 |
Soaring food prices and global grain shortages are bringing new pressures on governments, food companies and consumers to relax their longstanding resistance to genetically engineered crops…
In the United States, wheat growers and marketers, once hesitant about adopting biotechnology because they feared losing export sales, are now warming to it as a way to bolster supplies. Genetically modified crops contain genes from other organisms to make the plants resistance to insects, herbicides or disease. Opponents continue to worry that such crops have not been studied enough and that they might pose risks to health and the environment…
Even in Europe, where opposition to what the Europeans call Frankenfoods has been fiercest, some prominent government officials and business executives are calling for faster approvals of imports of genetically modified crops. They are responding in part to complaints from livestock producers, who say they might suffer a critical shortage of feed if imports do not accelerate.
In Britain, the National Beef Association, which represents cattle farmers, issued a statement this month demanding that “all resistance” to such crops “be abandoned immediately in response to shifts in world demand for food, the growing danger of global food shortages and the prospect of declining domestic animal production.”
Most of the “resistance” to genetically modified crops is political and cultural. It’s been perfectly acceptable to refuse to examine scientific studies if they don’t cater to peoples’ fears. Fears, after all, of what our governments and corporations might do in the name of profit.
Moss and Bobbo,
No need to google.
Snippet from the bt Corn link The Bt delta endotoxin was selected because it is highly effective at controlling Lepidoptera larvae, caterpillars. It is during the larval stage when most of the damage by European corn borer occurs.
Snippet from the soy link CruiserMaxx™ Beans brand product is an insecticide and fungicide seed treatment combination that provides soybean growers with first-class protection against harmful insects and diseases that negatively affect crop quality and yield.
Nothing about reduced fertilizers all about pests
I happen to live in rural Minnesota in the middle of corn and soybean fields. The farmers around here range in age from 50 to about 95. They will all tell you the same thing. That they use the GMO seeds to reduce the amount of pesticide they have to buy and spray. They still go out every spring and use the same amount of anhydrous ammonia to sterilize/fertilize the fields before planting the corn.
#17, bobbo,
#14–catshit==you might be confusing “nutrients” with fertilizer. Not everything comes in a bag.
bobbo made a funny pun. On my name. What a guy!!!
PS, Cat litter comes in a bag.
Well, this rice has been genetically modified to require only half the normal amount of nitrogen:
http://www.sacbee.com/103/v-print/story/716580.html
Catshit==you are one smart cat.
Bobbo,
Fascinating link about that rice!
#25–ethanol==if you are going to use facts to turn your opinion on a dime, I’ll have to watch your posts more closely!!
I tried to find gmo crops that were actually for sale and read too much with “monsanto” in the search terms before, as I said, I didn’t feel like googling. I found many monsanto sites that said “nitrogen fixation” would be added to their crops when available.
I’ve been reading about nitrogen fixation modifications for years, so I do remain surprised its not “everywhere” by now.
The first article I found that was close, I posted, but relaxed now, I’ll go back and read it. Seems it was still “experiemental?”
I can be quite loose in speculation, but try to be a bit closer when pontificating.
#15 And you seem to be unable to read even while (I assume) you still eat all your meals.
Or maybe there’s way too much ethanol on your brain already.
The point’s there. Think!
#20 there are peoeple alergic to seafood, go figure.
and AGAIN…
THE USA, FEEDS over 1billion other families around the world with the food we produce..
To countries that DONT make enough room for THEIR OWN FOOD.
Monsanto, has copy rights on MOST Crop seed, and EVEN has seed, that will NOT FERTILIZE, and requires you to BUY MORE SEED…instead of using PART of your crop for NEXT years crops. (posted here in DV).
Monsanto even SUES people that REUSE the seed for NEXT year, and WINS.(posted here in DV).
Monsanto wants to COPYRIGHT ALL food seeds and grains..
all food has been geneticly modified,
Resistance is futile………..
#27 – you’re t3h nub. That’s the point.
Cheers.
#30 and you made mine.
comment scrubs are my favourite internet rats. Fun.
I seem to recall that back in the 80′s and 90′s farmers were being paid by the US Government to stop growing crops. The reason was to reduce to the surplus and increase profits. Sounded a little strange at the time. Funny thing is we didn’t need GM seeds then why now? The BS behind GM food is too much corporate control. Let our farmers make the money and go back to locally produce foods. This will reduce the amount of gas used to ship elsewhere for processing. Creating more jobs locally and utilize wind and water powered equipment. It’s a win/win for the people not the corporations that are sucking up tax breaks to create low paying jobs with no stability.
#33–Busy==part of the answer must be that there are more people today than 30 years ago?
I like the ootion of developing local economies with all the good things that can do==but farming is a corporate business. Aren’t we down to less than 3% of farm acreage being “family” farms?
Lots of easy more healthy things could be done to increase local jobs and save planet resources–like no human hormones in cattle feed, or no preservaives in food. Most people would not like the additional cost and hassle this would create. The result is corporate rule.