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junglebeast
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I had no idea about this stuff before watching this...now I'm shocked and scared
http://www.hulu.com/watch/67878/the-future-of-food
http://www.hulu.com/watch/67878/the-future-of-food
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From the prairies of Saskatchewan, Canada to the fields of Oaxaca, Mexico, this film gives a voice to farmers whose lives and livelihoods have been negatively impacted by this new technology. The health implications, government policies and push towards globalization are all part of the reason why many people are alarmed by the introduction of genetically altered crops into our food supply.
Pengwuino said:Oh so it's an anti-GM food film?
Many GM food crops have been bioengineered to produce the same toxin produced by bacillus thuringiensis. It paralyzes the gut of insects that consume parts of the plant, including insects that may be beneficial, like pollinators. There is a lot of "we don't know" centered around honeybee colony collapse disorder. If the BT toxin is expressed in parts of the plants that the bees need for food (pollen), who's to say that GM plants don't have a part in killing off the bees?TheStatutoryApe said:As far as I understand the only major downfall of GM produce is that the lack of genetic diversification leaves it weak in response to disease, which is supposedly something that is being worked on.
I'll have to watch the video when I have time but most of what you have described sounds like conspiracy theory type stuff.
junglebeast said:That's correct. I previously held the opinion that genetic engineering was probably a benefit -- why else would they be doing it?
I didn't realize things like:
* Genetically modified seeds are driven around in large trucks, seeds blow out and contaminate the crops of farmers who are trying NOT to grow GM crops. Then, because the GM seeds are patented, the farmers are sued into bankruptcy and lose ownership of their crops.
* There are a lot of weird GM crops being grown around in secret locations, which have dangerous mutations, but since the locations are secret farmers cannot locate far away to prevent cross-contanination
* Genetically modified foods have not been tested for safety, the government won't fund research to test the foods, and instead the "testing" is highly biased and funded by the same companies who produce the GM food. The only reason they do this is to prevent other people from testing it, so that they can claim it's already been tested, and is safe..when in fact it is not. At the same time, the CEO of companies are saying things like, "It's not our job to make sure it's safe, we just sell the ****."
* GM plants have no health benefits, and some have known toxic effects...yet they are not labeled
The list just goes on and on
TheStatutoryApe said:As far as I understand the only major downfall of GM produce is that the lack of genetic diversification leaves it weak in response to disease, which is supposedly something that is being worked on.
I'll have to watch the video when I have time but most of what you have described sounds like conspiracy theory type stuff.
junglebeast said:If it's all a conspiracy theory, then they sure did a good job of paying off scientists, forging legal documents, and hiring expert actors to impersonate the farmer's who were sued...
BoomBoom said:Hmmm...many of those comments smell of unsubstantiated anti-GM propoganda. Are these all issues that are brought up in the film? The claims you have listed just don't seem like comments that can be backed up by facts...I guess I'll have to try and check out the film when I have more time.
CRGreathouse said:Funny, I was going to say just the reverse. To convince us of this unsubstantiated nonsense they needed to pay off scientists, forge legal documents, and hire expert actors.
Genetically modified canola which is resistant to herbicide was first introduced to Canada in 1995. Today 80% of the acres sown are genetically modified canola.[27]
Contamination of conventional canola crops from neighbouring genetically engineered fields has been a serious problem for Canadian canola farmers. It is very difficult for farmers to grow non-GM crops because of the frequent contamination.
The most high-profile case of contamination is Monsanto Canada Inc. v. Schmeiser, where Monsanto sued Percy Schmeiser for patent infringement because his field was contaminated with Monsanto's patented Roundup Ready glyphosate-tolerant canola. The supreme court ruled that Percy was in violation of Monsanto's patent because the crops were growing on his land, but he was not required to pay Monsanto damages since he did not benefit financially from its presence.[28] On March 19, 2008, Schmeiser and Monsanto Canada Inc. came to an out-of-court settlement whereby Monsanto will pay for the clean-up costs of the contamination which came to a total of $660 Canadian. Also part of the agreement was that there was no gag-order on the settlement and that Monsanto could be sued again if any further contamination occurred.[29]
moe darklight said:Were they also sneaky enough to pay off Indian farmers to commit suicide because they can't afford to keep purchasing GM seeds that are modified not to reproduce, and now have no way out?
