Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)

Whether it’s called transgenic or genetically engineered food companies with a vested interest in GMO food have intentionally pandered to the hopeful cooperative side of humanity by assuring us their only goals are bigger better plants and animals to help feed the world. At the same time they have done everything in their power to intentionally avoid independent testing of GMO foods, suppress testing results that demonstrate negative effects of GMO food on the environment or humans directly, expedite government approval of GMO foods to market by corrupting the relevant agencies with industry insiders, and actively avoiding the need to label food products as containing GMO.

I am not opposed in principal to genetically modified food products. However, I am opposed to corporate practices that would intentionally endanger people’s lives especially where information regarding potential dangers are actively suppressed. It’s one thing to be a little greedy and make a woopsy. It is another thing to get your own test results back and attempt to conceal the results because they show your “product” is causing cancer.

My frustration and concern is the disconnection between the goal to improve the world food supply and the need to maximize profits in the short term which leads to questionable decision making at best and unethical to criminal behavior at worst.

Posts about GMO Genetically Modified Organisms and our food supply

Profit motive in GMO and labeling issues

The following interviews at a "Right to Know" rally regarding GM food labeling gives nice overview introduction to concerns about transgenic foods and why it should be labeled. The first gentleman in this video does an excellent job of expressing the problem I see with a society where making a profit as the primary motivator for anything might not be a good idea and he frames it nicely against the backdrop of the GMO debate. | read on »

In defense of GMO food: Time lapse of flooded rice in controlled field experiment

The following video shows a rice field planted with two varieties of rice, one a genetically modified rice designed specifically to be flood tolerant. Rice needs water but it apparently cannot naturally survive being completely submerged in water. Unfortunately areas good for growing rice are also prone to flooding which can have unpredictable adverse effects on rice production and the food supply. This video is time lapse of the rice crop from planting to harvest over 90 days. As the fields are planted they appear mostly identical and healthy. Until around day 21 when the entire area is flooded and[...] | read on »

A reasonable discussion and overview of Organic and Transgenic food

Pamela Ronald and Raoul Adamchak present "Organically Grown and Genetically Engineered: The Food of the Future" as part of The Long Now Foundation's Seminars About Long-term Thinking. They explore how genetic engineering can work with organic growing practices to produce food in a more sustainable way than either of them could alone. | read on »