Exploitation and progress of GMOs – past, present and future: exciting opportunities or a dead end?

Abstract

A one-day symposium entitled Genetically modified organisms in horticulture-past, present and future was organized that provided a cross-disciplinary forum for policy makers, scientists and industry from around the world to consider policy issues relevant to the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in horticulture. Currently, many governments offer passive resistance to acceptance of GMO foods because of the starkly contrasting attitudes of stakeholders and in the media. As a result, the symposium has generated this policy paper that can be used to influence policy makers to make informed decisions on this topic in the future.