Why are GMO's bad?

cappytan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH4bi60alZU

First person to say, "This SciShow episode is a Monsanto conspiracy," is a rotten egg.

DJS Linked Forbes as indefinable proof GMO's are not bad for you. Therefore I find it interesting that Forbes have had to backtrack on there glowing admiration for Monsanto. Why you may ask? Because they have created a super weed that is totally resistant to any pesticides - Translated - They have created a monster.

All together now. "IT'S ALIVE, IT'S ALIVE!"

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertlangreth/2010/10/12/forbes-was-wrong-on-monsanto-really-wrong/

Village Idiot

My issue with GMOs is not whether they're safe - I believe they are though there could be exceptions - but whether you can grow crops from them from seed.

They're considered "intellectual" property and are made with a termination date so that farmers have to keep buying the seed.

Another issue is disclosure. If they were, for example, to use peanut genes in corn and a consumer has a major allergy to peanuts then that could be a problem. The product should come with a notice stating what it contains so that the consumer can make an informed decision.

cappytan

All plants are alive.

username

OK Smartass cappytan lol I men't in the Frankenstein sort of way

StarTrekAngel

I really don't care, at this point, buying GMO or not. I'll like it when the label tells me straight out what's is it but I have no reason to believe that either crowd has a definite answer. If anything, you could say that organic is the safe way but, at the same time, I can understand that the risk of eating GMO vs the risk of not eating at all are not comparable. Rather eat something. In the grand scheme of things thought, if kids in Africa are lacking a certain vitamin, we should put more efforts into knowing why we can't get food to these kids rather than figuring out how to surge their vitamin intake. Not saying the latter isn't necessary. In other words, GMO foods can be a tool for progress but science should carefully consider wether there are other alternatives and wether our choice of alternatives is driven by compassion or greed.

Even some of the products labeled as non-GMO can contain GMO ingredients. Even as he mentioned in the video, sometimes GMO feed is given to cows. I can't help but to see loose ends anyway but I like to reaffirm that each side of this religion-like debate has its shortcomings when it comes to producing facts. For example, a GMO fish that produces more growth hormones may be safe to eat in a sense, but do we know what this excess hormone would do to us? We know that in the frenzy of producing so much milk, cows are milked constantly. The cows being pregnant at some point, means that a lot of milk is loaded with estrogen. While it is not the only source, other non-related studies suggest that overconsumption of estrogen and estrogen mimicking substances can have an impact on our health. I know GMOs have been around for decades but so have been low fat products and just now we are beginning to understand that low fat was not necessarily well understood.

If the industry has to redefine the meaning of organic or twist the label to claim "non-GMO", then I will doubt all the information out there is accurate. Does it remind you of the overlapping generation? I also very much against putting intellectual rights on genes. Is just a step in a very bad direction.

I am more inclined to label transparency so that we can make informed choices rather than have to trust the industry to give us the right things.

cappytan

My issue with GMOs is not whether they're safe - I believe they are though there could be exceptions - but whether you can grow crops from them from seed.

Your issue, then, is not with GMOs, but with the corporations that spend the money and time on R&D.

I agree that it's pretty shitty that you can't use seed from a plant you grew without paying a royalty. I'm not sure what the solution is to that. I'm torn. On the one hand, it's crappy that you can't use seed that you've grown because of intellectual property laws. On the other hand, I recognize that a company would soon go bankrupt if they didn't restrict the use of seeds, and then you wouldn't have innovations, or corners would start to get cut.

Similarly, I really really really WANT my music to be free, but I also want the artist to keep making music.

If they were, for example, to use peanut genes in corn and a consumer has a major allergy to peanuts then that could be a problem.

Before any GMO product goes to market, it is tested thoroughly. I don't know what tests they perform (I'm by no means an expert), but I would imagine allergy tests would certainly be one of them since it's a product for consumption.

StarTrekAngel

My understanding is that in most cases, the company that sells or creates the products tests it. The FDA or the USDA don't have that much of an ability to conduct long term testing on each individual product. They can make certain studies, specially when health issues arise. But they are not able to test each product themselves. They review the tests done by the companies themselves and I assume they have people capable of understanding the science. But once again, is the government we are talking about here.

Oh and be the way, on my previous post, lets not forget that a week ago, saying that car makers cheat on their emissions testing could have sounded like conspiracy.

Village Idiot

cappytan:

"On the other hand, I recognize that a company would soon go bankrupt if they didn't restrict the use of seeds, and then you wouldn't have innovations, or corners would start to get cut."

Monsanto would not go bankrupt because it already had a steady stream of income from other products such as selling non-GMO hybrid seeds to farmers.

"Before any GMO product goes to market, it is tested thoroughly. I don't know what tests they perform (I'm by no means an expert), but I would imagine allergy tests would certainly be one of them since it's a product for consumption."

That's an assumption that I care not take for granted.

Magwitch

Why are GMO's bad?

For me it is very simple.....We just do not have enough information on GMOs. I am 50 years old and this is the only life and body I will ever have. I will be damned if I am going to fill it with unknown sh**.

Why are GMO's bad?

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