The Dirt on Genetically Modified Organisms and the Obama Ag Team
Jeffrey Smith at Huffington Post has an interesting article up today about the people he calls “Biotech Yes Men” lined up to find places in the new administration. Aside from the back story on several key figures, he also provides several other interesting pieces of information on the biotech industry, such as the following:
- The industry boasts that GMOs reduce herbicide use; USDA data show that the opposite is true.
- We hear that GMOs increase yield and farmer profit; but USDA and independent studies show an average reduction in yield and no improved bottom line for farmers.
- George H. W. Bush fast-tracked GMOs to increase US exports; now the government spends an additional $3-$5 billion per year to prop up prices of the GM crops no one wants.
- Advocates continue to repeat that GMOs are needed to feed the world; now the prestigious International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development has joined a long list of experts who flatly reject GMOs as the answer to hunger.
Check it out. The whole article on GMOs and the biotech proponents can be found at HuffPo.
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And how long has the world done without GMO? I do believe we will be okay without GMO seed.
Keep it simple, stupid!
just a dirt farmer,
ang.
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Thanks for the tip, MtM.
Really, the industry’s resistance to labeling GMOs is deplorable. They are willing to swear it’s safe, yet not willing to make it feasible to do long-term studies of GMO effects on health by making it clear which products contain them and which do not. Of course, those with severe allergies have even more invested in knowing exactly what they’re consuming, as an unexpected, allergenic gene in a food one considers safe could trigger a deadly reaction.
It’s absolutely ridiculous to protect companies at the risk of public health – but that’s exactly what the government is doing with these GM crops. If you have an opinion about GMOs, you should post it here:
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2007-0016
Through January 20th of next year the USDA will be taking public opinion into account, at least on the subject of deregulating GM corn.
Truly amazing to me what lengths we’ll go to make a buck. And I’m willing to be 99% of Americans have NO idea. Why on earth is GMO considered no big deal by the government? It’s all politics. Yuck. Caitlin, thanks for the link.