GMOs

Many of us have probably heard of GMOs and Monsanto. The names go hand in hand, but do you know that many other companies participate in this business as well?

DuPont (Plastic, Rubber, and Chemicals)
Monsanto (Chemicals)
Bayer (Drug and Chemical)
Dow (Chemicals)
Syngenta (Chemicals)

Odd, isn’t it, that all these chemical companies are producing seeds to withstand the pesticides and chemicals they sell? They also put a patent on a creation they cannot control which allows them to sue and harass any farmer, any person, found illegally with their product. That includes land unknowingly infected by these seeds (i.e. seeds blown from trucks, carried over by critters, etc.)

GMO giant hires retired cops to hunt down farmers

Not only that, but what happens to natural crops infected by these GMOs? What happens to the farmers who rely on exportation? (The rest of the world doesn’t want these freak crops)

Bayer Agrees to Pay $750 Million to End Lawsuits Over Gene-Modified Rice

But most importantly what happens to the people that eat this stuff? What happens to our waterways? And why are so many of our lawmakers employed by GMO producing companies?

Debate on GMOS Health Risks

Monsanto

Dow Chemicals seeks approval for new genetically modified seeds that present worse threat than Monsanto's Roundup

“The plan is to plant the genetically modified seeds and then spray fields with the harmful chemical agent. If approved, Dow's GMO seeds could replace Monsanto's Roundup-resistant crops and make way for a release of Agent Orange chemicals that have not been seen since the Vietnam War.”

We know chemicals aren’t good for us. We know they’re not good for our water, land, and other natural resources. But what do you think? Are GMOs really that bad or is it all a bunch of hype?

I think that if the big corporations producing the genetically modified crops honestly had our best interests at heart it might be ok. Creating crops that could grow faster to feed a rising population might be a good a idea (though it's undoubtedly a more complicated issue than just that).

However I find the thought of a major corporation doing something because it genuinely cares for the future of humanity to be a damn right laughable idea. As it stands all those corporations will do anything to make the fastest dollar they can and be damned what happens to the little people. I assume most of you have read the news articles about the tumors that developed in the rats used in a recent test using GMO corn? Not a pretty sight.

There is an interesting report (which I havent read yet) at the following page; just released last week it seems to give another solution to the root claims behind GM Food research;

GLOBAL FOOD - WASTE NOT, WANT NOT: Feeding the 9 Billion: The tragedy of waste
http://www.imeche.org/knowledge/themes/environment/global-food?WT.mc_id=HP_130007

You can't ignore the advantages of GMOs though: less losses, higher yield, less pesticides needed, less water required, less land used.

Corps act like corps. patents and lawsuits are everywhere over all sorts of things. That's a problem with the patent and legal system. But conspiracy? they're here to make money. It's not surprising that a chemical company turns to genetic manipulation and tries to make money out of a new product.

As to health risks I think what we should concern ourselves with is modifications that enhance taste/addiction like what is found in processed foods. Otherwise you trade quality for quantity... Seems reasonable. We have GMOs and no famines to worry about.


And, you don't want to waste? I have a friend who owns a takeaway... He looked into donating excess food to homeless people. Turns out if there's a problem he'll get sued, so he just bins it. Same thing with supermarkets and food past the use-by, best-before dates. they can't legally distribute it, even though everyone knows the food is perfectly fine...

most of you have read the news articles about the tumors that developed in the rats used in a recent test using GMO corn

No, I guess it involves high fructose levels?

ren wrote: You can't ignore the advantages of GMOs though: less losses, higher yield, less pesticides needed, less water required, less land used.

I've always heard that they use just as much water, not to mention (but really I am) the contamination that leaks into our water system. I've also heard that normal crops (organic, the way we've been growin them for centuries) actually grow better. Their root systems are stronger. I haven't tested it out myself, but I do know that organic vs GM the organic tastes 10 times better/stronger.

However, I'm not completely anti GMO. It just reminds me of Jurassic Park (there is absolutely no way to control it...no matter what the creators might say.) And we don't know exactly what will happen. Don't those self destructing plants seem kind of creepy? Regular corn you can harvest and collect seeds for future use. Certain GMOs, you can't and if that trait mixes with natural plants it could be a big problem (I'd imagine). That and we already don't have enough variety being produced. Thank god for Mexico.

Oh and eww, poor rats.

I've always heard that they use just as much water, not to mention (but really I am) the contamination that leaks into our water system. I've also heard that normal crops (organic, the way we've been growin them for centuries) actually grow better. Their root systems are stronger. I haven't tested it out myself, but I do know that organic vs GM the organic tastes 10 times better/stronger.

