Hi Everyone,

Yeh I’ve been a bit of a stranger lately.
Now I have a huge question.

Who is for and who against genetically modified foods and why?

Muschee said:

Now I have a huge question.

Who is for and who against genetically modified foods and why?

That is huge :D

I am against – although since I am always forgetting the exact things I have read about, I often find it hard to articulate why and hence don’t usually go around trying to convince anyway else.

Some brief reasons:
- I don’t believe they’re adequately tested before being released into a complex, uncontrolled environment
- I think big companies are putting profits before the precautionary principle
- I haven’t seen any evidence so far that they will “feed the world” any more effectively than other systems of farming
- So far (in the commercial world if not the research world) I have mostly heard about negative effects for farmers – having to buy new seed each year, using more and more chemicals which costs money
- I definitely think the consumer should have a right to choose, and labelling doesn’t seem to be strict enough to enable this yet
- I don’t see how they can keep everything separate and not cause problems for certified organic (etc) farmers

For me it’s the same as organic vs conventional – I’m not too hung up on the health side of things (mind you I will be when I have kids!), I am more concerned about the impact on the land and the producers.

If you are interested I can give you the name of the last book I read on the subject – I remember that it said some very scary things, but I can’t remember the details.

(P.S. Hi Muschee!! haven’t seen you around here for a while :))

Well for me & the elf…. we are against it.

2 reasons……

1. the words genetic and modify…… this is man playing with mother nature……changing the genetics and modifying them….. we have so real idea of what it’ll do generations down the track.

2. Its not able to be contained in 1 area and not contaminate the crop next door.

Hope this helps you Muschee:)

I am against.

There are only a couple of multinational (US based) companies that are doing development in GE crops and their motivation is $$$$$$$$. The purpose of the GE is to either create a market for other products they sell, or to be able to patent their seed so that you are reliant on them for future seed. The fact that your crop may have been accidently contaminated by their genes does not protect you from being sued for your crop containing their patented gene. The way they are going indicates that they want to control our food source and that is a bad thing IMHO.

I also believe that GE reduces diversity of strains of crops which risks crops being wiped out by some pest or diesease.

Not enough independent research has been done on what else the modification has done to the plant besides the desired effect, so we only have their word for it that it won’t hurt us in the long term.

Some of the modifications encourage the use of pesticides and herbicides in crop production (e.g. “Round Up Ready” crops) so they are working counter to organic principles.

Ummm, if I had time and a working brain I could probably say more….

I agree with all that has already been said but will add that for the same reasons that groups like Seed Savers save seed, we all need to protect the diversity of seed currently available. There are seeds that the world has already lost and the big seed companies are restricting what we can buy. Seeds that our parents and grandparents could readily buy are just not available any more.
This might sound a bit ‘out there’ but if the seeds of the world can be controlled then the people are controlled.
GM seeds can only be bought from the GM companies so I extrapolate from that, that those companies are looking to gain more and more of the control.

Crinkle said:

This might sound a bit ‘out there’ but if the seeds of the world can be controlled then the people are controlled.
GM seeds can only be bought from the GM companies so I extrapolate from that, that those companies are looking to gain more and more of the control.

Well said, I should have put that in my list too!

If it sounds ‘out there’ it’s just because the world does seem to be heading in a scary direction…

monsanto wanted to monopolise world food production with its ‘plant breeders’ rights act’. it wanted to patent all seed including wheat. this is madness.

their GM idea is not much saner. because the idea could result in world domination by one company (a food monopoly) i am dead against it.

pepe said:

monsanto wanted to monopolise world food production with its ‘plant breeders’ rights act’. it wanted to patent all seed including wheat. this is madness.

their GM idea is not much saner. because the idea could result in world domination by one company (a food monopoly) i am dead against it.

Why is it that most of the coverage of GM issues you see in the paper, are about R&D developments, and not about what is going on commercially?

For instance unless you go looking for information, I suspect all you will know about GM is that they are trying to produce higher yielding crops, or crops that need less water, or foods that deliver vitamin A to children who are desperately poor. All good things of course, but I think it’s a bit unbalanced. Why don’t the commercial issues get into the papers as well??

