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Amazing how much of our agriculture is fueled by corn syrup. I wonder whether we have reached the tipping point where we could not feed the nation with out it.
I think the argument against genetic manipulation is that it decreases bio - diversity. all of a genetically similar crop potentially open to a single pathogen leading to widespread crop failure if the scientists, missed a pathogen, or a new one develops.
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Genetic manipulation leads to greater biodiversity, if you want it. It also leads to a much quicker response time to new threats. It can also reduce the need for pesticides, and can cut the amount of water needed for a crop.
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"Genetic manipulation leads to greater biodiversity, if you want it. It also leads to a much quicker response time to new threats. It can also reduce the need for pesticides, and can cut the amount of water needed for a crop."
Im sure monsanto or dow sees it that way ....
Europe still bans the import of the engineered seed. Because of the biodiversity reasons stated above. Allowing some of the genetically produced cattle feed however.
http://www.mindfully.org/GE/GE2/Export-Markets-Bans.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice-nine Vonnegut looked at this issue long ago... see ice 9 in fiction
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The European ban is based on fear, ignorance and wanting to protect their inefficient agriculture industry. It does affect exports, but we'll see if science and reason prevails in the long run, it usually does.
I read that wiki article, what does ice have to do with this?
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GMO practice leads to genetic diversity in a lab only. In practice, and in fact, such crops have lead to a vastly decreased gene pool in all crops. We are at a point where only 4 crops--wheat, corn, rice, and soybeans produce over half of all edible calories in the world. In each type of crop, a handful of GMO strains dominate all production, as they lend themselves and are designed for large agribusiness practice. This in turn creates a commodity pricing system that non-GMO crops of like types cannot compete with. The result is farmers are forced to plant GMO crops or not plant at all. Vastly reduced genetic diversification is the foreseeable and inevitable result. One can't get a grasp on the risk of GMO crops by myopically focusing only on the gene splicing--it's the GMO in practice and the kind of agriculture that follows it that is the real risk. And that risk is
known and undeniable. Soil loss, salting of soils, loss of aquifers and an unsustainable reliance on commercial NPK fertilizers--the components of which are rapidly becoming more and more scarce--is the legacy of such practice. To understand the science one must look at the entire picture--from lab to the table--to realistically form an educated position.
http://sensiblesimplicity.lefora.com/
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"I read that wiki article, what does ice have to do with this"
Ice nine ... first appears in cats cradle. .... Ice nine is a metaphor for any substance that can jump from the lab to to nature and make a mess. Vonnagut was on this as far back as the 60's... good read
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There were farmers in Ghana (Africa) that bought corn (called Maize over there) to feed their chickens. None of the chickens would eat it. Gov't. officials had the corn tested to see what was so wrong with it that the chickens wouldn't eat it. Turned out to be GMO with Roundup in it. If chickens are smart enough not to eat this s*#@, shouldn't we be?
mary blonde
Live Aloha
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No damn cat and no damn cradle.
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"In each type of crop, a handful of GMO strains dominate all production"
Sources, please.
"... as far back as the 60s"
It's a lot older than that, how about Frankenstein? But this is fiction, not fact.
"None of the chickens would eat it."
Sources, please.
ETA: reliable sources please
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I agree with PaulW. Sources, PLEASE!
Corn or soybeans that are GMO to be "Roundup Ready" do not contain any Roundup! To make this simple... the seed; not the resulting corn that grows from the seed, has been engineered to withstand either a very recent application of Roundup or an application of Roundup that occurs simultaneously with the planting. This allows the farmer to make one pass thru the field with a planter/spray unit, thus saving fuel, equipment and labor costs.
Roundup is a herbicide. It would not make any sense to apply Roundup to a seed. It has to be applied onto existing weeds anditismainly used on grasses. It is also common to apply a broadleaf herbicide mixed in with the Roundup in order to kill a broader spectrum of weeds than Roundup alone can kill.
Many of my relatives are farmers in Central and Southern Illinois, collectively farming well over 20,000 acres and raising more than 3000 cattle and 5000 hogs per year. They understand that their land is an asset and are very careful of how they take care of it.
