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G M Food - Crops
The government in the Uk has set up a web site to find out the views of people on GM Food and Crops. The web site is at http://www.gmnation.org.uk/ and you have until 18 July 2003 to have your say.
It seems to be a pretty emotive subject but there are undoubtably benefits that can be achieved if they managed to transfer nitrogen fixing cababilities to non-fixing crops (i.e wheat) as this would then solve all the problems associated with the use of fertilizers - probably still pie in the sky so far though.
If you were to take a pragmatic view you could say that farming in general is modifying the environment - any farmers fancy a go?
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Highland Council Policy On GM
The Highland Council Policy on G M Crops can be found at http://www.highland.gov.uk/cx/pressr...1/gmpolicy.htm
and a few links and updating news on G M Food/Crops at http://www.caithness.org/links/genet...ifiedfoods.htm
Banned
This country already overproduces certain crops so why make ways of growing them in higher yields. Dump all EEC funding and make our country self sufficent and self regulating ( I believe a similar subsidy free farming community is already working in New Zealand ) and do away with GM crops all together. I would rather spend a bit more on my my shopping if I know I am buying locally produced and preferably organic goods. This includes the feed stuffs that animals are fed, do you really want to eat a farmed salmon that has been fed on chemicals to give it a nice pink colour( Chemicals that have been banned in other places because they are poisionous)
The point I was trying to make was not about increased yields but about trying to reduce the use of chemicals and fertilizers used in farming - kinda the other side to the coin.
I agree with all you say. Problem is, only a few years ago local supermarkets purchased from local growers. Now the policy is to buy centrally (probably from abroad), and a number of local producers have gone out of business as a result.Originally Posted by Naefearjustbeer
I reckon many people feel as you do, but would you boycott the supermarket and go to a farmer's market if such a thing existed?
I guess you would, and so would I. But where does the initiative come from? CASE?
Do you really think that the variety and selection of local produce could satisfy the popultion of Caithness? Maybe neeps and tatties, but I think that people expect and need a larger variety - if it could be supplied then fair play. Dont see why CASE needs to be involved in everything, surely if it is needed then it will make money anyway, why the need for CASE?
1K.Orger
I wouldnt disagree with what you have said up until now KW but you have taken the post away from Bill Fernies original question. These things you are talking about are only side issues and very much open to the issues and beliefs of the individual. On the other hand GM production has the potential to effect all mankind whether for the good or for the bad.
Bills original question was to find out the veiws of people on GM technology. From your posts i presume you have a little knowledge in the area but would rather argue the negative side of one farming method against the knowledge you obviously posses on the other hand.
I shudder to think about some of the wind borne "monsters" this new technology could bring to our environment but am also swayed by the argument that GM production will have the ability to wipe out starvation. Because of my little knowledge on the subject, that results alone would encourage me to accept the new technology with open hands.
These scientists are playing with the very stuff of life. Its such an important crossroads for the human race that we cant allow anything to go wrong.
Im a novice, neither a farmer nor a scientist but this is one technology im watching very closely. I see it more of an ethical question rather than a food producing answer.
1K.Orger
The government site linked from Bills original posting is very informative and easy to follow even if your a novice but heres something i found predictable on the quetion of...
Can we get unbiased information?
Probably not (at least all views agree on something). The problem here is one of interpretation: people's beliefs and motives influence their view of the information they provide, even in good faith.
1K.Orger
Last time I read about this particular issue it said the world already produces more than is needed to end starvation.
Thought Bill just posted the link for us to discuss/leave our views on the linked site Gleeber. Too large a subject to tackle as a whole so I just started off with a potential benefit of being able to genetically modify a particular type of crop, against the chemicals (including those "organic ones") which are currently used and canhave detrimental effects.
I think that organic farming has a rather romantic image and have yet to be convinced that it is the only way forward. Mind you I must admit that some of the produces does seem to taste better, but call me a cynic I reckon a lot of what is sold as organic is no different than the other stuff apart from the fact that it has not been given a good wash
Geo you are probably correct about the quantity of food produced, the problem is one of distribution, as with all things.
