Genetically Modified Food Is an Environmental Disaster

[BRESHEET]

thanks for the video you're doing a great job!!!

[webermsu1]

Seriously you have no idea what you're talking about. I'm an agribusiness crop and soil science double major. There is no evidence of these harmful crops anywhere. Have you ever farmed before? Didn't think so..... If anything GMO crops will help the small farms by improving yields in various conditions. Your video has no credibility and the problem is distribution of food. We don't have enough for world population as it is.

[irishgeal1]

i wonder who benefits from religionmustdie commemts.

[mathmexican4234]

but ya we just need better scientists doing the work....

[mathmexican4234]

The study and use of agronomy is essential for our world, and the breakthroughs in wheat and rice led and/or helped by Norman Borlaug are credited with saving over a BILLION lives from starvation. If you want to go back to 'all natural' or 'organic' we'd out grow out our food supply, you want to be one of the millions and millions to go without food? cuz I dont.

[RELIGIONmustDIE]

You are not referencing a single peer reviewed scientific journal. It's all tabloids and conjecture.. useless.

[RELIGIONmustDIE]

scientists are taking genes from disease resistant plants and putting those genes into existing crops.

We are currently working on a strain of rice that can grow in hotter drier and saltier environments. That technology will provide abundant food for many people. Think of it as pushing evolution along in the direction we want it to go.

[RELIGIONmustDIE]

I don't buy that stuff. I don't think theres anything wrong with genetically modified crops.

I think it's a good way to control pests in a mode environmentally benign way..

i.e. crops that require less fertilizer,

that are better at fixing nitrogen and have higher yeild,

and are more resistant to disease and parasites so they require less chemical spraying.

I think most people would think that is a good thing, though it is normal to be scared of things you don't understand.

[Altimadark]

After studying business, I've found these "businesses don't care" arguments odd. Why would any business be ignorant that they absolutely do not care about "you," their customers (kill customers, kill earnings), their employees/suppliers (small farmers), or their resources (the environment)? Furthermore, what about the shareholders? If the people running the business do things that cost the shareholders money (focus on quick profits), the shareholders take their money and leave.

So, anyway...

[blackcatstefany]

Monsanto is driving India to the poor house. Do you have any idea how many people kill themselves every DAY in India because Monsanto over charges on the seeds. You should watch "The World According to Monsanto" its on youtube. I bet they wont be your hero to long after that.

[Shubael1809]

what's this have to do with homophobia?

[Lisa282828]

Wow the people burned the GM crops in England! They have more balls over there than I thought! We should do that here in the US! Shove your GM foods up your a**!!!!!!!!!

[simonbasil]

why does Charles opinion account for anything he has no qualification for what he promotes and i don't see how being a price should give him any credibility.

[Skipissatan]

the fact also remains GoodJoke that you either completely misunderstood the study, demonstrating a poor grasp of the subject, willfully misrepresented it;demonstrating a moral bankruptcy or didn't read it, again demonstrating a poor grasp of the subject...which is it?

[Skipissatan]

i agree most problems bad government, but there is no simple solution to this that can be implemented quickly. how are you going to fix the whole nature of civilisation, with the likes of the golden rice project we have an realistic and immplementable way to save millions of lives within a few years. Why should these people die because of someones moral objection to gm food? most of which is based upon the lack of education of which you speak.

[Skipissatan]

how are not for profit projects where the final product will be given away free for love of money? they are admirable missions to alleviate the suffering of those less fortunate, while you are engaged in some naive diatribe where all gm is bad, some are engaged in geniunely compassionate research.

[Skipissatan]

The reason these people feel it neccesary to conceal the location of their crops is because mindless biggots with no knowledge of the subject or scientific education destroy their crop without stopping to understand it not because they are partaking in something shady.

[Skipissatan]

yes your phone company is behind gm crops. We have 50 years of research behind genetic modification. The golden rice project is a not for profit nutritional enhancement of rice, by adding extra vitamin a to rice, 20 million people in the 3rd world can be saved from illness and death related to vitamin a deficiency. This has already been proven to work and it is now being trailled to ensure it is safe. Obviously it will not solve all their problems, but 20 million lives is a worthy cause.

