GMO crops

[cyinne]

Good or bad?

This guy is ****** that the government is going to OK a GMO alfalfa. Then others follow suit in the thread and say that GMO is the devil and so is Monsanto. You can read the thread if you would like to. I guarantee "dobyblue" has never stepped foot out of the concrete canyons in his life- nor has the 90% of the posters on that site.

After years of bureaucratic wrangling, Secretary Vilsack and the Obama administration are only days away from approving Monsanto’s genetically modified (GMO) alfalfa. If approved, GMO alfalfa will fundamentally undermine the entire organic industry overnight. In addition, the USDA says American consumers don't care about the contamination of organics.

Please join Food Democracy Now in calling on Secretary Vilsack and President Obama to stand up for organic family farmers by rejecting the approval of Monsanto's GMO alfalfa. Tell them to protect organic integrity and seed biodiversity over corporate profits.

Act Today Or Kiss Your Organics Goodbye! - Antsmarching.org Forums

[Bobber]

I think they're good.

[tazclone]

Good or bad?

This guy is ****** that the government is going to OK a GMO alfalfa. Then others follow suit in the thread and say that GMO is the devil and so is Monsanto. You can read the thread if you would like to. I guarantee "dobyblue" has never stepped foot out of the concrete canyons in his life- nor has the 90% of the posters on that site.


Act Today Or Kiss Your Organics Goodbye! - Antsmarching.org Forums

No problem with GMOs but not sure Monsanto isn't the devil

[alarson]

No problem with GMOs but not sure Monsanto isn't the devil

+1

[Clonegrad07]

Always been a Pioneer guy... not a Monsanto... however, I don't think this is a bad thing.

[bugs4cy]

The overarching argument played out in the media is NOT just about the 'safety' of genetically modified crops. This is about politics (not just the Obama admin or any other admin linked to a particular president) and trading partners. Much ridiculous grandstanding goes on in the trade world.

The alfalfa sets a new precedent as up to this point, deregulated GM crops were annuals. This is the first big step to perennials.

I've been involved in the regulation of GM plants for 8 years. I believe that the USDA BRS (Biotechnology Regulatory Service) does a good job providing oversight and setting permitting boundaries. Of course, if you asked me this a few years ago I would have given a different answer, and I'm a hard one to win over. But, I've seen this agency step up and create a decent program that sticks to the science, and not the politics of who wants what. - You certainly do not see that in many other federal agencies.

To really understand the 'safety' discussions, you have to realize they no one has the same definition of 'safe'. Some focus on what it may to do to you, or a cow, when eaten. Others think about cross pollination and potential unintended consequences to nearby crops, like lost marketing opportunities. Some look at a broad spectrum of environmental impact - think back to the monarch butterflies/Bt corn of several years ago. And, some look at it as a pest issue = if we build in insect-resistant trait into a crop, or herbicide tolerance, can that crop then become a weed (definition of weed is a plant in the wrong place)?

We've been genetically modifying plants for thousands of year, just in a slower manner than taking a gene from a another species and doing an 'instant insert'. To think that what you eat now isn't generically modified is a naive thought - beyond words, really.

I think it's too simple to say that GM crops or across the board either good or bad. I think GM crops are good, most of the time. I am not fond of a pharmaceutical crop in plant species that open pollinates, and then that pharma crop planted in the middle of 13 million acres of that crop of the non-pharma type. Not cool. So, everything has its place, and its time, in my world.

[everyyard]

If any of you are up to challenging your beliefs about our food system take a look at "The Future of Food" on netflix sometime.

[Iastfan112]

The alfalfa sets a new precedent as up to this point, deregulated GM crops were annuals. This is the first big step to perennials.

To me this is the most valid point to the people who don't like this move and I'll be honest that I'm a bit surprised that it got approved in such an open manner at this point in time, partially because of the politics surrounding the issue.

[illinoiscyclone]

The thing that worries me is how much more power is this going to give monsanto? they will already sue whoever they can to make examples of them for saving seed and there have even been times where they have tested (through questionable practices) seed of farmers who have never bought monsanto seed and found that their crops had cross pollinated with someone elses and were now displaying round-up ready traits. this is going to open people up to the same thing with alfalfa now.

[ThatllDoCy]

I am not anti GM necessarily, but completely disagree with Monsanto's business practices.

[CyForPresident]

Better get used to them because there will only be more in the future. A lot more.

[Rhoadhoused]

Monsanto will look a lot less evil when they actually come up with a way to increase crop production enough that the entire world doesn't starve.

[cycfan1]

Monsanto will look a lot less evil when they actually come up with a way to increase crop production enough that the entire world doesn't starve.

Umm... to increase crop production so the world doesn't starve we would probably need 1000 bpa. The fact that they have jumped from 200bpa from 100bpa in such a short period of time is amazing. Without US GMO crops, many more would be starving than what currently are. Why is it our responsibility to feed everyone? There are other farming communities throughout the world.

[ThatllDoCy]

Monsanto will look a lot less evil when they actually come up with a way to increase crop production enough that the entire world doesn't starve.

Is that in their mission statement? From what I have seen I doubt it, but I could be wrong. The documentary mentioned before is really interesting. However, they do pay PR firms to go around and defend them in blogs etc.

[RayShimley]

GMO's are fine, it is the ridiculous patent laws that are evil.