxa, 2) creation of more invasive (weedy or pest) species,
3) non-target interactions (e.g., transfer of pharmaceuticals
to wildlife foraging in crop fields), 4) evolution of resistance,
5) changes in viruses, and 6) horizontal gene flow (i.e., to unrelated
taxa).
The risk of exposure is extremely high, as genetically
engineered wild rice could easily cross-pollinate with native
strains of wild rice and the potential for cross-pollination is
high; for instance, one study found the pollen of genetically
modified creeping bentgrass traveled farther than 13 miles from
the release site.
Some of the harms from release of genetically modified
wild rice could include: 1) loss of unique genetic resources,
2) decline in abundance of the species, 3) displacement of other
species of aquatic plants through improved competitive fitness
of wild rice, and 4) decline in resilience of the biological community
(in this case Minnesota lakes and rivers).
Now therefore be it resolved, that the Minnesota
Division Izaak Walton League of America at its Annual Meeting,
May 1, 2005 supports legislation prohibiting the introduction
of genetically engineered wild rice in Minnesota, in order to
protect natural lake and river stands of wild rice.
Donna Dustin & William Henke
Submitted by the Prairie Woods Chapter
. 
