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Growing crops is made difficult because of weeds that grow alongside them and compete with the crops for nutrients, water and sunlight. This will stifle the crops' growth and vigor. Insect pests also will feed on the crops either killing or stifling them. Then there are plant diseases that can wipe out crops.
In order to fight against these 3 enemies, farmers will use chemicals on the crops. However the chemicals also hurt the crops as well. To solve this problem, scientists began trying to genetically engineer crops in such a way that they will not be affected by the chemicals, hence these crops are called genetically modified organisms (GMO). That means that GMO crops are assuredly sprayed with chemicals. These chemicals kill the unwanted weeds, insect pests and disease organisms but they are also not good for humans either.
Despite what the government or some non-believers say, I personally do not believe that these chemicals are safe. They certainly cannot be good for you. Therefore, I try to buy non-GMO's and organic as much as I can.
The whole idea behind genetically modifying plants to resist pests and weeds is to reduce the amount of herbicide and pesticide the farmer must use. "Organic" does not mean pesticide free.
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Originally Posted by Tonyafd
I don't think that genetically modified foods have much of an effect. What bothers me is that Monsanto seeds are designed to produce one and one crop only. Harvesting what you think is seed corn from a Monsanto crop is a waste of time. In an emergency, you will eat well this year but die of starvation next year and so will your farm animals.
Genetically modified seeds yield one generation of fruit then they die off. Buy non GMO seeds only.
Hybrid plants are often sterile, whether they are produced by artificial selection or modern genetic modification methods. As Dr. Tyson points out in the short video posted above, you will not find seedless watermelons growing in the wild.
GMO corn is not sterile. Farmers who buy it agree not to keep seed corn, however. Doing so would be a violation of their contract with the manufacturer.
Most corn planted in the US is hybrid. Using seed from hybrid corn will not produce the same plants that the seed is derived from.
Buried at the bottom of the article you linked....
"On one hand, it’s important to realize that simply cultivating crops, instead of gathering them from the wild, is a form of genetic modification. Over the centuries, different varieties were cross-bred to produce stronger fruits and vegetables with more desirable tastes and appearances.
However, with recent scientific advances, the genetic modification that’s going on today is quite different. In some cases, pesticides or even the genes of animals have been introduced in an attempt to make super-breeds of certain crops. The effect of this process is still untested and unproven, considering how new it is.
We’ve yet to reach a firm conclusion about whether or not modern GMOs are safe for human consumption, other animals — like pollinators — and perhaps most importantly, the environment."
Selective breeding is very different than gene splicing, for those among us who like to defend GMO's, don't confuse the two.
There is plenty of evidence on GMO safety.
No, it is not fundamentally different. Selective breeding just takes longer and depends on a certain amount of genetic serendipity.
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Originally Posted by in_newengland
I would have to look into it more, but I don't think this is what we are talking about. OF COURSE, people have always tried to improve the seeds, hybridizing (cross breeding) plants to make them better. But what Monsanto has done is something else. They insert genes to get a bigger production of a fruit or a vegetable. Then articles come out to brainwash the public--when no one really knows how safe this is yet.
It's not the same as for example, the way corn has been changed over hundreds and hundreds of years by the Native Americans, breeding it to be as large as it is now when it started out as a little tiny cob about an inch long. That's an actual improvement that's been good for the human race. Monsanto is doing something else.
Monsanto just did it quicker. Do you have any peer reviewed science that says GMO foods are unsafe?
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Originally Posted by in_newengland
Yes, that's one positive result of GMO products--very large production. So it can benefit starving people in other parts of the world. Anything is better than starving. Eating dog food is better than starving.
But the jury is still out as to whether these new foods (genetically altered in a way that cannot occur in nature) are causing increased food allergies and other health problems.
And Monsanto is all about the money. I think we all know that. They do not care.
What you are saying is that GMO foods are dangerous but it is all right to feed them to the third world.
Isn't any company "all about the money"? Why should it be all right for a non-GMO seed company to make money but not Monsanto? Should every seed company have to sell seeds at cost? Why would they even want to stay in business if there is no profit in it?
Can you provide a peer-reviewed study that supports GMO products causing any health problems?
Certainly it would be possible to make a GMO plant that has a gene inserted that might cause the plant to produce a protein that someone could be allergic to, such as one for a peanut protein, but there is no reason to do that. If there were, then products using the plant would need to clearly say so on the label, the way products containing peanuts do.
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Originally Posted by donsabi
Thanks to Monsanto BT corn is now an insecticide. BT corn is grown all over the country and most of what is sold at farmers markets is BT corn. There are no human studies on BT corn. The consumer of BT corn is the study.
Our bodies were designed to eat natural and organic foods not genetically modified and chemically enhanced plants. Simply because these plants survive this desecration does not mean they are safe to eat. In the US we have an obesity epidemic and autism has grown from 1:1020 to 1:66. One MIT, Phd believes, and has published, that Monsanto's glyphosate is the direct cause of autism. Other studies found that corn sweeteners, like HFCS, is the key cause of most obesity.
There are some posters here that one might think have a vested interested in Monsanto. Monsanto has lost several cases for damages of their product glyphosate in which many of these same posters attempted to defend. If you want good health for yourself and your family I urge you to investigate for yourself. BT corn is toxic and, without a doubt, glyphosate is a carcinogen.