BoomBoom said:If this is true and they are modified not to reproduce, then I find it hard to believe that this "contamination" of natural crops due to seeds spilling out of trucks would really be an issue.
moe darklight said:The farmers buy the seeds, but the plants don't produce fertile seeds, so they must keep purchasing seeds and specialized chemicals.
moe darklight said:The farmers buy the seeds, but the plants don't produce fertile seeds, so they must keep purchasing seeds and specialized chemicals.
Moonbear said:Which is why it makes no sense to claim they are contaminating other crops. Who drives around with seeds in an open truck in the first place? But, at most, they get some stray plants growing roadside for a season, along with the weeds and other contaminants from the road. The plants can't propagate.
moe darklight said:The farmers buy the seeds, but the plants don't produce fertile seeds, so they must keep purchasing seeds and specialized chemicals.
junglebeast said:They are also genetically modifying seeds that can only grow with Monsanto fertilizer products, so that you have to buy those products
junglebeast said:I guess you didn't watch the video...the farmer that got sued explained that another truck driver had openly admitted to spilling half a truck load of Monsanto's seeds into his farm. He was driving around with a tarp on over the back which came off in the wind and they blew out. They also explained that almost every single non-GM farm in the state had been contaminated the same way. It's already a common farming practice to have your plantation nearby to a wild corn field because the cross pollination makes them more resistant. By the same token growing next to a GM corn field screws with your crops. But since they won't release the secret locations of the corn that's being used to produce unnatural inedible things (like drugs that are not meant for consumption), that's a serious health hazard.
junglebeast said:They are also genetically modifying seeds that can only grow with Monsanto fertilizer products, so that you have to buy those products
junglebeast said:* Genetically modified seeds are driven around in large trucks, seeds blow out and contaminate the crops of farmers who are trying NOT to grow GM crops. Then, because the GM seeds are patented, the farmers are sued into bankruptcy and lose ownership of their crops.
junglebeast said:It's already a common farming practice to have your plantation nearby to a wild corn field because the cross pollination makes them more resistant.
jarednjames said:If a bunch of GM seeds land in your field, and they manage to survive (without some special fertilizer). The only effect they are going to have is boosting crop levels in the first year, and then due to their inability to reproduce they will just die out and have no effect on the next year. No long term contamination there. Or am I missing something?
Averagesupernova said:Some crops are able to reproduce and some are not. Corn for instance hasn't been able to reproduce well for 50 years. That is not to say if you plant a kernel of harvested corn it won't grow. It just may not produce a very good crop. That is why it is called seed corn and not corn seeds. It's a hybrid. Has nothing to do with modifying plant DNA. It has to do with selective breeding. Soybeans that are Roundup ready will reproduce over and over and over just as soybeans always have been. Going back 50 years to open pollenated corn will work like soybeans. The harvested kernel will reproduce over and over and over with the same results year after year but at a seriously reduced crop yield. Going from open pollenated corn to the hybrid was a huge step in production.
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Given typical farming practices, crops are rotated every year, so anything left in the field due to harvest loss or some (rediculous) spilled seed, the next year whatever is left is considered a weed since a different crop has been rotated in.
jarednjames said:Umm OK, but it is stated on the previous page they are modified NOT to reproduce, and as such, they cannot 'contaminate' other crops.
junglebeast said:That's correct. I previously held the opinion that genetic engineering was probably a benefit -- why else would they be doing it?
I didn't realize things like:
* Genetically modified seeds are driven around in large trucks, seeds blow out and contaminate the crops of farmers who are trying NOT to grow GM crops. Then, because the GM seeds are patented, the farmers are sued into bankruptcy and lose ownership of their crops.
* There are a lot of weird GM crops being grown around in secret locations, which have dangerous mutations, but since the locations are secret farmers cannot locate far away to prevent cross-contanination
* Genetically modified foods have not been tested for safety, the government won't fund research to test the foods, and instead the "testing" is highly biased and funded by the same companies who produce the GM food. The only reason they do this is to prevent other people from testing it, so that they can claim it's already been tested, and is safe..when in fact it is not. At the same time, the CEO of companies are saying things like, "It's not our job to make sure it's safe, we just sell the ****."
* GM plants have no health benefits, and some have known toxic effects...yet they are not labeled
The list just goes on and on
jarednjames said:Umm OK, but it is stated on the previous page they are modified NOT to reproduce, and as such, they cannot 'contaminate' other crops.
Pupil said:Point by point.
* Get better trucks. This isn't an argument against GM crops -- it's an argument their trucks suck.
* Please provide references. This is a very bold claim.
0:25 on addresses your point.
* Genetically modified plants have saved countless lives. I consider keeping millions of people from dying a rather formidable health benefit.
Pupil said: