I need your thoughts please

Hi folks! I have a question to ask about GM foods and crops. There's a post in the "Farming Forum" that Tom made and I responded to. The post covers several aspects of biotech crops but it does mention other countries further on down the Q&A info. The US govt has put out some propaganda that the only reason Europe and other countries have rejected GM foods and crops is because of political reasons. Quite frankly, I don't buy that. If you would be so kind, could you please go post the real reason that your countries have rejected GM crops? Thanks! :)

Terri

Oops! Here's the link:

http://davesgarden.com/showthread/farmlife/17094.html

Hello Pete2! I believe a number of consumers haven't been too keen on the idea of GM foods. Some supermarkets, like Iceland, have come forward as representing the consumer and decided not to supply GM foods and some newspapers have followed the same line. I haven't been following all the proceedings but I thought that our Tony and his cronies were in favour of GM. And found that they'd misjudged the mood of the nation.

I think there's probably a lot of information on GM foods on the Friends of the Earth site at http://www.foe.org.uk but there are two reasons GMO crops aren't welcome in Europe, and neither of them is anything to do with politics. That's your government playing politics.

The main reason, probably because most people are more easily scared than informed, is that we don't know how safe genetically modified foods are, as food. It wouldn't be quite so bad if the companies involved could say that they're changing crops to provide higher yields or better quality food. The fact that it's chemical companies that are doing all the research puts the lie to that. They're mainly producing crops that make it essential for farmers to use their products, be they seeds or pesticides, thus making the whole food production system in the world dependent on a few big companies. That can't be democratic - what's the US government's problem with democracy? I thought they were in favour of it?

But in order to get these new seeds on to the market, there are some testing procedures that have to be followed. In many cases, it's been proved that the tests weren't carried out according to the law. If the chemical companies are so sure they're right, why are they trying to circumvent the laws which are there to safeguard consumers?

The second reason, which isn't the reason the supermarkets are withdrawing GMO foods, because most people aren't interested, is the environmental reason. GMO crops haven't been around long enough to have been properly tested in the real world. No-one knows whether any of these genes transplanted artifically from animals to plants will be transferred to other organisms they come into contact with.

Will the genes that make the potato glow be transferred into the caterpillars that feed on the leaves, into the birds that eat the caterpillars, into the larger animals (which may eventually include humans) that eat the birds? Do we really want to produce people who glow in the dark? Do we want to breed people who need to be sprayed with a particular pesticide in order to survive?

Do we want to risk changing the nature of everything on this planet, in a way that nature doesn't, just so that the chemical companies can make a profit for evermore?

You may laugh, as the chemical companies do, but you don't know, I don't know, and they don't know. It will take several generations of all these organisms to get the answer.

We don't have the answers. Until we do, and in case they're not as good as the producers (who aren't exactly unbiased) claim, we prefer to be safe rather than sorry.

My thoughts exactly, Mary!!! Thank you for that explanation. I'm going to go explore the site you posted when I'm through here at DG. :)

Northerner, I didn't know that Tony was in favor of GM crops. That's interesting. :)

Terri

I don't know whether our Tony is in favour or not, Pete2. He's very much the politician. I certainly had the impression that he was in favour of them. As for me, I'm concerned about the long-term effects to our environment that they could have. Monoculture planting is generally less helpful for our native wildlife as there is less diversity. House-sparrows used to be a common sight, now they've reduced in mumbers. I do understand that there are valid reasons why farmers may be keen to give GM crops a try. I'm not painting our farmers as the bad guys!

It all comes down to them sneaking in the tests without telling the public, they got caught and people didnt like it, and thats all it is, they got caught red handed trying to decive people, so now they have to shift the attention to elsewhere.

Alan.

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There's also the fear factor in the public's viewpoint : it wasn't so long ago that we were told by "experts" representing the government that BSE couldn't cross species, now we have new variant CJD. Scrapie is apparently trans-species too as are any number of previously species-specific bugs : without going down the road of studying or even reading in depth, what has happened is that the British public have 'twitched' :- newspapers feature dumbed-down summaries of what they purport to be the facts and people knee-jerk react. Consumer demand (or the lack of it) have created market forces that are financially irresistible to the larger supermarkets which is why it appears that the Brits are more conscious of the potential dangers from GM foods. However, cynic that I am I believe that the majority of the public don't really care what they're eating (after all cigarette smoking is on the increase again, how smart does that make us look ?) they just bleat and baaa a lot following the tune played by the newspaper magnates and the spin doctors.

Guess who's a greenie then ? GM is potentially excellent, I just fear the rush everyone's in to make money from it 'cos greed often negates caution......

Patty, it because we have caught the buggers out so many times, that we are always looking to see what they are up to, for years they lied and decieved us, not so easy now.

Alan.

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Getting like that here too, unfortunately.

Alan.

It's hard for folk not to be apathetic because there are so many vital issues out there that are seriously undermining the credulity of life and I think people are genuinely disturbed by all this but don't know what to do about it, or feel that maybe someone else will sort out the problem. I think they worry about issues, but choose not to think or do because it's too depressing. They hope it will go away. On the other hand there are those who really don't give a toss because they don't know any better (on both sides of the pond) God help us and the generations to come!

This message was edited Tuesday, Mar 20th 8:25 PM

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Patty, What disturbs me more than anything is that there are people who don't know anything about this at all. If everyone knew then one would think that the very strength in numbers would make a difference if we all protested long and hard enough. It seems that peoples' revolts are a thing of the past and might seem quite ridiculous in our time but why couldn't it happen! I think it will happen some day when things start to go wrong.

Good morning all.

You're right of course - the whole world seems to be spiralling into some kind of man-made hell, but I try to console myself that it has always seemed like this to the inhabitants of our planet irrespective of the age in which they lived. Luddites said we were all doomed and they were wrong. We all survived Hitler and Stalin (just) and I think this tenacious species we call mankind will somehow work it out. Wejust have a very nasty habit of leaving it all until almost too late.

My philosophy (serious note here and that's rare) is that I try to set a good example to others and hope that it ripples out into the wider world. Start with your children and immediate family, go on to the people in yr immediate environment and ot grows. I'm normally a cynic about most things but I really believe that this is something that does good in the world and is painless and we shoukld be teaching the youth to do the same.
Sorry to be boring - I'm now reverting to my normal silly self

Jo

We all have our moments. "There is a time for every purpose under heaven" !!!!! No-one could be more sillier or like a good laugh more than I do. But life is like that. Yesterday I was down and today I'm better. Let's hope we are not in such a mess as we think we are and allow a sense of optimism to give us hope.

Thanks for your thoughts on this. :) Did you get a chance to read this?http://davesgarden.com/showthread/farmlife/18440.html

Has the status of GM cotton changed in your country lately?

Terri

Terri maybe the homebound Brits can help you. I'm not always on top of things now that I no longer live in England.