Are we a GMO or what ?

[jasonvivier]

Well , it seems that every scientific as well as medical organization around the globe is saying that the GMO products are safe to eat as there is NO peer revued research that has proven otherwise . Folks with their own agendas seem to deem them otherwise rely on emotion and ignorense of the consumer to spread their views that in reality has no basis in scientific fact. Industrial farmers tend to be quite well educated and have access to consult any Agricultural University from around the world to answer any issue that they may encounter or want to avoid.

The EU has been studying GM safety for a decade. They chose to ban them based off of their research. Be a peer, go review their research. Here is the overview http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408390701855993#.VRALdY7F-Uk Google scholar has access to the actual papers - I recommend though that you find someone working on a pH.d and ask them to get the papers for you, they are generally free that way - it has saved me tens of thousands of dollars, as my wife has a full boat scholarship lol.

• "Folks with their own agendas seem to deem them otherwise rely on emotion and ignorense of the consumer to spread their views that in reality has no basis in scientific fact."
  
  • Unless your a scientist in the field of study you are talking about, or unless you actively research an area of study everything you say about a topic is guess work or pop-science. Generally speaking most people don't have the math skills to prove the world is a sphere and yet we believe it and know it to be true. The world is a sphere even if we don't understand the reality of the scientific fact, i.e. mathematics. That we are not all scientist doesn't mean that we are all wrong. Clearly.
• "Industrial farmers tend to be quite well educated and have access to consult any Agricultural University from around the world to answer any issue that they may encounter or want to avoid. "
  • Agreed, but industrial farming has one specific concern; Short term or long term $$$$$ profit. So the information they choose to digest only really has to do with that motivator. Having said that many industrialized farmers see long term profit as a concern and tend to lean more towards sustainable practices; because the definition of sustainability implies less external inputs which means more $$$ as a result of lower long term overhead. But american industrialized farmers are also risk intolerant ( the reason for the farm bill,) so they are likely to watch several pioneers do something, or test on a small scale over a long time before changing tactics and strategies. These are businesses we're talking about and as such only care about a stable or growing bottom line.

 

[bobm]

Well, then there is the Congress that gives the IRS the mandate to have businesses make a profit in at least 2 out of 5 years or be considered a hobby. Therefore farmers have to make hay while the sun shines. Also known as make an investment in their land , equipment, and personel to make the most efficient use of their operation to glean a PROFIT. So, how can one make a profit during the current drought in Cal. ? Or record snow and freezing temperatures in the NE ? Soggy ground in the Mid West due to floods ? Etc. In Cal. the farmers are putting in satelite sensors thrughout their farm fields to monitor for soil moisture, plant growing rate, and pest damage so that they can immediately remedy the soil moisture as well as fertilizer situation as needed in a particular area of a field in real time. Since pesticides are quite expensive to apply, they know immediately where on the field and when to apply it for the most earliest results. The larger commercial dairies have Veterinarians on site ( the smaller dairies have contracts with Veterinarians ) to monitor cow health daily. They also are installing carrosel milking parlors with computers to monitor milk production of each cow and customized feed ration for each cow. Not to mention the use of AI to replace high milking ability genes into their herd to make their dairies more profitable. Heck, Tulare County dairies produces more milk than the State of Wisconsin ! If one were to attend the Tulare County Farm Expo. every Spring, with displays and exhibits from vendors as well as Farming Industry Experts and University researchers from around the world, and is attended by Foreign Government Officials from most countries around the world as well as International and local farmers. I have for many years. One would immediately see and learn what is going on in the Word Wide agricultural field to become better stewards of their lands, more efficient, and more profitable farmers by making proper investments in the latest technology and equipment.

