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      06-04-2014, 01:13 AM   #140
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 128Convertibleguy View Post
Thing is, GMOs are not the same thing at all. The chemicals you list are known to have adverse effects. GMO's are not. They're just a variation on the genetic engineering we've always done to crops. Today's corn bears little resemblance to what was grown by Native Americans back when.

I'm on your side about chemical contamination of our food. Not to mention the risks to ag workers. But one goal GMO's are engineered for is natural pest resistance, reducing the need for chemicals. It's a better tool, with less likelihood of unintended consequences. Take this statement for example:

"Alternatively, the new gene could interfere with a metabolic pathway causing a stressed plant to produce more toxins in response. Although these effects have not been observed in GM plants, they have been observed through conventional breeding methods creating a safety concern for GM plants." In other words, we've seen this issue in conventionally genetically modified plants, which few worry about, so we're worried about it in GMOs, even though nobody has ever seen it in GMOs. To me, this is an argument for GMOs, not against.

It seems to me that a lot of the force of the anti-GMO people comes from the unfortunate anti-science attitude prevalent today. Any time a sentence starts with "we just don't know enough...", I'm skeptical. Nothing is perfectly safe, but GMOs just haven't been found to have serious adverse consequences, and they have been tested extensively, even if not enough for some people. It's mostly speculative fear.
Almost all genetic modification is done for pesticide or herbicide resistance. Bt crops require less spraying, but since the plant is genetically modified to produce a pesticide I wouldn't say it is safe to eat. It could be that genetic modification is completely harmless, but the chemicals that are used on genetically modified crops are the problem. No way to know for sure since Monsanto will not sell you seeds unless you sign a contract saying they will not be used for research purposes. Do you think its a good idea for Monsanto to patent and create a monopoly on our food? Do you think the company that created those chemicals cares more about your health or making a profit? There are many reasons to eat organic, but if you believe genetically modified food with high levels of pesticides is safe feel free to eat what you want to eat.
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