Let's talk GMO's...

Congress just passed the Monsanto Protection Act. We are about to get more food patents (the only patent clearly defined as NOT protected in our Constitution, that lovely paper our government tramples all over) and more GMO crops.

Have you seen "The Future of Food"? Do you know what GMO's are? How they are actually made?

Frankly, they scare the living beejeebus out of me. It really doesn't seem that far-fetched that an "oopsie" in the modifications would lead to the extinction of whole populations of crops anymore. It's like reading a bad sci-fi from the 50's/60's, but it's actually happening.

They don't scare me. I'll eat 'em.

There's two sides to GMO's that are the problem.

One is eating them.

The other is pollination/propogation. So if you live next door to someone planing Monsanto patented soy. Whereas you plant your historic family seed that you've separated over time. Next season comes along, and due to natural pollenation, some of that GMO strain has gotten into your seed.

You go and separate it, and want to re-plant.

But Monsanto sues you for using their seed and patent. You did nothing wrong, technically- their stuff has trespassed onto your land. Yet they can sue you to prevent you from using your own seed. This has happened all over the country, and now it's apparently law of the land.

I'd hate to be a farmer.

For some reason I thought we were going with Oldsmobile here......

alfadriver wrote: There's two sides to GMO's that are the problem. One is eating them. The other is pollination/propogation. So if you live next door to someone planing Monsanto patented soy. Whereas you plant your historic family seed that you've separated over time. Next season comes along, and due to natural pollenation, some of that GMO strain has gotten into your seed. You go and separate it, and want to re-plant. But Monsanto sues you for using their seed and patent. You did nothing wrong, technically- their stuff has trespassed onto your land. Yet they can sue you to prevent you from using your own seed. This has happened all over the country, and now it's apparently law of the land. I'd hate to be a farmer.

yep. and monsatano is a motherberkeleyer about pursuing these claims.

Deplorable. The reach of corporations into the workings of this nation's government is IMO the greatest threat to our freedom.

I'll avoid GMO's where possible, but it gets harder every year.

Pretty soon it'll be Soylent Green. Mark my words!

In reply to alfadriver:

They only know if you're stupid enough to tell them......and cleaning and checking germination for soybeans is such a PITA that hardly anyone actually does it.

We have raised the tofu beans here before, normally once every three years. Normally turn out fantastic yields.

In reply to yamaha:

Nope, there are dozens of documented cases where a Monsanto rep trespassed onto farmland to check the soybeans. Alfa's 100% right on this one.

BTW all, it's not too late, make a call to the President to veto it:

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org

President Barack Obama (202) 456-1111

"Hi, my name is _ from ___ (city and/or state) I'm calling to ask President Obama to veto HR 933, the short term spending bill due to the inclusion of a dangerous rider by Congress, The Monsanto Protection Act,that is harmful to our environment, family farmers and citizens ."

The passage of Section 735 in Congress is an outrage against family farmers and our Constitution, undermining judicial review and our democratic rights in favor of corporate handouts.

As your constituent, I believe it's important that President Obama supports basic oversight of the agricultural biotech industry, not less. It's important to me and my family what we eat everyday, and biotech lobbyists shouldn't be allowed to corrupt the review process for new biotech crops.

Please remember to thank the staff person answering the phone and President Obama telling them that you support openness and transparency in food labeling and government.

Thank you.

yamaha wrote: In reply to alfadriver: They only know if you're stupid enough to tell them......and cleaning and checking germination for soybeans is such a PITA that hardly anyone actually does it. We have raised the tofu beans here before, normally once every three years. Normally turn out fantastic yields.

How would you even know if GMO pollen has tresspassed onto your land? I don't know if a farmer can afford to do a genetic test on their seeds.

seems as if monsanto would bully their way into the market- find one farm, and move out from there.

alfadriver wrote: There's two sides to GMO's that are the problem. One is eating them. The other is pollination/propogation. So if you live next door to someone planing Monsanto patented soy. Whereas you plant your historic family seed that you've separated over time. Next season comes along, and due to natural pollenation, some of that GMO strain has gotten into your seed. You go and separate it, and want to re-plant. But Monsanto sues you for using their seed and patent. You did nothing wrong, technically- their stuff has trespassed onto your land. Yet they can sue you to prevent you from using your own seed. This has happened all over the country, and now it's apparently law of the land. I'd hate to be a farmer.

This is the first step into the food conglomerates owning the world.

1988RedT2 wrote: I'll avoid GMO's where possible, but it gets harder every year.

Our ever-corrupt lawmakers have passed on the opportunity to help let you actually know if you are eating them.

Can you imagine how much that lobby effort cost? I mean, if the cigarette lobby couldn't keep labels off the packs... mother of god Monsanto has deep pockets.

alfadriver wrote: How would you even know if GMO pollen has tresspassed onto your land? I don't know if a farmer can afford to do a genetic test on their seeds. seems as if monsanto would bully their way into the market- find one farm, and move out from there.

You don't have to know and you don't have to have done it deliberately. If nature takes it's course you now have to pay Monsanto for the crop you grew.

It's interesting that I just read a book on this subject and in this book the corporations owned the world's food sources and became the defacto rulers of the planet. That could happen under this law.

