GM Crops Farmer to Farmer (US -> UK)

[redrumloa]

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

It's a tragedy and a shame and it was so predictable. People have been trying to fight this for two decades but we can't make any headway. Don't patent genes. Denied. Damages for contamination. Denied. Label foods. Denied.

Monsanto had the US government and the Canadian government bought up.

So many science nerds were all sold on the wonderful technology that they forgot about the basics like evolution and human greed - two forces routinely underestimated.

The laws around these crops and how they have been marketed (and people have been strong armed by lawyers and private investigators and outright fraud into using Roundup Ready).

I am reminded of the case of Percy Schmeiser and his long battle with Monsanto. I used to speak with people about these new technologies and how they were being used not for farmer's benefits but through legal and economic blackmail as an instrument to lock up markets - and I was always accused of being a Luddite. People can just see technology much better than they can see politics. - Plus, maybe, they don't like to think of hugely successful companies as being driven by anything other than benefiting humanity.

 

[Robert]

don't like to think of hugely successful companies as being driven by anything other than benefiting humanity.

Surely there isn't anyone, anywhere, who thinks that?

 

[metalman]

Over 95% of the corn & soybean plantings in the US are now GMO varieties. Most are Roundup ready.

The spread of naturally occurring Roundup resistant weeds (11 species), means many farmers who stopped doing crop rotation and using pre-emergent herbicides as part of weed control practices, need to start using them again.

Before Roundup ready varieties were available, using Atrazine and other herbicides were how weeds were controlled.

Farmers are willing to pay the higher cost of Roundup ready seed because of the fuel savings of less trips across the fields to control weeds. The higher the cost of fuel, the more the savings from using GMO seed.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

Not only is Roundup a probably teratogen, it is also being used in South America as part of the war on drugs, however, the coca crop is developing resistance.

 

[Robert]

The "war" on Cocaine is ridiculous anyway. They could rake in billions in tax by legalizing it and licensing it.

I know it's all superficial and there are murkier reasons for keeping drugs illegal but the publicised 'reasons' for keeping *any* drugs illegal defy logic.

 

[FluffyMcDeath]

The spread of naturally occurring Roundup resistant weeds (11 species), means many farmers who stopped doing crop rotation and using pre-emergent herbicides as part of weed control practices, need to start using them again.

Before Roundup ready varieties were available, using Atrazine and other herbicides were how weeds were controlled.

Farmers are willing to pay the higher cost of Roundup ready seed because of the fuel savings of less trips across the fields to control weeds. The higher the cost of fuel, the more the savings from using GMO seed.

So, before Roundup ready farmers had to do multiple passes for control. After Roundup Ready only one pass, but now with resistant weeds multiple passes again. So where is the saving and why should they keep paying more for Roundup Ready crops?

 

[Dammy]

It's a tragedy and a shame and it was so predictable. People have been trying to fight this for two decades but we can't make any headway. Don't patent genes. Denied. Damages for contamination. Denied. Label foods. Denied.

Monsanto had the US government and the Canadian government bought up.

Brief review, it looks like it was the USSC decision 1980 Diamond v. Chakrabarty. I'm sure the American Bar Association wanted Monsanto to win, more law suits, bigger pay checks.