What Fruits and Vegetables SHOULD Look Like: Researchers Show How Dramatically We’ve Changed Them R

[martybegan]

I have no problem with GMOs. But I think they MUST be labeled...
Of course, we couldn't survive off natural food with 7 billion people on the planet..

Meh, GMO, non GMO, its all food. GMO hysteria is another outlet for neo-luddism, nothing more or less.

I just think the people have a right to know what they are buying. That's all.

No issue with that, but the anti-GMO people won't stop with that, they will demand big ass stickers like are on tobacco products now. Just list it in the ingredients. if a person is that concerned about what goes in their body, they should be reading the list anyway.

Honestly, idk if I would have a problem with that. Especially considering France Finds Monsanto Guilty of Lying

yeah, that link seems to have an axe to grind, with no links to the source material. I will take it with a grain of salt. (GMO or no GMO salt, if there is such a thing)

 

[JustAnotherNut]

I have no problem with GMOs. But I think they MUST be labeled...
Of course, we couldn't survive off natural food with 7 billion people on the planet..

Meh, GMO, non GMO, its all food. GMO hysteria is another outlet for neo-luddism, nothing more or less.

I just think the people have a right to know what they are buying. That's all.

No issue with that, but the anti-GMO people won't stop with that, they will demand big ass stickers like are on tobacco products now. Just list it in the ingredients. if a person is that concerned about what goes in their body, they should be reading the list anyway.

That's just it, it isn't clear in the label or ingredient list and what the anti-GMO'ers have been fighting for. California first, then Washington state and several more have been trying to get it on the label so anyone can be informed & make their own choice if they want to eat it or not

 

[martybegan]

I have no problem with GMOs. But I think they MUST be labeled...
Of course, we couldn't survive off natural food with 7 billion people on the planet..

Meh, GMO, non GMO, its all food. GMO hysteria is another outlet for neo-luddism, nothing more or less.

I just think the people have a right to know what they are buying. That's all.

No issue with that, but the anti-GMO people won't stop with that, they will demand big ass stickers like are on tobacco products now. Just list it in the ingredients. if a person is that concerned about what goes in their body, they should be reading the list anyway.

That's just it, it isn't clear in the label or ingredient list and what the anti-GMO'ers have been fighting for. California first, then Washington state and several more have been trying to get it on the label so anyone can be informed & make their own choice if they want to eat it or not

Again, its fine as long as it's just part of the ingredient list, not a big orange sticker that says "GMO's GMO's run away run away!!!!"

 

[JustAnotherNut]

ok so I guess I need to backpedal somewhat...I do have a thorough dislike of companies like Monsanto & others, but I'm not against the research & development of a better widget if the intended purpose was for the betterment of the population MORE than their greed for profit and would prefer it wasn't marketed or available until 3-5 years research had been done to study for lasting effects, positive or negative in human testing & the environment.

Also on a more personal level, I have to shop at the same stores from the same products available as anyone else to feed our family. Some of those products may or may not have GMO's...I don't know since it's not labeled (yes I do read labels). If I can, I go with organic whenever possible or will shop at smaller produce stands for things I can't grow myself or are out of season for me to do so. If I were able to, I would grow all our own food & meat. Since I have a big backyard I do have a garden 30x60 & grow enough to eat throughout the season and quite often enough to preserve thru the winter. I also have chickens for eggs & SOME meat. I am trying to reduce our reliance on that end of corporate, but I also know we will probably never be completely free of it. But whatever I can do to steer clear, I will.
My rambling in my first post was intended for informational purposes for those who may not understand the differences between hybrids & GMO's.

Here is a link that has several 'sublinks' about Monsanto lawsuits, both for and against. Monsanto Lawsuit

 

[initforme]

How would labelling something as a GMO hurt anything? There is no way it could. Most Americans are way too dumb to understand what a GMO is. I try to avoid them as much as possible but its difficult. American diets in general do account for the high rates of heart disease and cancer no doubt.

