Timeline

1980 Diamond vs. Chakrabarty

            Biological life could be legally patented.

                        Oil eating bacteria                                           

1985 Ruling extended to entire plant kingdom

1996 First large scale harvest of GM crops

1997-1999 GM ingredients appear in two-thirds of all U.S. processed food

2002 Several southern African countries reject food aid from U.S. due to presence of GM

corn    

2004 European Union establishes tough labeling practices for GM foods

2005 Worldwide agricultural land area designated to GM crops increased 47-fold since

1996 (59% U.S.)

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This site was created as part of the honors course: The Idea at Monmouth Collegel in Fall 2005