.Orger
Geo is definitely right about hunger being attributable more to poor distribution than lack of food. So unless Monsanto decides to move into food logistics, their claim that they can solve world hunger is an absolute lie!
The other big problems with GM foods is that they are being engineered to produce sterile seeds. So farmers have to buy seeds (or chemicals to counter the sterility) every year, from companies who have the power to charge more and more money. This would have an impact on this country, but would be absolutely devastating in countries in Africa. Farmers may have the option now to reject GM seeds, but how long will that last?
There are reports that some GM foods contain a gene that makes them resistant to antibiotics. We already have a problem here with superbugs which are resistant to antibiotics. How long before they are ineffective throughout the world, because of the GM food we eat?
As GM seeds contaminate non GM seeds, our foods will begin to have less genetic diversity. Poor genetic diversity is linked to many of the crop epidemics this world has experienced, like the Irish potato famine. That was devastating, but what if it happened on a world-wide scale?
Far from freeing the world from hunger, how long before the GM food giants lead us all into starvation?
not sure if the potato famine was poor genetic diversity or having all their eggs (sorry potatoes) in one basket. The potato crop would have failed whether they were Kerrs pinks or long blues.
.Orger
Irish potato famine
The lack of genetic diversity caused the reduction in resistance to disease, which in turn caused the potato crop to fail.
1K.Orger
This is a subject which i dont rightly understand. However, I do know that many gardners and companies spend years and years selecting specimens to produce precisely the characteristics or the attributes thaey particulrly want. This is done by growing plants in controlled environments, making selection from those plants, forcing pollination and so on and so on til they have "engineered" the plant they want. Is this not genetically modifying plants and if this is ok why is GM such a concern?
Am I correct in assuming that you recommend that there should be genetic modification to make crops less susceptible to disease? I cannot see how potatoes with greater genetic diversity would have solved the problem of potato blight at that time, it still effects pototo crops to this day (but it can be predicted due to environmental conditions), the problem in Ireland at that time was that they only had the potato as a crop - the diversity they needed was other crops, and the reasons they didn't are social and political.
.Orger
I am definitely not recommending the use of genetic modification to make crops less susceptible to disease! I was saying that genetic engineering leading to resistance to antibiotics in food = bad thing. Genetic engineering leading to poor genetic diversity = very bad thing.
I am no expert botanist or geneticist (as I am sure is obvious). I was just reflecting on the information I have read, which is that the genetic uniformity of the potatoes in the 1840s made them susceptible to disease. Thus any development by GM companies today that decreases genetic diversity in crops could, logically, lead to a serious food shortage worldwide.
The problem of genetic diversity cuts across food, humans and other animals. We can by all means use selective breeding to a degree, such as breeding dogs to have a good temperament. But there are incidences where this selective breeding is taken too far, and genetic diversity is reduced, as can be seen with the breeds of dog which are genetically susceptible to breathing problems, or heart failure, or deafness.
I am only suggesting that Mother Nature has served us well so far, and we do not know the consequences of messing with her!
As I said earlier it is a very complex and multi-dimentional subject. I think there may be confusion withthe breeding out of certain traits from crops (done by cross-breeding etc) to give less variety this has been done with many things one that springs to mind is rice, which allows rice farmers to get more crops in a year etc.
I wonder if anyone has done an experiment as to what happens if the potato crop is left after being subject to blight, in a Darwinian world it is survival of the fittest, so maybe the potatos time had come
1K.Orger
Squidge, heres a mugs veiw of genetic modification.
When something is genetically modified the scientists take the genetic material from one organism and stick it into another organism. These 2 organisms dont have to be the same species. I remember a report a couple of years ago when someone took the genetic material from a fish and inserted it into the genetic material of a tomato. Not sure of the purpose but as you can see the fundamentals of GM are quite scary so the wise guys on either side of this argument need to get it right.
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