This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: [GWL]: GM Crops - amusing?

    Another take on GM plants (to me) is that they are simply a way for the
companies to be able to control the market.  I have yet to see a GE plant
that either couldn't have been achieved by traditional plant breeding, made
unnecessary by different growing methods, even other technology.      
    Take the potato with the jellyfish gene that glows when the plant is
stressed.  Instead of that, inexpensive electronic moisture sensors, or even
satellite imaging could be used.  Or just be a more efficient grower, with
better levels of organic matter in the soil to hold moisture, combined with
mulch.
    BT corn?  There were already varieties resistant to corn earworm without
added toxins, for a start.  It wouldn't cost any more to breed varieties
with other resistances to insects by use of things like tougher plant
stalks, heavy hairs to block egg laying, and more.
    But traits like that can be used by anyone to breed new varieties and
the companies that create the first varieties don't get any money from the
new stuff.  With GE plants, they can claim that the genes belong to the
company and can track and charge for those genes through any other plant
they may be transferred to.
    Part of me understands the desire to get a return on your work, but I
also feel that in the rush to make money, the companies using genetic
engineering are not behaving in a wise manner, to say the least.
-Lon
Grapes, writing, consulting, more, plus word on my grape book at
http://www.bunchgrapes.com
 
    
----------
>From: Nan Sterman <nsterman@plantsoup.com>
>To: Gardenwriters@topica.com
>Subject: Re: [GWL]: GM Crops - amusing?
>Date: Sun, Aug 12, 2001, 10:15 PM
>

>A got a call the other day from a company that was doing a survey on 
>people's attitudes towards biotechnology and genetically engineered 
>products.  It was frustrating in that as usual, the questions were 
>worded in a way that made them difficult to answer, i.e. the 
>questions tended to elicit an "all or nothing" response.   For 
>example, I was asked whether I supported genetically engineered 
>products -- I wanted to respond by saying that I support the 
>development of medicinal products that are the result of genetic 
>engineering but I do not support crops or other products that can be 
>released into the environment --  yet the question prevented me from 
>responding in a way that distinguished between the two.
>
>Anyway, at one point, the interviewer said, "please answer true or 
>false: under natural conditions, a tomato has absolutely no genes in 
>it at all."
>
>After I stopped laughing -- which was about 5 minutes later -- she 
>said, "honey, I actually had some guy tell me that genetic 
>engineering was going to create tomatoes that bark and lettuce that 
>grows hair!"
>
>I share this story because it points out the critical role we all 
>play in making sure that whatever we write about genetically modified 
>products and genetic engineering is absolutely well researched and 
>well thought out.  Misinformation and disinformation, no matter how 
>unintentional, lives forever once it is out in print (or on the web).
>
>Nan Sterman

------------------------------------------------------------
DayTips.com - Sign Up Today and Receive FREE GIFTS
SIGN UP TODAY --->> http://www.daytips.com
<a href="http://www.daytips.com&quot;>AOL USERS</a>

Pass the word to garden writers, editors publishers, horticultural businesses about our list.

==^================================================================
EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bUrGSS.bVSZwB
Or send an email To: Gardenwriters-unsubscribe@topica.com
This email was sent to: topica.com@spamfodder.com

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^================================================================
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index