 

[flacaltenn]

Yes it's true, I don't like MonSatan, nor do I feel what they & others are doing to our food, is right. Given a choice between GMO's or engineered food, hybrids or heirlooms??? In order, I will take heirloom first, hybrids second and spit on GMO's any day of the week.
I will repeat from above post........there hasn't been enough long term research done to know the full effects to the human body or the environment. To me, that's a biggy

Another comparison for better understanding? GMO produce/foods are the same as, or comparible to......cloning. I wouldn't want anything to do with or eat Dolly. (the first known cloned sheep) or parents trying to 'clone' a child lost to death or whatever circumstances, so they can get a carbon copy. If anyone is into that kind of stuff......have at it. But for me & mine......NO THANK YOU!!! *shudder*

The number of major crops with heavy GMO use is very restricted. And there is nothing evil about Gene splicing. If you can design crops for drought areas -- you save lives. And Round-Up is approved for use on ANY crops not policed by "organic" standards. Not a huge factor in the bee population when used by the label.

VolksWagon once made cars for Hitler.. I think we all got over that. The govt gets what it pays for.. Even Agent Orange.. Cute little Monsatan protest signs mean little. If yields go up -- and farmers make more profit per acre -- everyone wins..

 

[mamooth]

God bless Monsanto. Roundup/glysophate is one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century, being how it helped feed the world, and vastly reduced greenhouse gas emissions by allowing no-till farming.

The Monsanto conspiracy theories are just stupid. Monsanto is one agricorp out of bunch, and isn't even the biggest. They're not plotting to control the world's food supply. Monsanto only dominates in one area, the US market of RRS (roundup ready soybeans). In the corn and wheat market, Monsanto is a small player. Interesting, how there aren't any conspiracy theories about Syngenta, Bayer CropScience, Dow Agrisciences, BASF, DuPont, or the many other GMO seed producers.

As far as labelling GMO goes ...

There are third party organizations that set standards for what food can be labelled as "organic". But since non-organic is the standard, foods do not have to be specifically labelled "non-organcic".

There are third party organizations that set standards for what food can be labelled as "kosher". But since non-kosher is the standard, foods do not have to be specifically labelled "non-kosher".

GMO should work the same way. We've all been eating GMO crops for the past 20 years. It's the standard. If you want to get a third party organization to certify what can be labelled "GMO free", go do it. But as GMO is the standard, forcing a "contains GMO" label is wrong.

What's the harm, you ask? It would drive up food prices for everyone, that's the harm. Organic costs so much because organic foods have to be processed in completely separate stream, start to finish, from non-organic. That additional equipment and infrastructure means higher costs. If you forced separate streams for GMO and non-GMO channels, that would drive up costs in the same way. And that separation would have to happen, because the organic industry would hype the GMO panic to push it's own products. The organic/nonGMO movement is not just a happy group of home gardeners. It's a multibillion dollar corporate conglomeration too, which does try to push the law and public opinion to sell its own products.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

I'm not sure that the OP's intent with this thread was in this direction and I apologize to the OP here upfront. Now, my earlier comments were intended to inform the 'public' as it were, that there is a huge difference between hybrids & GMO's. That part is fact. Yes I went on to include not only Monsanto, but DuPont and others to show a broader picture of just how they go about it. Yes a lot of that does include personal opinion, yet still based on facts. There may be 'conspiracy theories' out there on this subject and Monsanto, but I myself wouldn't have such negative opinions if they weren't based on facts. And I'll get to those in a bit. This subject is more far reaching and would take too much time to cover each & every aspect involved. I will try to explain as best I can on the topics in question.

Labeling
a.) first off, not too long ago and within our lifetime, food producers were required to include the ingredient list on their labels.
b.) food producers change up their labels all the time to better entice consumers to buy their product.
c.) Monsanto has spent millions in California, Vermont and Washington state to stop the labelling laws. Only in Vermont was the law passed, but is currently having problems over just how it's going to be enforced, once the law comes into effect.