I finally got in to the White House and left my message.

When I run for President, an immediate ban on GMO's, ban on all food patents, and a Federal investigation for corruption will be items 1, 2, and 3. (Seriously, go look at the resumes of the top people in the FDA, they all worked for Monsanto!)

GMOs are the devil and there ain't nothing we can do about it. Not when the gub'ment is owned by corporations.

Javelin wrote: (Seriously, go look at the resumes of the top people in the FDA, they *all* work for Monsanto!)

FTFY

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

1988RedT2 wrote: I'll avoid GMO's where possible, but it gets harder every year.

Our ever-corrupt lawmakers have passed on the opportunity to help let you actually know if you are eating them. Can you imagine how much that lobby effort cost? I mean, if the cigarette lobby couldn't keep labels off the packs... mother of god Monsanto has deep pockets.

If consumers would be educated, we wouldn't need the gov't to force companies to label them.

People would demand companies that don't use GMO seeds to lable their products as such, then refuse to buy GMO foods.

But most only care about hot pockets, Pizza Rolls and Coke.

The Tulsa area is ~1 million people. We literally have 1 Whole Foods and 2 other "healthy" type grocery stores.

alfadriver wrote: How would you even know if GMO pollen has tresspassed onto your land? I don't know if a farmer can afford to do a genetic test on their seeds. seems as if monsanto would bully their way into the market- find one farm, and move out from there.

Monsanto uses markers that let them identify your crop has "benefitted" from their pollen. They do drivebys on fields in the general area and blanket sue, shifting the burden of proof onto the farmer to prove they have not benefitted.

This is not limited to seed stock and pollination, but extends to the use of herbicides and pesticides. Monsando routinely sues adjacent farmers for payment of the benefit of spray drift.

As AC said, they are relentless in pursuing this.

As for GMO, we've been tinkering with genetics from the first time we bred a sweeter strawberry. We have ratcheted it to a new level by directly tinkering with genetic coding. Is it good? Is it bad? Dunno. There is nothing about it directly that causes me to worry about GMO pink corn causing me to grow a third thumb. But, I'm also well aware of the rule of unintended consequences. Perhaps the insect that nature develops to eat GMO pink corn will have perfect pesticide resistance.

I have absolutely no problem with GMO's. We've been doing it since the dawn of agriculture. If we didn't, we'd still be eating corn that is tasteless and is about the size of my index finger.

Monsanto? I have a problem with that. I have a problem with patenting nature, even if it is "man-made" nature.

Note to self: Ask new roommate how he'd feel about planting a garden in his backyard; also, look up farmers market schedule.

In reply to foxtrapper:

Breeding and genetic modification are two vastly different things. Implanting parts of a virus to a plant on purpose is not the same thing as going, "well this bush tasted better, I'll just plant that seed this year".

I am torn about GMOs. The world population has doubled over the last five decades, and the growth is only continuing. The worldwide standard of living is increasing, and more people in developing countries want to eat like Americans. Advances in medicine has resulted in many more people surviving childhood, and adults are living to be much older. Our planet has a limited amount of arable land, and monocropping is among the most efficient uses of farmland. Unfortunately, it exposes crops to disease epidemics that can easily wipe out a variety or species.

To look at GMOs in a vacuum doesn't scratch the surface of our food challenges. Look at the primary crops where they are used: Wheat, corn, soybean. Try to find food without any of these three ingredients. Guess what lovestock eats? Meat requires many more inputs per calorie than vegetable products. Are we willing to change our diet for the world's benefit?

Anything with corn syrup in it already has GMO crops in it; i.e. 80% of processed food. Do I think it can be a problem? Yes. Do I think it is ALWAYS a problem? No. (e.g. Golden Rice is definitely a good idea) I'm against monocultures (that goes for both agriculture and IT) and there are definitely people who cannot eat the GMO crops.

We are already seeing unwanted byproducts of GMOs - more resistant weeds and pests.

What I'd LOVE to see would be a law requiring any foods that are known to contain GMOs to be labeled as such. That, to me, seems like a solution that puts the power of choice into the hands of the consumer.

Excuse my stupidity, but why does a giant corporation like Monsanto need protection from the government?

My cousin has been going on and on about the evil Monsanto for a few years now. I've started taking notice recently. I'm gonna be talking with her about Heirloom seeds here pretty quick.

In reply to Mitchell:

I fear that trying to prop up the population growth by gambling on monocultures (let alone patented monocultures) is asking to increase the scale of the tragedy if it goes wrong.

Imagine if the Irish Potato Famine hadn't even had coffin ships, because there was nowhere else to even attempt to go.

I love a steak, but I suspect we're propping up false pricing on a lot of foods. I think we will have to cut back on that sort of thing, but that scares me less than our existence depending on Monsanto Brand(TM) MonoCorn...

California tried to just label GMOs, but failed because big money (Monsanto) killed it with a massive propaganda campaign. All the conservative talk shows were all carrying the torches for Monsanto. They basically lied and said it would open up all sorts of false lawsuits and feed the greedy lawyers. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black That lobby is so deep in the pockets of politicians there isn't much hope.

Mitchell wrote: Are we willing to change our diet for the world's benefit?

I did. Will you?