4 ms·

That's the big lie about GMO. I always heard that they would use less(!) pesticides because the plant was more resistant but when you look at Roundup it's exact

That's the big lie about GMO. I always heard that they would use less(!) pesticides because the plant was more resistant but when you look at Roundup it's exactly the opposite.

coldtea 8y ago
An even bigger lie is "we need them to feed the poor" -- when it's merely to control IP and increase profit margins.
- loeg 8y ago
  Um. No one would farm GM plants if the returns on cost weren't there. Clearly, for the farmer, and therefore the consumer, they are net less expensive, even with that fat profit margin for Roundup. So-called organic farming is more expensive and it shows in consumer prices. The people who are impacted most by higher grocery store prices are the poor.
  - maxxxxx 8y ago
    They don't account for the pollution Roundup causes.
    - Junk_Collector 8y ago
      That's sort of a handwavy dismissal ins't it? What exactly is the pollution Roundup causes and is it worse than, say, petroleum based mulch, potassium chloride, and copper sulfate?
      - maxxxxx 8y ago
        There are quite a few studies claiming that glyphosate is toxic. I bet this will turn out like cigarettes. Companies will fight to death until the evidence is absolutely overwhelming.
      - loeg 8y ago
        Yeah. I don't have any real numbers on pollution metrics either way, but it is a fact that so-called organic farming requires more land than traditional ag to produce the same output, and thus more tractor fuel burned per food, a direct source of pollution. As far as I know, (atmospheric) pollution isn't a slam dunk argument against roundup.
  - linuxftw 8y ago
    It's easy to do, just follow the Walmart (or other large corporation) business model: Maintain artificially low prices long enough to destroy the rest of the local market, create captive customers, raise prices. In the case of a seed supply company, this could be done either via buying up competing farms and selling the end product for much less than your competitors; alternatively, supplying your seeds so cheaply that farmers would be stupid to use the alternative. Once the traditional seed supplies are gone, enjoy your monopoly.
    - loeg 8y ago
      The process you've just described is illegal in general: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/competition-guidance/guide-antitrust-laws/single-firm-conduct/predatory-or-below-cost https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/competition-guidance/guide-a... Walmart's case is complicated.

That's the big lie about GMO. I always heard that they would use less(!) pesticides because the plant was more resistant but when you look at Roundup it's exactly the opposite.

coldtea 8y ago

An even bigger lie is "we need them to feed the poor" -- when it's merely to control IP and increase profit margins.

loeg 8y ago
Um. No one would farm GM plants if the returns on cost weren't there. Clearly, for the farmer, and therefore the consumer, they are net less expensive, even with that fat profit margin for Roundup. So-called organic farming is more expensive and it shows in consumer prices. The people who are impacted most by higher grocery store prices are the poor.
- maxxxxx 8y ago
  They don't account for the pollution Roundup causes.
  - Junk_Collector 8y ago
    That's sort of a handwavy dismissal ins't it? What exactly is the pollution Roundup causes and is it worse than, say, petroleum based mulch, potassium chloride, and copper sulfate?
    - maxxxxx 8y ago
      There are quite a few studies claiming that glyphosate is toxic. I bet this will turn out like cigarettes. Companies will fight to death until the evidence is absolutely overwhelming.
    - loeg 8y ago
      Yeah. I don't have any real numbers on pollution metrics either way, but it is a fact that so-called organic farming requires more land than traditional ag to produce the same output, and thus more tractor fuel burned per food, a direct source of pollution. As far as I know, (atmospheric) pollution isn't a slam dunk argument against roundup.
- linuxftw 8y ago
  It's easy to do, just follow the Walmart (or other large corporation) business model: Maintain artificially low prices long enough to destroy the rest of the local market, create captive customers, raise prices. In the case of a seed supply company, this could be done either via buying up competing farms and selling the end product for much less than your competitors; alternatively, supplying your seeds so cheaply that farmers would be stupid to use the alternative. Once the traditional seed supplies are gone, enjoy your monopoly.
  - loeg 8y ago
    The process you've just described is illegal in general: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/competition-guidance/guide-antitrust-laws/single-firm-conduct/predatory-or-below-cost https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/competition-guidance/guide-a... Walmart's case is complicated.