Food industry looks to Congress as GMO labeling law nears

My questions here are (given the above facts) what's the big deal to add a few words such as 'may contain GMO', or 'does not contain GMO'??? It doesn't have to be some huge eye sore, just a few words to inform the consumer of just what they're buying. Many people, such as yourself & others here, couldn't care less if the product contains GMO's or not, but for the rest of us who do care about what our food contains or is made of, we should be able to make an informed choice. Standard or not. It's near impossible to be completely GMO free since it is in everything and yes we've been eating GMO's for along time and will probably continue to do so. There is nothing wrong as you put it, in being informed. In my opinion, to not include that little bit of information the next time companies update their label, is taking away my ability to choose.
And why would Monsanto care so much if Kellogg's had to add a few more words to their ever changing label?

High Costs/Prices

Yes there is plenty of $ involved. The biggest costs are already being paid to produce 'separate' products. Organic growers also have to pay somewhere around
$10,000 just to be approved as Organic. The producers also have high costs to produce their products under both Organic & non. THOSE COSTS ARE ALREADY BEING PAID and this changes nothing on the store shelves. As stated above under 'labeling' producers/manufacturers ALREADY pay the costs associated with updating the product label on their own to be a more desirable & better advertisement of their product, so to add a few simple words isn't going to cost anyone any more money. Not the consumer & not the manufacturer. NADA

Monsanto

Monsanto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

First off, let me say this FOR Monsanto...yes they have done some good with their research & development in creating products that do further agriculture and pharmacuticals and other stuff. Namely the idea behind GMO's, Celebrex and LED's. They are constantly changing, advancing & very diverse with their work and interests. And no, they are not alone in their quest for such advances in these fields and I use them as my point of reference because they are more widely known.
What I and millions of others don't like & what may be the basis behind those crazy world take over conspiracies is the fact that they have bought, acquired, mergered and taken controlling interests in nearly all phases and aspects of the food supply and have become THE worlds largest-grossing seed company. By having acquired many of it's competitors, suppliers, and companies/corporations that somehow feed into that market, they are gaining a controlling interest in global food supply. They have even tried a few times to buy or take control of Syngenta, one of their biggest remaining competitors as recently as within the last year. Syngenta - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

GMO & Terminator Seeds

Yes, there is such a thing as terminator seed. Genetic use restriction technology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and are a part of GMO's. This means that any seed produced from the plant can NOT be saved & replanted for the next crop. You have to obtain new seed with each planting. These seeds are designed not to sprout, this is a part of GMO gene splicing. Monsanto has patented their seeds and have many lawsuits on their books involving it claiming patent infringement. Biggest problem here is that nature does not pay attention to laws nor can it be completely controlled. Using corn as an example, it is wind pollinated. GMO corn planted within just a few short miles of non GMO corn runs the risk of cross contamination and nature is guilty of patent infringement, yet Monsanto files suit. Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose.
Hybridizing seeds & plants is a whole different story that I won't get into here or now, but it's different.

GMO's vs health safety

I know a few years ago when I had originally looked into this whole thing about GMO's & Monsanto, I had found a reliable article that had said the only research into the possibilities of health effects were done in a 6(?) month study on rats. A few months really isn't considered a 'long-term' result. Currently I can't find it, but will include what I have found and it's more current anyway.

Health Risks - Institute for Responsible Technology

Monsanto Silences Research Findings of GMO Health Effects - Validated Independent News


Monsanto & the Federal Government

I can't find any links to provide, that is impartial here in this regard. Not even Wikipedia. But I'll work with what I can find.

Facts:
1. Monsanto and only Monsanto have Federal backing in the Monsanto Protection Act signed into law by Obama. Monsanto Protection Act and here Obama signs 'Monsanto Protection Act' written by Monsanto-sponsored senator

2, Ex Monsanto employees are or have been in key government positions and visa versa and spend millions to fund their interests.

