History of GMOs

By paulinaf
  • 30,000 BCE

    Dog Breeding

    Dog Breeding
    Ancestors domesticated wolves and through artificial selection created different breeds of dogs.
  • 7800 BCE

    Artificial Selection of Plants

    Artificial Selection of Plants
    In Southwest Asia scientists found domestic variants of wheat dating back this far and show the beginning of artificial breeding of plants.

  • Gregor Mendel

    Gregor Mendel
    Gregor Mendel crossed varieties of garden peas and discovered genes.

  • Gene Splicing

    Gene Splicing
    Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer developed techniques that made it possible to cut and splice DNA at specific sequences and attach it to other DNA. They created the first genetically engineered organism when they manages to create microbes that produced hormones.

  • Asilomar Conference

    Asilomar Conference
    This was a conference of scientists and lawyers who set guidelines for future GE experimenting.

  • Patenting

    Patenting
    The supreme court ruled that GMOs could be patented.

  • FDA Approval

    FDA Approval
    The FDA approves Humulin, the first pharmaceutical manufacture using GE technology.

  • Transgenic Plants

    Transgenic Plants
    Three groups of scientists announced they successfully introduced bacterial genes into plants.

  • GMOs Hit Grocery Stores

    GMOs Hit Grocery Stores
    FLAVR SAVR tomatos became the first GM food crop to be approved by the USDA and hit shelves.

  • Insecticide Producing Crops

    Insecticide Producing Crops
    The US EPA approves the first insecticide producing crop.

  • Roundup Ready

    Roundup Ready
    Herbicide resistant crops such as Roundup Ready were produced.

  • Herbicide Resistant Weeds

    Herbicide Resistant Weeds
    There was a spread of weeds resistant to glyphosphate that was detected in Australia. They're called super weeds.

  • Labels

    Labels
    The EU introduced mandatory labeling on GMO food.

  • GMO Food Crops Dominate

    GMO Food Crops Dominate
    GMO crops grow in popularity.

  • Golden Rice

    Golden Rice
    GE Vitamin A fortified rice distributed to third world countries to keep people nourished.

  • ATryn

    ATryn
    ATryn becomes the first FDA approval of a GE animal. ATryn is an anti clotting agent that's produced in the milk of transgenic goats.

  • Battle in Court

    Battle in Court
    Farmer wins a court battle and sues Monsanto for chemical poisoning by a Roundup Ready pesticide.

  • GMO Labeling in US

    GMO Labeling in US
    President Obama passes a law requiring the labeling of food containing GM ingredients n the United States.