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Hunker would like to know what you think about GM food?

6 replies

hunkermunker · 09/03/2007 01:15

I've received this:

Dear friend,

In case you thought GM crops had gone away, moves are afoot in Europe to push through a strongly pro-GM motion - in spite of newly published research on the negative health impacts of GM. On the plus side, there's good news for schools in England who will be benefiting from a revolutionary new school meals programme.

  1. Urgent GM action - email your MEP by 14 March

A new proposal to encourage genetically modified (GM) crops in Europe is being considered by the European Parliament. MEPs are voting on motion (2006/2059 INI ), submitted by Finnish MEP Kyösti Virrankoski, on March 14. If this motion is approved by the European Parliament, it will open the flood gates for a GMO invasion of European food and farming. In an earlier vote, 22 MEPs voted for it, 15 rejected it and 6 abstained. The motion looks to us as if it could have been written by Monsanto! See for yourself...

The MEPs believe that "...the use of biotechnology and genetic engineering should be developed in order to facilitate more sustainable farming practices, better food, increased yield and higher-quality and more diverse products with less use of nitrates and other fertilisers and less use of water".

Contrary to scientific evidence, they claim that "...developments in biotechnology have the potential to yield many benefits for agriculture, such as increased yields, reduced use of herbicides and pesticides, less fossil fuel use and reduced soil erosion".

And the icing on the cake, "...the precautionary principle cannot be used as an excuse to delay the process [of approving new GMOs]".

Take action!
Eighty per cent of Europeans have declared that they do not want GM food - are you one of them? If you disagree with these proposals then contact your MEP by 14 March and tell them, in your own words, why. You can find out who your MEP is and their contact details here.

  1. GM potatoes - more evidence emerges

As GM potato trials loom over the English countryside this month, more scientific research has come to light about their health risks. Eight years after being conducted, a secret feeding study of Monsanto GM potatoes was finally published last month which showed that the potatoes caused 'considerable damage to the organs of the rats in the study'. Dr Irina Ermakova of the Russian Academy of Science said that the GM potatoes were ?toxic? to lab rats and ?cannot be used in the nourishment of people?. Only three animal feeding studies on GM potatoes have been carried out - and they all show negative health effects. Even so, official scientists are still in denial about the emerging scientific evidence on harm and uncertainty of GM crops. You can read more about this research and the GM potato trials at Soil Association, GM potatoes

*******

I strongly believe that GM crops should NOT be grown and that Monsanto et al don't have the world's best interests at heart - Monsanto's slogan is food, health, hope, but it should be fraud, stealth, hype. What do you think?
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Soapbox · 09/03/2007 01:35

I think it is a dreadful email- truely awful

I think that in the developed world it is hard to support an argument for GM food stuff. In the developing world there is every case for GM foods to be used though. Foods raised to deal with developing world conditions have been bred for a very long time and with good effect. I think we should be prepared to consider GM foods on a needs must basis but cannot see how that fits with the developed world.

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hunkermunker · 09/03/2007 01:40

But in the developing world, Monsanto et al have licensed their seeds and prevent farmers from saving them to use the next year - I can't see how giving the big biotech companies a stranglehold over farmers is going to help.

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Soapbox · 09/03/2007 01:49

Hunker - the role of seed providers in the developing world has long been a difficult one and is often closely linked to the provision of finance.

Often the seed company provides the seeds foc in return for a take of the crop.

It is highly complex and the co-dependency issues are difficult to articulate properly.

In my many years [25 ish] of being close to this issue, I still haven't reached a decision as to whether the seed companies are acting immorally. I think there are some sharp practices, but I do consider the seed companies' roles to be supportive not destructive.

It is a very different world to the one we live in and sometimes that demands different solutions.

I don't much care for Monsanto as a company but it is ploughing huge amounts of money into research in the developing world. Of course pay back time will come, but as a company it appears to be happy to play the long game, which many others would not do.

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hunkermunker · 09/03/2007 12:28

That's interesting, Soapy.

I have had an email back from my UKIP MEP attaching a membership form... Er... Nope!

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Pruni · 09/03/2007 12:33

Message withdrawn

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andrushkya · 17/11/2012 13:31

Hey! I would to know whether you considered all aspects of GMOs. At first, I was scared that what I might eat, might affect me on the long run, but after doing some research I discovered that there are not any known consequences. I found this blog: foodfrap.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/true-or-false-genetically-modified-tomatoes-a-causea-cure-for-fatal-diseases/comment-page-1/#comment-5, which is quite useful, to say the least. Maybe it will clarify some issues for you. Good day.

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