 

[jasonvivier]

Well, then there is the Congress that gives the IRS the mandate to have businesses make a profit in at least 2 out of 5 years or be considered a hobby. Therefore farmers have to make hay while the sun shines. Also known as make an investment in their land , equipment, and personel to make the most efficient use of their operation to glean a PROFIT. So, how can one make a profit during the current drought in Cal. ? Or record snow and freezing temperatures in the NE ? Soggy ground in the Mid West due to floods ? Etc. In Cal. the farmers are putting in satelite sensors thrughout their farm fields to monitor for soil moisture, plant growing rate, and pest damage so that they can immediately remedy the soil moisture as well as fertilizer situation as needed in a particular area of a field in real time. Since pesticides are quite expensive to apply, they know immediately where on the field and when to apply it for the most earliest results. The larger commercial dairies have Veterinarians on site ( the smaller dairies have contracts with Veterinarians ) to monitor cow health daily. They also are installing carrosel milking parlors with computers to monitor milk production of each cow and customized feed ration for each cow. Not to mention the use of AI to replace high milking ability genes into their herd to make their dairies more profitable. Heck, Tulare County dairies produces more milk than the State of Wisconsin ! If one were to attend the Tulare County Farm Expo. every Spring, with displays and exhibits from vendors as well as Farming Industry Experts and University researchers from around the world, and is attended by Foreign Government Officials from most countries around the world as well as International and local farmers. I have for many years. One would immediately see and learn what is going on in the Word Wide agricultural field to become better stewards of their lands, more efficient, and more profitable farmers by making proper investments in the latest technology and equipment.

Your point as it applies to the conversation about GMO's is...?

 

[seedcorn]

Yes, AG is concerned about profits. If they don't make any, they will lose it all. Assume so are you and your wife as she will get paid for her PhD or is she going to work for free?

Companies pay for studies with option to bury all results. Why? Sometimes they don't like the results and abandon the whole project. They don't want every failure to be broadcast to world (stock holders). People with ideas will fail more than they are successful.

Farm subsidies were started when the federal government made decisions that did not allow AG to compete-remember embargoes? Crop insurance is paid for by the farmer to an independent carrier but it is underwritten by government.

 

[seedcorn]

Bottom line is simple-it really is. Grow what you want. Pay for what you can't grow-don't whine to us in AG about costs. Want organic or non-GMO? Pay for it! It's in your control. You live your life your way, we'll do the same.

 

[jasonvivier]

Bottom line is simple-it really is. Grow what you want. Pay for what you can't grow-don't whine to us in AG about costs. Want organic or non-GMO? Pay for it! It's in your control. You live your life your way, we'll do the same.

The only issue I think most people have is, they don't know what is GMO (Safely assume everything that doesn't explicitly say it isn't) ; no labeling so they can't make an informed purchase. I can understand the frustration.

 

[seedcorn]

Agree, people have NO clue about their food. If it is grown by industry (and GMO has shown profitable) assume it is GMO. If it is fed grain, assume GMO grain.

IF it is marked "organic" you can only assume it has word "organic" on it. Want to get mad, get mad at the organic industry that doesn't regulate its self. Try reading their regulations, lot of words to say NOTHING as there are escape clauses in everything. Yeah, Big, Bad AG is to blame......anger directed at wrong people.

 

[valley ranch]

People do have a clue about their food and they what to know what is being put in it and how it is handled.
Trying to direct anger at, what you call: Organic Industry is silly. If you convince farmers to use GMO and sell GMO to AG, this is part of the problem. If your set out to cause fear of cleanly grown plant and animal food, that isn't in the best interest of families.

 

[seedcorn]

Why is it silly to be ask an industry to do what they advertise they do? If I buy a load of beans, guaranteed will not be happy if I find corn instead. I pay for meat/eggs fed organic, expect it to be so. So why aren't you upset over that? All your anger at an industry that makes no such claims... Interesting

 

[Smart Red]

According to my granddaughter, I am a GMO (Grand Mother outstanding)!
While I wish I could be outstanding in the garden with seeds in one hand and a hoe in the other, I can be found outstanding in the driveway, bundled from head to toe, and wielding a shovel on 5-8 inches of heavy, white precipitation. Bah!