[Realizalize]

yess lady,

just say no.

it is polluting every field around

and in the usa ppl growing usual, were sued by monsanto for the usual crop was contaminated by their "invented" stuff... 2 yrs ago though

[Elva420]

GM food is not safe at all, research before you spread your lies. Watch 'The Future of Food'. The same people tell you your food is safe as the people who tell you that our economy is fine...

[Frester01]

You seem like a very nice woman......... but you're wrong. GM food is safe. Do you eat seedless grapes? Do you eat soya beans? Then you eat GM foods! GM foods will give people jobs too. And Prince Charles? I'm sure he is an expert on GM foods alright.

[zeldageek]

All GE crops in the US are fully tested and regulated by the FDA before they are approved for human consumption.

And yes, some GE crops produce less food per acre or dollar than traditional crops, but they are scrapped, and the ones that DO provide 2-4 times more food are the successful ones. Also, explain the blatant lie to some third world countries convincing them to turn down FREE DONATED FOOD that ended up killing millions of people. Hmmm?

[Realizalize]

in germany too,

the rice was contaminated, by stuff that wasn`t approved and i think it is of the markets like it should be.

[deemon8]

You people are full of shit. You have no idea how GM foods work and how much food on the market is GM. To oppose something that could save the lives of millions of starving people selfish and make you a dick. It's pretty easy to protest when you're not the one starving. FUCK YOU ALL!

[hebephoebe]

deemon8.. the idea of millions of starving people is a very real and serious problem, but GM crops will not be the solution, and are more likely to exaccerbate the problem. Firstly because they are patented,so seed saving is illegal. Impoverished farmers rely on saving seeds, and independence, but GM crops deny farmers this also. They are very expensive, and need chemicals which causes economic burdens.A recent UN study by over 400 scientists reported that GM crops would not solve world hunger.

[deemon8]

Listen to your reasons. Patents on GM foods can be regulated by government or even overthrown altogether. People should not starve because you think someone will make money. Second, it's so expensive, yet you people convince third world country to turn down donations that could feed their entire population. You've been brainwashed by hippie propaganda.

[Skipissatan]

the reason that GM crops cannot solve world hunger is that our population growth is exponential, and any increase in productivity due to gm crops will be linear, not because they don't work, they are effective and can reduce labour whilst saving lives. Don't site a study if you don't understand its conclusions, several of my lecturers where involved in it, and all are in favour of genetic modification.

[SuperiorMind]

Need some way to provide incentives/reward for environmentally tested and safe, etc -- I remember David Suzuki warning that many of these researchers are failing to take into account all the environmental side-fx that can occur once out in the real world(ie Salmon situation). I guess motivation is the biggest problem with a lot of R&D.

[debswildhoney]

Awesome - Great Work!

I'm glad you are getting this out and starting a dialogue with those that might not otherwise know or have been influenced by the GM media machine. We do need to wake up and get back to the natural organic garden.

[elisei00]

Fuck the FAST FOOD BITCHES!

[TordGrip]

Prince Charles is an idiot who speaks to his plants to help them grow. His involvement in the issue gives it less credibility in my eyes.

[DRnab1983]

The idea of "natural is good" is not always true, there is a reason our life expectancy and quality is much better than the "good old days". GM foods are unbelievably well tested, even though there is no reason to think they are of any harm what so ever. Watch the buzz words "agribuzziness" etc. The level of ignorance in the UK especially, suggests one could hold up a bank armed with a gm carrot.

And of course theses test sites would not need to be kept secret but for ingnorant neo-ludites.

[2bsirius]

I'm sorry, but no...In fact, the testing on GM crops is incredibly sloppy both here and in the US. There is not advantage for keeping GM crops out of the food chain. So they don't try exceptionally hard. As for holding up a bank with a GM carrot...I have no idea what point you're making there.