Why is it that most of the coverage of GM issues you see in the paper, are about R&D developments, and not about what is going on commercially?
——————-
good question
could it be mr murdoch sees nothing wrong with world domination – chuckle.
we are subject to the most appalling one-sided views from our media.

pepe said:

could it be mr murdoch sees nothing wrong with world domination – chuckle.
we are subject to the most appalling one-sided views from our media.

Well, one email newsletter I get which I find very informative is from the Organic Consumers Association in the U.S.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/

Obviously not local information but then, where they lead we tend to follow…

bon008 said:

pepe said:

could it be mr murdoch sees nothing wrong with world domination – chuckle.
we are subject to the most appalling one-sided views from our media.

Well, one email newsletter I get which I find very informative is from the Organic Consumers Association in the U.S.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/

Obviously not local information but then, where they lead we tend to follow…

I know the saying ‘Total power corrupts totally’….
How the hell do the CEO’s of Monsanto sleep at night???

Well, one email newsletter I get which I find very informative is from the Organic Consumers Association in the U.S.
———-
looks good and the web tends to negate the power of the media.
the media will present the organic argument – only it does everything in a sensational way – so one day you get the one sided organic argument and next day the one sided techno argument.
the ABC is the exception – they always take pains to present both sides together.

against … 1) i worry the testing hasnt been completed over a long period thusthe results arent real 2) i dont like the thought of One company owning the seed AND chemical required 3) i dont like that its a (forget the word ).type of seed .ends its self
4) cant see how it will be better in drought conditions
5)we keep our own seed ..dont like that the big company will not let you keep it …again ..at there merxy 6)sits uncomfortably with me..no real reason -just feel it s not right .

I dont mind the breeding programs ..selecting one trait over another …this had bought us a whole lot of
great wheat /oats/vege seed etcbut i worry about tinkering with the actual genetic componant .. whispers …”“”“arent the bees in usa dying from gm corn “”“”“”

My biggest issue is the potential impact GM technology will have on commercial growers, particularly in developing worlds. Some of the breeding strains that have been developed already (although not “technically” GM) require specific inputs; ie certain fertilisers, certain pesticides, certain this and that. This ties growers to particular brands of substances. If they grow YOUR GM crop, they also have to buy YOUR other products. In the developing world (in particular) this place great financial strain on growers.

The second issue is that the crops are often non-reproductive. For generations small/poor growers have kept a certain percentage of their crop as seed crop. This enables them to continue production without signficiant ongoing cost. They buy seed once and off they go for years; usually until disaster wipes out a crop and they need to buy new seed. With non-reproductive seeds they need to buy seed crop every year. Again this is a significant financial strain.

I agree with a lot of the other issues already raised – what are the long term effects, etc etc. But I think GM crops and the power monolopy that’s playing in the background is a much bigger social and economic issue than the mere science of genetically modifying something.

sweetpea2008 said:

I dont mind the breeding programs ..selecting one trait over another …this had bought us a whole lot of
great wheat /oats/vege seed etcbut i worry about tinkering with the actual genetic componant .. whispers …”“”“arent the bees in usa dying from gm corn “”“”“”

Yes, it seems to me that the most useful traits (drought or salt tolerant, etc) can just be bred in with conventional breeding programs. Anything that has to be put in with genetic manipulation – seems to me that just doesn’t belong..

According to Dr Who the bees are evacuating because the daleks are about to invade :D

OOO …forgot thatLOL!!!! ..the daleks are Coming I have fully brainwashed my children into Dr WHo .. hubby is stil afraid at 30 …(something)…of the daleks ..

……

sweetpea2008 said:

OOO …forgot thatLOL!!!! ..the daleks are Coming I have fully brainwashed my children into Dr WHo .. hubby is stil afraid at 30 …(something)…of the daleks ..

……

I’m bloody terrified of statues!!! Bloody Steven Moffat…

bon008 said:

pepe said:

could it be mr murdoch sees nothing wrong with world domination – chuckle.
we are subject to the most appalling one-sided views from our media.

Well, one email newsletter I get which I find very informative is from the Organic Consumers Association in the U.S.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/

Obviously not local information but then, where they lead we tend to follow…

we are only just starting to grow GE crops here in Australia, so the R&D is more relevant. Might hear more about the commercial outcomes later down the track.

Crinkle said:

I know the saying ‘Total power corrupts totally’….
How the hell do the CEO’s of Monsanto sleep at night???

on beds of American greenbacks…

EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT

Just what I wanted to hear. All against.