Partially Debunked: List of Monsanto Employees in Government


Summary

I think I've provided enough information as objective as possible to support my opinion on GMO's and Monsanto, not to persuade others but to inform them about a topic most people don't understand the full depth of but does effect their very life & health. Hey, if yall still think GMO's and your food is no big deal Awesome. More power to you. You have that right. Atleast now you are better informed to make that choice. Something I and many like me are denied because of the lack of a few words on product labels

 

[Agit8r]

I thought that God designed bananas to fit in the human hand

 

[JimBowie1958]

What I and millions of others don't like & what may be the basis behind those crazy world take over conspiracies is the fact that they have bought, acquired, mergered and taken controlling interests in nearly all phases and aspects of the food supply and have become THE worlds largest-grossing seed company. By having acquired many of it's competitors, suppliers, and companies/corporations that somehow feed into that market, they are gaining a controlling interest in global food supply. They have even tried a few times to buy or take control of Syngenta, one of their biggest remaining competitors as recently as within the last year. Syngenta - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

GMO & Terminator Seeds

Yes, there is such a thing as terminator seed. Genetic use restriction technology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and are a part of GMO's. This means that any seed produced from the plant can NOT be saved & replanted for the next crop. You have to obtain new seed with each planting. These seeds are designed not to sprout, this is a part of GMO gene splicing. Monsanto has patented their seeds and have many lawsuits on their books involving it claiming patent infringement. Biggest problem here is that nature does not pay attention to laws nor can it be completely controlled. Using corn as an example, it is wind pollinated. GMO corn planted within just a few short miles of non GMO corn runs the risk of cross contamination and nature is guilty of patent infringement, yet Monsanto files suit. Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose.
Hybridizing seeds & plants is a whole different story that I won't get into here or now, but it's different.
Monsanto Silences Research Findings of GMO Health Effects - Validated Independent News

Yes this is my area of concern. The Terminator seeds are a small part of that whole effort.

 

[elektra]

We paid researchers to come up with a theory on how things should of looked?

The government is out of control.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

There is so much more to this whole story of Monsanto, GMO's & terminator seeds, etc that it exhausts me. Maybe one of these days I'll feel up to getting into it in even more depth. But not right now. It would take hours, not just for me to type out the response in enough detail for understanding, but searching for the links to back it up.
it's something I had researched in depth several years ago when I had first learned about GMO's & Monsanto & have since forgotten more than I could now hope to provide. Give me time, cause I do think it's a subject more people need to understand about their food.

 

[Wyld Kard]

God bless Monsanto. Roundup/glysophate is one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century, being how it helped feed the world, and vastly reduced greenhouse gas emissions by allowing no-till farming.

The Monsanto conspiracy theories are just stupid. Monsanto is one agricorp out of bunch, and isn't even the biggest. They're not plotting to control the world's food supply. Monsanto only dominates in one area, the US market of RRS (roundup ready soybeans). In the corn and wheat market, Monsanto is a small player. Interesting, how there aren't any conspiracy theories about Syngenta, Bayer CropScience, Dow Agrisciences, BASF, DuPont, or the many other GMO seed producers.

As far as labelling GMO goes ...

There are third party organizations that set standards for what food can be labelled as "organic". But since non-organic is the standard, foods do not have to be specifically labelled "non-organcic".

There are third party organizations that set standards for what food can be labelled as "kosher". But since non-kosher is the standard, foods do not have to be specifically labelled "non-kosher".

GMO should work the same way. We've all been eating GMO crops for the past 20 years. It's the standard. If you want to get a third party organization to certify what can be labelled "GMO free", go do it. But as GMO is the standard, forcing a "contains GMO" label is wrong.

What's the harm, you ask? It would drive up food prices for everyone, that's the harm. Organic costs so much because organic foods have to be processed in completely separate stream, start to finish, from non-organic. That additional equipment and infrastructure means higher costs. If you forced separate streams for GMO and non-GMO channels, that would drive up costs in the same way. And that separation would have to happen, because the organic industry would hype the GMO panic to push it's own products. The organic/nonGMO movement is not just a happy group of home gardeners. It's a multibillion dollar corporate conglomeration too, which does try to push the law and public opinion to sell its own products.

God bless Monsanto. Roundup/glysophate is one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century, being how it helped feed the world

You're an idiot if you believe that crap.

Monsanto doesn't want to help feed the world. They want to control the world food supply, big difference.