[DRnab1983]

The point is that you are afraid of something you don't understand and have no cause to be afraid of in the first place. You have no evidence at all that these crops are of any harm what so ever and furthermore there is no reason in the first place to even propose that they might be.

[theUMMCorg]

"agribuzziness" Hhow about the word "GENETICLY MODIFIED". which one freaks you out?

[InfiniteKnowledgeMan]

I watch them. I don't understand them but I do watch them.

[2bsirius]

Thanks, Nicola!

[slobomotion]

No, I don't find the topic boring at all. Thanks for talking about it. I train English here in France and will make this a topic for discussion.  I agree, they are sleepwalking in the States!

[9macrina9]

Excellent, Karen.....thanks for this...this information shouldn't be boring to anyone who appreciates food, so don't worry. when all the golf courses have to be converted to urban gardens for local food, then folks will actually understand that plants' seeds should actually be seeds and not just a sterile discard. It amazes me the way the "news" spends sound bytes on such vital human issues and rushes to extended segments of the latest recipes ...ah, the irony of "bread and circuses"

[TheAngryCanuck]

See you and Inmendham agree more than people might realize. I dont know where the animosity comes from because you guys agree quite a bit on most issues I would say...

[valhala56]

I would say it is a sort of Yin Yang thing, Jesus v Lucifer, coke v pepsi, black v white, matter v anitmatter. They just 2 sides of the coin man.

[TheAngryCanuck]

I disagree. I feel that the both agree on mostly all issues. They are both vegans, both athiests, etc.

They actually have a lot in common. They are not polar opposites at all actually.

I feel that maybe 2bsirius should take a flight to New Jersey to stay with InMendham over a long weekend. The price from London to New Jersey is around $700 from Sept. 4th to the 9th.

I'll chip in $150 along with 4 other people and 2b can foot the rest cause i'm sure she's VERY well 2do financially.

[valhala56]

Wow Canuck that's crazy man, I have to hand it to you player you do come up with the new and different. Is it a personality thing? or is it something else?

[cehbeach]

You just get weirder and weirder each passing day canuck. You sound like some gossipy teeny bopper talking about the popular kids at high school. Just because two people agree on something has nothing to do with compatibility. I agree with Gary here and there, but since he's such a repugnant, no social skill having trog it's actually worse. I would prefer if that maladroit was never on 'my side'. Do you actually have anything to say on this issue besides messaging your creepy obsession with 2b?

[TheAngryCanuck]

"Just because two people agree on something has nothing to do with compatibility."

I completely disagree with that statement.

As far as veganism goes, here's what it's really about:

I pray 7 times a day, I'm more morally superior than you.

I am a vegan, I am more morally superior than you.

It's the exact same thing. One is religious, one is new age.

Religions, animal rights, new age philosophy and all the other reasoning aside, it all boils down to "I am better than you are"

[cehbeach]

First, 2bserious doesn't give off an air of moral superiority, not that I've seen anyway. Gary is the complete opposite. She presents well researched arguments, abstains from labeling detractors with 'damning epithets', and gives all sides of an issue a fair hearing. Gary is a self righteous reject that doesn't even bother with research, throws science under the bus as soon as it gores the ox of his precious solutions, blocks those that disagree, and who's arguments consist of 99.9% ad hom.

[valhala56]

I have to agree with you, that "person" in NJ is a genius, the best BS slinger on YouTube. The idea of bringing these two together would be like slamming subatomic particles at one another at CERN and seeing what happens after they meet. The mental picture I get is two neutron stars spinning madly around then exploding in a giant gamma ray burst.

Well maybe that's a little exarggated, how about 2b=Hermione Granger v the guy in NJ = Malfoy in Harry Potter series.

[cehbeach]

I was thinking more of a Laura Roslyn vs Gaius Baltar, but Baltar actually has skill, talent, and knows how to interact with people. I got it! Eowyn of Rohan vs the cave troll from LOTR.

[valhala56]

Yeah Baltar, of course Baltar may take it as an insult LOL.