I'm pretty sure you heard wrong. I'm convinced about the "taste" issue too, doesn't mean it will always be like that.... And the contamination? You can say some crops are "contaminated" by GM crops... But if you're going to say it contaminates the water supply, you have to consider the other, bigger contaminents.. I mean we're talking about the trace amounts of radioactive minerals, animal waste, unicellulars and plain old chemical pollution... yet we never consider tap water as "contaminated"...

Not all use less water of course. what you have to look at is resources spent vs. yield. In rough environments, where growing regular crops is difficult if not impossible, GM offers a good solution.

And the "crops are infertile to screw farmers up" argument doesn't hold up... A: there are enough farmers to invest/create GM themselves and B: Personally I see it as a feature. Why would you release a plant that's tougher than everything else into the environment if you have no means of controlling its spread? Wind carries seeds, including GM ones.

Actually this should seriously be a concern for all people.

GMO's are dangerous. I grew up on a farm, I know the scarey side effects of GMO's. If you want some details I can get into it but all you have to do is google "Dangers of GMO's." They are not more advantageous, as any farmer that has had to deal with these chemical companies. Its a downright nightmare.

Make no mistake our food is in a serious crisis. From the feedlot animals to soy beans. These corps are dangerous to the health of the people. Why do you think we have such terrible cases of diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, etc.

You cannot simply genetically modify a crop that has taken thousands of years to develop into something useful and in one or two plantings expect it to be just fine.

Perfect example is corn. Did you know that the corn that is grown today has NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE. None, nadda, zilch. It is a filler, and they grow it to put in everything including plastic. For us as humans it has not one bit of help for us nutritionally, as a plastic it does have some uses but High Fructose Corn Syrup does not. Thats why when you eat that delicious corn on the cob in the summer time you see it when you visit the bathroom. Our bodies simply cannot digest it.

Now if you go to the heirloom varieties you find that not only do they taste great, you have stronger plants but you also are growing plants that usually at least a hundred years old. If you grow the Native American version of corn, then you have a corn you can eat and digest. These types of plants are nutritionally sound and have the backing of decades/hundreds of years to prove it. Monsanto and the like are moving to destroy these vital plants because they are not part of their patent system and they want them gone.

I might live in town now but I'm working darn hard to become as self sustainable as I was when I was in the farm. If nothing else for my own health. My husband has diabetes, and I have an inoperable tumor. If I can give nothing back but to help make our lives healthier by staying away from products that got us here than I will. Its also why I now have my own flock of chickens. I wrote about it in another topic. But again I know exactly what has gone into those birds from day one. I am confident in saying I am not getting any extra junk in my chickens eggs and they are treated humanely and well loved. Try saying that for any factory farm animal. Those conditions are deplorable and unsafe.

YES plants wiether GMO or not GMO use the same amount of water, usually require the same amount of pesticides, etc....I really can go on, there is no advantage to GMO's except disease rates.

Water is also another serious concern. Ask your local municipal water about the amount of drugs found in the water. A lot of days now they are reusing water, which is fantastic that it can be recycled but in another we cannot remove the medical drugs that the daily humans use. For instance birth control pills. More cities are finding high amounts of estrogen in the water supply when it is recycled due to the fact that you cannot remove drugs from the water system. So drinking from your tap can actually give you a dose of minute drugs.

A little bit dosn't hurt anyone, yea well when you are exposed to it in everything it huts ALOT. In our area the mercury content of the fish is so bad that they don't even recommend eating the fish and we live on the shores of Lake Superior. Sad.

Please look a second time. the human food supply is in serious trouble.

MTFBWY

One word: Bees
I'm a beekeeper and pesticides kill bees. GMO crops have been modified to produce pesticides, and hence kill bees. No bees, no pollination... and most food and flowers go bye bye. Our regulators are insane allowing GMO crops to take over 90% of the crops.

Did you know there is now a pesticide resistant insect that is destroying GMO crops? If they don't get rid of the GMO crops soon this insect will become the dominant species and replace the non-resistant one.

Yup in my post I forgot to mention Bee's. Thanks for catching that. They truly are a keystone species!

Whyte Horse wrote: One word: Bees
I'm a beekeeper and pesticides kill bees. GMO crops have been modified to produce pesticides, and hence kill bees. No bees, no pollination... and most food and flowers go bye bye. Our regulators are insane allowing GMO crops to take over 90% of the crops.

Well when our governments are owned by these companies... That, and they've never been known to be thinkers.

Oh, I have a question about bees. Every year we host some bees on our land. They get to live their lives without any human interference, but what happens in the winter? Do you guys just bring them into a garage to hibernate?