Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My thanks also to the witnesses who provided us with very clear information on this matter.
I accept that there are genetically modified products. We have a great deal of experience with plant and crop products. To my great surprise, based on what you said, we have been eating them for 15 years or so.
I don't know whether, when your various agencies approved these products 15 years ago, consumers were as hesitant as they are today. Consumers have become wary and mistrustful of genetically modified animals.
If we put ourselves in the shoes of ordinary people, we see this from a different angle and say that it's very capitalistic. We attribute it partly to producers, thinking that they want to produce more in less time, that they will be more productive and that they will be making more money.
In my view, we should find the proper way to communicate the correct information and the benefits to the public. Earlier, I heard what the benefits are and they seem fairly clear.
We've heard a lot about benefits, but can you also tell us about the risks for consumers? I know that studies have been conducted over the past few years and that there are risks related to toxicity, antibiotic resistance and allergens.
I would like to know a little more about those issues, which may have been analyzed by the scientists in your various agencies.