What do you want to feed your children tonight? I suggest organic foods made by God.
Do you have anything besides a YouTube video to support your claims that corn causes autism, that glyphosate causes autism, or that HFCS causes obesity? If you eat corn containing the BT genes you digest that gene the same way you do all of the other genes in the corn.
There are no organic foods "made by God." Everything we eat has been developed by artificial selection and is genetically modified from the way "God" originally made it.
By the way, obesity is due to consuming energy (from all sources) in excess of what you expend.
Part of the problem with GMO's is the seed cannot be saved from crop to crop and used next year. The farmer is locked in to buying seed every year.
When GMO tomatoes hit the market about 20 years ago, some high end restaurant chefs had a concern about Kosher. The GMO tomatoes were modified with shrimp. If that is important, how does one know what's in what they are eating.
I stopped using anything made by Monsanto years ago. Producing agent orange for the government told me everything I needed to know about the company.
Part of the problem with GMO's is the seed cannot be saved from crop to crop and used next year. The farmer is locked in to buying seed every year.
That is almost as bad as that evil company Red Box. They let you watch the DVD but you can't save a copy for yourself. The nerve of these companies trying to stay in business and claiming they have ownership of something just because they invested millions or billions into developing it.
Seriously though. Why would Monsanto develop a product that only had to be purchased once? Imagine how much they would have to charge initially for the seed if that was the case. Then the complaint would be Monsanto is charging way to much to buy their seeds.
The whole idea behind genetically modifying plants to resist pests and weeds is to reduce the amount of herbicide and pesticide the farmer must use. "Organic" does not mean pesticide free.
Can you provide a peer-reviewed study that supports GMO products causing any health problems?
Do you have anything besides a YouTube video to support your claims that corn causes autism, that glyphosate causes autism, or that HFCS causes obesity?
There are no organic foods "made by God." Everything we eat has been developed by artificial selection and is genetically modified from the way "God" originally made it.
By the way, obesity is due to consuming energy (from all sources) in excess of what you expend.
Three are many companies who use organic pesticides we don’t use any on what we grow and we don’t have to worry about poison being pumped into our food.
If you think what they pump into your food is good for you please keep on eating it. Might has well stop at McDonald’s and grab a burger and fries while you’re at it.
Do you have anything besides Monsantos word on it? You know independent testing in their own labs.
It’s the old adage you are what you eat if you think eating foods that are altered in a lab is better then food that’s it’s up to you. You’re an adult. And no not everything we eat is modified everything YOU eat might be and I’m more likely to have less health issues then you are.
Now run along and enjoy your 100% beef cheeseburger from McDonalds.
Genetically modified foods are not magic or scary. Most are the result of basic selective breeding. Similar to our domestic pets. Just able to be done at a faster pace.
Three are many companies who use organic pesticides we don’t use any on what we grow and we don’t have to worry about poison being pumped into our food.
If you think what they pump into your food is good for you please keep on eating it. Might has well stop at McDonald’s and grab a burger and fries while you’re at it.
Do you have anything besides Monsantos word on it? You know independent testing in their own labs.
Over 6000 peer reviewed studies not conducted by Monsanto that conclude that not only is corn safe but safer than non gmo corn.my link is above. But you can watch a YouTube video and get another opinion.
Part of the problem with GMO's is the seed cannot be saved from crop to crop and used next year. The farmer is locked in to buying seed every year.
When GMO tomatoes hit the market about 20 years ago, some high end restaurant chefs had a concern about Kosher. The GMO tomatoes were modified with shrimp. If that is important, how does one know what's in what they are eating.
I stopped using anything made by Monsanto years ago. Producing agent orange for the government told me everything I needed to know about the company.
Most farmers were buying seed every year way before GMO seed became available. Most corn grown today is hybrid and seed from a crop cannot be used because you will not get the same plant that the seed came from.
There are no commercially available GMO tomatoes, so your anecdote is a myth.
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Originally Posted by reed067
Three are many companies who use organic pesticides we don’t use any on what we grow and we don’t have to worry about poison being pumped into our food.
If you think what they pump into your food is good for you please keep on eating it. Might has well stop at McDonald’s and grab a burger and fries while you’re at it.
Do you have anything besides Monsantos word on it? You know independent testing in their own labs.
It’s the old adage you are what you eat if you think eating foods that are altered in a lab is better then food that’s it’s up to you. You’re an adult. And no not everything we eat is modified everything YOU eat might be and I’m more likely to have less health issues then you are.
Now run along and enjoy your 100% beef cheeseburger from McDonalds.
You may grow your own plants without pesticides but commercial organic growers do indeed use them. Whatever you plant has indeed been genetically altered by selective breeding.
Over 6000 peer reviewed studies not conducted by Monsanto that conclude that not only is corn safe but safer than non gmo corn.my link is above. But you can watch a YouTube video and get another opinion.
Startling ignorance with some of these comments.
You honestly believe that a company like Monosanto is going to let an independent company test their chemicals? It’s not ignorant it’s called being naïve on your part. Follow the breadcrumbs.
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