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A new report shows the adoption of GMO cropping systems has had significant positive impacts to farmers and customers over a 16-year period.
~ Between 1996 and 2011, crop biotechnology was responsible for an additional 110 million tons of soybeans and 195 million tons of corn.
~ Crop biotechnology has contributed to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture by reducing fuel use and additional soil carbon storage from reduced tillage.
~ Crop biotechnology has reduced pesticide spraying by 474 million kilograms (-9%).
~ The insect-resistant technology used in cotton and corn has consistently delivered yield gains from reduced pest damage. The average yield gains over the 1996-2011 period across all users of the technology was +10.1% for insect-resistant corn and +15.8% for insect resistant cotton.
The great GM food hysteria: Do you believe eating genetically modified crops is like dining with the devil? No wonder - that's exactly what apocalyptic eco-zealots want you to think.
Date of article: 6 July 2013
GM, of course, remains anathema to Greens, who speak of opening a Pandora’s Box of possible health catastrophes, so capturing the public’s imagination.
Humans have been genetically modifying crops since farming began many thousands of years ago.
Wheat was developed by cross-breeding different strains of grass. Traditional methods such as this take many plant generations.
Indeed, such has been the hyperbole, the public may be amazed to discover how much GM food they are already happily – if obliviously – consuming with no health issues.
For example, it is a remarkable fact that the widespread introduction of GM maize and soya in countries such as the US means humans have so far eaten more than 3 trillion GM meals.
There has not been a single substantiated case of harm.
On the other hand, there have been several cases where people have died from eating organic food, such as a German E coli outbreak spread by beansprouts infected with the deadly bacteria, which killed 50 and left 3,500 with serious kidney disease in 2011.
On top of that, anyone who drinks milk or eats meat and dairy products in Europe is part of the GM food chain: About 85 per cent of animal feed is also GM maize and soya, mainly imported from America.
Instead of providing people with useful information, mandatory GMO labels would only intensify the misconception that so-called Frankenfoods endanger people's health [see “The Truth about Genetically Modified Food”]. The American Association for the Advancement of Science, the World Health Organization and the exceptionally vigilant European Union agree that GMOs are just as safe as other foods.
Mark Lynas speech hosted by the International Programs – College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (50th Anniversary Celebration) , and the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, Cornell University
The following is excellent insight into why people distrust GM foods/crops. The bottom line?
When it comes to new, unknown technologies, data always loses out to emotion
And if the reader of this post has followed this thread from the OP one can see this clearly. When asked for concrete accredited proof GMO's are harmful to Human Beings there is none....
Please read this article, it has links to studies done by a psychologist Paul Slovic, who has been studying our perceptions of risk since the nineteen-fifties, Cornell University and Maastricht University, in the Netherlands.
Those labels are very small and can be hard to find. I recommend the guide at very least. Truth is that about 95 percent of everything on the shelf is GMO. So winnowing is very necessary.
You missed my point. As a practical matter just assume they're 100% GMO and avoid them all unless they say "Organic" or "GMO Free." That will simplify life for you quite a bit, and also be a big timesaver.
The anti-GM folks here should catch a breath and read this...
No kidding.
I have a good friend who is intelligent and otherwise seems quite sane, but on this topic she's completely illogical. She just shared on Facebook that she had found a brand of Organic oatmeal she had been looking for at a store across town, and OMG, it was NON GMO, so she stocked up on it!
When I pointed out that there is no such thing as GMO oats, and that the entire ingredients list on a package of Quaker Oats reads: Oats, she just acted confused.
I have a good friend who is intelligent and otherwise seems quite sane, but on this topic she's completely illogical. She just shared on Facebook that she had found a brand of Organic oatmeal she had been looking for at a store across town, and OMG, it was NON GMO, so she stocked up on it!
When I pointed out that there is no such thing as GMO oats, and that the entire ingredients list on a package of Quaker Oats reads: Oats, she just acted confused.
Too many of the anti-GMO folks like that article talks about (psychology) are clueless and are scared solely because it's technology... I have a sister-in-law who is absolutely phobic about GMO foods, when I ask her why she points out how many have gotten sick/had reactions to the foods.
Of course when I ask her for concrete evidence that GMO's were the culprit all I get (like here) is correlations...
From my understanding and I can be wrong but if someone produces fruits without seeds (watermellons for instance) the farmer will always have to buy from that same producer and will never be independent from them and eventually be at the mercy of whatever price that they charge in the future. If this could be done on a worldwide scale it could possibly corner the market on where we get our food from.
Personally I rather take my chances with all natural foods, at least that I know that there will be no genetic tomfoolery later on in my bloodline.
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