Monsanto Seeks to Control World?s Food » CounterPunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names

But as GMO is the standard, forcing a "contains GMO" label is wrong.

Bullshit!

It's not wrong you idiot. People have a right to know what's in their food regardless.

 

[mamooth]

Monsanto doesn't want to help feed the world. They want to control the world food supply, big difference.

Paranoid conspiracy raving doesn't get more sensible with repetition.

Monsanto is one of many suppliers of seed, and is a rather small player in the global agricorp market.

Therefore, if Monsanto jacks up the prices of their seeds, farmers will simply buy seed from another agricorp.

Hence, it is not possible for Monsanto to "control the world's food supply".

Hence, that's an idiot conspiracy theory.

 

[rightwinger]

Its called intelligent design and man is the creator

 

[Iceweasel]

I have no problem with GMOs and I'm pretty health conscience. If we can increase a yield or make it more resistant to bugs, flooding, drought it should be done. There are rice patties in third world countries that wouldn't exist otherwise and those people would be starving. Us too if something went wrong with the crops. The only problem I have with Monsanto is how they treat the migrant workers. I'd pay more for them to make a decent wage. But monopolies have a way of calling the shots with their buddies in DC.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Monsanto doesn't want to help feed the world. They want to control the world food supply, big difference.

Paranoid conspiracy raving doesn't get more sensible with repetition.

Monsanto is one of many suppliers of seed, and is a rather small player in the global agricorp market.

Therefore, if Monsanto jacks up the prices of their seeds, farmers will simply buy seed from another agricorp.

Hence, it is not possible for Monsanto to "control the world's food supply".

Hence, that's an idiot conspiracy theory.

I keep looking around here and I don't see any proof or link to back up your statements about Monsanto NOT being a big entity. In my previous post, with links provided, that you didn't look into, shows that Monsanto is THE LARGEST BIOTECH AG COMPANY IN THE WORLD

Here, read it again. I tried to copy/paste the whole article but it's too big for this website. If you scroll down thru the whole page, you just might think there is more to the Monsanto story than you currently believe. .

Monsanto - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[mamooth]

I keep looking around here and I don't see any proof or link to back up your statements about Monsanto NOT being a big entity.

As I agree Monsanto is "a big entity", I wonder why you said that.

In my previous post, with links provided, that you didn't look into, shows that Monsanto is THE LARGEST BIOTECH AG COMPANY IN THE WORLD

That's nice. But as everyone is still free to _not_ buy from Monsanto, the conspiracy still makes no sense.

Instead of a web page, explain it to us in your own words. Exactly how is Monsanto taking control of the global food supply?

 

[longknife]

versus

Those who rant about GMOs and Monsanto have some kind of phobia that can only be accounted for by Leftist/Progressive programming. There is almost NO domesticated breed or fruit or vegetable that is anywhere near equal to what they were two to three centuries ago.

 

[Wyld Kard]

Monsanto doesn't want to help feed the world. They want to control the world food supply, big difference.

Paranoid conspiracy raving doesn't get more sensible with repetition.

Monsanto is one of many suppliers of seed, and is a rather small player in the global agricorp market.

Therefore, if Monsanto jacks up the prices of their seeds, farmers will simply buy seed from another agricorp.

Hence, it is not possible for Monsanto to "control the world's food supply".

Hence, that's an idiot conspiracy theory.

Monsanto is one of many suppliers of seed, and is a rather small player in the global agricorp market.

Wrong again.

Monsanto is the #1 seed company in the world.

Here’s How the World’s Largest Biotech Company Came to Be

if Monsanto jacks up the prices of their seeds, farmers will simply buy seed from another agricorp.

If you think it's that simple you're an idiot.

Monsanto imposes contracts and wields patents that forbid farmers from saving seeds year-to-year, a practice that has been part of agriculture for centuries. They demand farmers buy new, expensive seeds each year. And if a farmer stops using Monsanto's patented seeds, they are at risk of breaching their contract.

it is not possible for Monsanto to "control the world's food supply".

But they are trying.