I will be part of an anti GM rally at the end of the month, thru streets of Perth and just wanted to be sure I was doin the right thing.

Any other Perthites going?

““we are only just starting to grow GE crops here in Australia, so the R&D is more relevant. Might hear more about the commercial outcomes later down the track.”“

BG ..the canola growers( those who think GM canola will lead to $$$$$) are gearing up for a huge go at commercial GM canola …Its only 1-2 yrs away …esp if the years are GOOD…Round up ready is ready ,so to speak to hit the market next year …..it was grown this year ….only one good thing about a drought ….halted the trials of GM…even it needs rain

god help us all…. Hope the labelling is sorted out ….

Muschee said:

EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT

Just what I wanted to hear. All against.

I will be part of an anti GM rally at the end of the month, thru streets of Perth and just wanted to be sure I was doin the right thing.

Any other Perthites going?

Muschee!! I haven’t heard about this!! Please post details or a link?

I would love to go as long asI don’t have to be in a trainign session or something at work. Usually if it’s during working hours we get up a group of 4 or 5 people from the office to go to these kinds of things.

bon008 said:

Muschee said:

EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT

Just what I wanted to hear. All against.

I will be part of an anti GM rally at the end of the month, thru streets of Perth and just wanted to be sure I was doin the right thing.

Any other Perthites going?

Muschee!! I haven’t heard about this!! Please post details or a link?

I would love to go as long asI don’t have to be in a trainign session or something at work. Usually if it’s during working hours we get up a group of 4 or 5 people from the office to go to these kinds of things.

Ahh, found it! for Horty if she’s interested:
http://no-gmo.asn.au/2008/09/keep-wa-gm-free-rally/

Right, now to email everyone I know in Perth!

we have all been GM’ing our crops now for years… I think Charlie Darwin calls it evolution. GM is just speeding up the process???

I am against purchasing GM goods in my store, but I do know the rice I buy or the Flour I buy is chosen from strains that have shown certain benefits and resistances in the past and therefore selectively become the grain of today. Same with fruit and vegies. Who can remember seeds in their bananas?

And as for Monsanto taking over developing nations… it won’t happen. Nestle beat them to it.

bon008 said:

bon008 said:

Muschee said:

EXCELLENT EXCELLENT EXCELLENT

Just what I wanted to hear. All against.

I will be part of an anti GM rally at the end of the month, thru streets of Perth and just wanted to be sure I was doin the right thing.

Any other Perthites going?

Muschee!! I haven’t heard about this!! Please post details or a link?

I would love to go as long asI don’t have to be in a trainign session or something at work. Usually if it’s during working hours we get up a group of 4 or 5 people from the office to go to these kinds of things.

Ahh, found it! for Horty if she’s interested:
http://no-gmo.asn.au/2008/09/keep-wa-gm-free-rally/

Right, now to email everyone I know in Perth!

Sorry Bonn, bit slow with my follow up. Glad you found the details. See you there :)

pain master said:

we have all been GM’ing our crops now for years… I think Charlie Darwin calls it evolution. GM is just speeding up the process???

I am against purchasing GM goods in my store, but I do know the rice I buy or the Flour I buy is chosen from strains that have shown certain benefits and resistances in the past and therefore selectively become the grain of today. Same with fruit and vegies. Who can remember seeds in their bananas?

And as for Monsanto taking over developing nations… it won’t happen. Nestle beat them to it.

you are talking about hybridisation which is cross breeding of different strains of the same or related plants. GE is when they splice together genes from totally unrelated organisms, like a bacteria into potatoes. Something that couldn’t happen in nature.

bluegreen said:

pain master said:

we have all been GM’ing our crops now for years… I think Charlie Darwin calls it evolution. GM is just speeding up the process???

I am against purchasing GM goods in my store, but I do know the rice I buy or the Flour I buy is chosen from strains that have shown certain benefits and resistances in the past and therefore selectively become the grain of today. Same with fruit and vegies. Who can remember seeds in their bananas?

And as for Monsanto taking over developing nations… it won’t happen. Nestle beat them to it.

you are talking about hybridisation which is cross breeding of different strains of the same or related plants. GE is when they splice together genes from totally unrelated organisms, like a bacteria into potatoes. Something that couldn’t happen in nature.

fair call.