New Generation Bugs Resistant to Pesticides, Thanks to GMO Crops

Dakini

http://www.skyvalleychronicle.com/BREAKING-NEWS/SCIENTISTS-WARN-EPA-ABOUT-MONSANTO-S-GENETICALLY-MODIFIED-CROPS-br-claiming-nation-s-food-crop-is-at-risk-943965

The pesticides built into GMO crops have caused bugs to adapt and become resistant to pesticides. New super-bugs threaten nation's food supply, according to scientists.

person

I remember this very concern being raised when GMO crops first began from organic farmers who are able to use the BT pesticide in limited use. %94 of corn is now GMO, scarily reminiscent of the potato famine.

Dakini

I remember Mexico was kicking up a fuss, because somehow monsanto corn had invaded their heritage crops in Oaxaca. Corn was first developed in Mexico.

If humans lose the genetic crop diversity, we could be up the creek without a paddle, sooner or later.

I wonder how loose gmo corn might mess up the Native red, blue and white corn in the Southwest. I haven't heard anything about it...

@person Do you know, is only sweet corn GMO? What about field corn?

Insects propagate like crazy. One generation for them is so short. We could already be up that creek.... :sawed:

Lady_Alison

Not to go off topic but Monsanto has had bad rep in the past. I saw a documentary done on Monsanto genetically modified seeds sold to Indian farmers who committed suicide after the seeds did not produce any yield.

Lady_Alison

Dakini

Wasn't it Monsanto that developed and marketed Teflon, knowing that it was carcinogenic? Oh, but we're off-topic.

YAAY! Vandana Shiva! :clap:

Lady_Alison

Sorry, dakini. I tried to post the video. My android is on the fritz

Lady_Alison

Can we just say Monsanto is evil?

:rarr:

vinlyn

Okay now, let's not move ahead too fast here.

Question 1: Can we trust what is being written by the esteemed "Sky Valley Chronicle" to be accurate.

Question 2: Are the 22 "scientists" unbiased? After all, the Republicans can find you 22 scientists that disagree with climate change.

Question 3: Is the issue a problem or a crisis?

Dakini

Right now, it's a problem. It's a crisis-in-the-making, is the point of the article.

Vandana Shiva raises some important points. The agricultural revolution Monsanto would like to see around the world is unaffordable to poor farmers in developing countries. The seeds are unaffordable, the methods are impractical and unaffordable, given local conditions, and if GMO seeds take over the world, we lose our genetic seed diversity. Not to mention unforeseen problems like the one mentioned in the OP. Apparently what happens when farmers' GMO crops fail, is that corporations come in and buy up their land. Some accuse the GMO revolution of being an international land-grab disguised as development aid.

I saw economist Jeffrey Sachs' photo fly by on the Monsanto site on the video, so I Googled Sachs and Monsanto. Turns out he's in their pocket, and he's making a bid to be appointed the next president of the World Bank. He's already heading up the UN's Millenium project, to address poverty world-wide. Turns out one of his silver bullet solutions is to give everyone Monsanto seeds. Check it out: does this sound like an ad for Monsanto, or what! Pretty slick. Believable, too.

vinlyn

...The agricultural revolution Monsanto would like to see around the world is unaffordable to poor farmers in developing countries. The seeds are unaffordable, the methods are impractical and unaffordable, given local conditions...

Are those "poor" local farmers in those developing countries currently feeding the population?

Dakini

In some parts of the world, some of them do contribute to the national food supply. Some don't have access to water, though. The issue of access to water needs to be addressed for any agriculture plan, whether GMO or native species, to succeed. I don't know about India specifically.

vinlyn

In some parts of the world, some of them do contribute to the national food supply. Some don't have access to water, though. The issue of access to water needs to be addressed for any agriculture plan, whether GMO or native species, to succeed. I don't know about India specifically.

But I don't see this as an India-specific issue. We also have to keep in mind places such as Sudan.

Dakini

I'm keeping in mind everywhere. I didn't know if your earlier question was in reference to India or not, so I mentioned it.

vinlyn

I'm keeping in mind everywhere. I didn't know if your earlier question was in reference to India or not, so I mentioned it.

Hey, let me make clear...I don't know what the right answers are. I'm just asking questions.

Dakini

In some parts of the world, some of them do contribute to the national food supply. Some don't have access to water, though. The issue of access to water needs to be addressed for any agriculture plan, whether GMO or native species, to succeed.

I know. This was my answer. It's a complex issue. Sachs and Monsanto seem to think GMO crops are a panacea. I'm afraid they may end up causing more problems than they solve. If they solve any at all.

(Sachs, by the way, is the one who brought us the collapse of Russian in 1998. He'd been advising the Russian gov't throughout the 90's. )