5 ms·
Well, no but there are other things that are often forgotten: - Monoclonal cultures are highly suceptible to diseases like this one - there is a much higher pe
by patall 10y ago
Well, no but there are other things that are often forgotten:
- Monoclonal cultures are highly suceptible to diseases like this one
- there is a much higher pesticide usage associated with GMO fields around the world (for what reason whatsoever)
- people have been sued because their crops contained genes from GMO companies
I am not really against GMO (I studied biotechnology) but I can understand why people have massive problems with them. And if Monsanto says that they want to monopolize food production around the world, I will oppose them, even if they do sometimes good things. It is not GMO that is the problem, its monopoles and big corporations that are associated with that and thats what people fear and rightfully fear.
- muninn_ 10y agoI don't disagree that those are risks, and I do not like the large agriculture firms or the climate of that business from what I've read. I'm with you here.
- tormeh 10y ago>there is a much higher pesticide usage associated with GMO fields around the world (for what reason whatsoever) This is because most GMO crops are designed to withstand more pesticides rather than bettering the crop on its own. It's a kind of printer and cartridge sales model. In Monsanto's case they want you to buy their crops and then use more Roundup. In this way they sell seeds and afterwards they sell more pesticide for those seeds.
- ptaipale 10y agoNot really: GMO crops don't really use more pesticides. Very often less. It's not totally a one-way street and things are complicated in many situations, but the common public perception "GMO == pouring lots of pesticides" is clearly wrong.
- tormeh 10y agoThey don't need more, but Monsanto's breeds allow you to use more, which is something farmers want, because that means you get less weeds.
- saalweachter 10y agoHerbicides, not pesticides. Also, keep in mind that "herbicide" is not a single thing; the particular herbicide that Monsanto sells (glyophosate) is more-or-less not toxic to mammals or insects and does not migrate to the water table. You can't just compare "pounds of *cide" and call it a day. It is very important how much of which pesticides and herbicides are being applied, and what the properties of those are (how long they take to break down, whether they migrate to the water table, how toxic they are to different animals).
- zzalpha 10y agoGMO crops don't really use more pesticides. Very often less. Nope: http://www.forbes.com/sites/bethhoffman/2013/07/02/gmo-crops-mean-more-herbicide-not-less/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/bethhoffman/2013/07/02/gmo-crops... FTA: Overall pesticide use decreased only in the first few years GE crops were used (42 percent between 1998 and 2001) and has since then risen by 26 percent from 2001 to 2010. By 2011 there were also three times as many herbicide-resistant weeds found in farmer's fields as there were in 2001. Now, I think the GMO scare out there borders on mindless hysteria. But pesticide and herbicide resistant crops are just... bad.