Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Ooops: A big down side to GM crops

It take ingenuity to manufacture a prisoner's dilemma for profit.

I don't think this problem with Roundup-Ready GM crops constitutes a tragic blow to continued growth and development of genetically modified crops.  But this particular variety if GM crops seems to have enriched Monsanto while causing long-term social losses to farmers and everyone else. 

For GM crops to have real potential going forward they are going to need more than herbicide resistance.

2 comments:

  1. What would you consider a "tragic blow" to GMO crops? What do you see as their real potential?

    Patenting and ownership of genes, owning varieties and prosecuting farms where a stray seed has been found (look at the human rights implications of Monsanto's actions in Canada), erosion of genetic diversity, increased pesticide use, potential for contamination - any and especially all of these together seem to me not "tragic blows" but good reasons not to use GMOs.

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  2. gmos are vital to feeding an ever expanding population with higher incomes and standards of living (ie, more meat demand), and provide lots of environmental benefits, such as no-till like the article states, less fertilizer use,etc. glyphosate resistant weeds are a serious problem but not one that should shelve gmo crops..rather, further their research

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