Genentically Modified foods

[Hey Bubu]

Your thoughts?

Was reading up on Monsanto.

[gatecrasher]

Watch the Future of Food, it is free on video google.

[zerojunkie]

I was reading an article on a related topic the other day. link

It touches on a few topics, but in particular the genetic homogeneity of the crops we rely on and their susceptibility to emerging infections diseases. I think if we can mitigate the downsides of GM crops the possible benefits of securing our food supply is probably worth the risk.

[Hey Bubu]

So how the fuck is Monsanto still in business?

[Uhm]

Monsanto is bad, bad news. They bought Searle the same company who patented aspartame and who was responsible for the shadyness in getting it pushed through the FDA approval process. Its a really shameful story.

They are using GMO seeds in Iraq right now. Which means that the seeds have to be bought through Monsanto, or a handful of other countries. These seeds are sterile which means they will need to buy new seeds each year they wish to plant crops. You can obviously see where this is leading.

Try looking up information about Codex Alimentarius if you really want to get riled up about what's happening to the current food supply. Major changes are sweeping through in the year 2012 that will affect OTC supplements, IE vitamins. This is all just another reason to buy organic.

[Uhm]

Originally Posted by zerojunkie

I was reading an article on a related topic the other day. link

It touches on a few topics, but in particular the genetic homogeneity of the crops we rely on and their susceptibility to emerging infections diseases. I think if we can mitigate the downsides of GM crops the possible benefits of securing our food supply is probably worth the risk.

*Edit I read the article. I see what they are saying. This really boils down to needing sweeping change across the board. They are trying to find a band-aid for a problem that requires a transplant. Instead of attacking the source of the infestations they are trying to change the food. That leaves the profit margins intact since the industrial farmers won't be forced to change. Its a sad state of affairs. This is another reason why I cleanse, lol

There's no mitigating GMO food; its horrible. You might as well buy only products with HFCS, deep fry 400 degrees in corn oil, microwave it and then ingest it. You would be doing your body just as much good.

[zerojunkie]

Originally Posted by DJ Uhm

*Edit I read the article. I see what they are saying. This really boils down to needing sweeping change across the board. They are trying to find a band-aid for a problem that requires a transplant. Instead of attacking the source of the infestations they are trying to change the food. That leaves the profit margins intact since the industrial farmers won't be forced to change. Its a sad state of affairs. This is another reason why I cleanse, lol

There's no mitigating GMO food; its horrible. You might as well buy only products with HFCS, deep fry 400 degrees in corn oil, microwave it and then ingest it. You would be doing your body just as much good.

One wonders if farming "the right way" would meet the world's demand for food though.

[Uhm]

Originally Posted by zerojunkie

One wonders if farming "the right way" would meet the world's demand for food though.

They seem to have enough organic food for all who can pay the prices. It also boils down to individual responsibility and learning how to become as self-sustainable as you can.

GMO food isn't going to do your body any good, and I would venture to guess that it would inevitably lead to more sickness around the world; quite possibly starvation. Which would then lead to more drugs having to be made to once again fight something that we started in the first damn place. Which then leads back to sickness since those newfangled drugs will end up causing other health issues to arise. Once we stop being our own worst enemy is when we will make true strides as a species. Until then Gaia will continue to be pissed off, lol.

[Uhm]

Originally Posted by Porkchop Avenger

So how the fuck is Monsanto still in business?

Money money money mon-ey MON-EY!!

Nuff' said.

[TheAmazon]

damn, i feel like ya;ll are late, three food companies basically own humanity, monsanto, con agra, and cargil,

all bad news. I hate the fact that they want to take your common cabbage and splice it with a buncha different genes, and not want to tell you about it, let alone give you a choice of whether you want it or not. And then, the fact that if you even THINK about taking monstanto to court as a farmer it;s basically over. If their seeds blows over into yours and crosses with your crops, monsanto can sue you.
Also don;t believe the hype about it helping cure hunger and all that bullshit,all the evidence of late points to the exact opposite.

[Uhm]

Thanks for your additions Amazon , and naw I am well aware of Monsanto and the others. The problem is most of the world isn't. Would it matter, nope because everyone would be sitting around waiting for someone else to do something about it.

Fully agreed with you about it not curing hunger; we shall see where this goes.

There was an article in Reader's Digest about a farmer getting sued by Monsanto. It was a quite ridiculous read. Lots of really shady shit happens in this world every day, and so much of it goes by the wayside to the majority of the world.

[BigBallinColin]

Originally Posted by zerojunkie

One wonders if farming "the right way" would meet the world's demand for food though.

I would also like to know, can we use cultivation and normal cross breeding techniques to get better cheaper food? I think now especially with the way things are going with population and the monetary crisis it might just be good to know, soon.

[zerojunkie]

Originally Posted by TheAmazon

damn, i feel like ya;ll are late, three food companies basically own humanity, monsanto, con agra, and cargil,

all bad news. I hate the fact that they want to take your common cabbage and splice it with a buncha different genes, and not want to tell you about it, let alone give you a choice of whether you want it or not. And then, the fact that if you even THINK about taking monstanto to court as a farmer it;s basically over. If their seeds blows over into yours and crosses with your crops, monsanto can sue you.
Also don;t believe the hype about it helping cure hunger and all that bullshit,all the evidence of late points to the exact opposite.

Originally Posted by DJ Uhm

They seem to have enough organic food for all who can pay the prices. It also boils down to individual responsibility and learning how to become as self-sustainable as you can.

GMO food isn't going to do your body any good, and I would venture to guess that it would inevitably lead to more sickness around the world; quite possibly starvation. Which would then lead to more drugs having to be made to once again fight something that we started in the first damn place. Which then leads back to sickness since those newfangled drugs will end up causing other health issues to arise. Once we stop being our own worst enemy is when we will make true strides as a species. Until then Gaia will continue to be pissed off, lol.

Did the research really say that in 20 to 50 years you're going to definitely have enough land to feed everyone organically? Does it include contingencies for possible alternative energy uses for food crops? I haven't read it, but you guys seem to be up-to-date on it. I guess I see it a different way...man has been "genetically altering" crops through selective breeding since the agricultural revolution. I mean, isn't corn in it's current form something completely man-made? That isn't to say that I don't get where you all are coming from. There are downsides to every technology and GM crop and genetic modification as a whole is probably the poster child of that sentiment. But wholesale castigation doesn't seem to be warranted either. Some of the promised benefits of GM crops seem to be pretty enticing.

[Dionysos]

Originally Posted by DJ Uhm

There's no mitigating GMO food; its horrible. You might as well buy only products with HFCS, deep fry 400 degrees in corn oil, microwave it and then ingest it. You would be doing your body just as much good.

You just described 80% of America's diet.

Originally Posted by DJ Uhm

They seem to have enough organic food for all who can pay the prices.

Yea, that's the kicker: for all who can pay the prices. How many people are still paying for organic in this market? Whole Foods & other chains that market towards that crowd are getting kicked in the groin something fierce these days.

Besides, if you go to a grocery store, do you see what percentage of the food is organic? 10%? 20%? That's probably being generous too. Can you imagine what the price of corn would be if they flipped over to organic methods and kept putting ethanol into fuel? Gas would be $9/gallon and tortillas would be $20/pack.

I'm not against organic foods, I try to eat organic when it's feasible. But this planet is not built to sustain the population on organic farming methods exclusively.

[Keith P]

Originally Posted by zerojunkie

I was reading an article on a related topic the other day. link

It touches on a few topics, but in particular the genetic homogeneity of the crops we rely on and their susceptibility to emerging infections diseases. I think if we can mitigate the downsides of GM crops the possible benefits of securing our food supply is probably worth the risk.

Quoting for agreement.