[valhala56]

If that guy in NJ was dictator of the world he would no doub't F it up better then Baltar did when he was elected President or F the world up even more then Dubya did in his day. Thangod his power over people is limited to YouTube.

[valhala56]

If these mega ag conglomerates, Monsanto, AGM, and the likes had their way these bastards would grow their freak food stocks in Chernobyl or the Love Canal. You people have a little of mistrust in these companies and rightly so, when I found out they were experimenting with Transgenic corn literaly close to where I live in Marengo Indiana in a friggin Cave, Now if you think this is the rantings of crackpot the co. is Controlled Pharming In Marengo Indiana experimenting with Trangenic Corn, hmmmm

[valhala56]

When researchers look at diasters, 95% of the time, it is not one mistake that does us in. It is a series of mistakes, sometimes not even seeminly related. What I am getting at here we don't know what will happen if and when 21century corporate agribusiness were to collapse, if these corps, do not have the petrol for their chemicals, for basically what is turning into a kind synthetic food production and the energy for it gets turned off at the spigot. We can't predict the ramifications of this

[gentlebutch]

I enjoy hearing your views on things you talk about whatever you want. :)

[Adipatus]

There was a brouhaha in the US bc agrobusinesses are barging into small farms w/o permission to take seed samples, and apparently this has the government's blessing. What they do is make sure that farmers are not using their patented grains w/o paying, so they've been shutting down n suing farmers who claim to be innocent of the accusation. Some are saying that normal farms are getting contaminated w the transgenic stuff by wind and other fortuitous means, but patent holders call it theft.

[TristanPEJ]

thing Dr. Prince Charles said it.

[2bsirius]

??????????

[BGBurch]

Three judges not too long ago in the US ruled the FDA never properly tested GE foods. Monsanto and the likes have millions of dollars to spin their products, patent their seeds, contracts with farmers (5 years I believe), farmers can't save their seeds, yeilds not any better in many cases, weeds develope to super weeds - thus more sprays. Watch what you eat - soy products, corn syrup - Prince Charles is right - look at Candian Canola farmer's story Schmeiser Vs Monsanto...??? corporates motives!

[2bsirius]

Good comment, BGBurch. I actually have a documentary about this very issue posted as the first link in my sidebar.

[BGBurch]

Thanks 2bsirius, It was actually Monsanto Vs Schmeiser - once you get to his site you can listen to him talk about his situation. I'm glad you've brought this subject up as it has been a concern. Many indigenous populations around the world have been fighting GE crops - biodiversity is threatened with these patented seeds ... people not being legally allowed to save their seeds from one year to another - policy makers don't realise the ramifications of all of this stuff - very worrying really.

[mwest1234]

As with any new technology, humans will have to learn through trial and error how to most harmoniously live with the inventions. The point should not be to run around screaming the sky is falling and completely discard an important technological advance. We need to learn more through careful use and application of GM foods.

[2bsirius]

I don't know how you do your research into this issue, but you you must know that many of the very genetically modified crops which have been grown to be pest resistant have proven to be even more susceptible to blight and disease which prompts the use of ever more exotic pesticides. ALSO it is important to note that genetically modified crops ARE NOT GOING TO RESULT IN GREATER CROP YIELDS. No one is screaming about the sky falling BTW. Please reseach the topic a bit more. Thanks!

[mwest1234]

Seem to have touched a nerve off, sorry about that. Thought some of the statements in the links you provided did actually make it seem like disaster was upon us.

[2bsirius]

Yeahwotevaman, good points...About Norman Borlaug...Yes, he won the Noble prize in 1970 for introducing the Green Revolution, but since then, there has been a lot of controversy about agri-business. In the late 1980s, however, the Green Revolution began to fall apart as the chemical fertilisers rendered soil infertile. Farmers who had once diversified risk by growing as many as 30 different crops in their fields were dependent upon just one. As the quality of the soil deteriorated, they faced

[2bsirius]

zero yields and an inability to pay their debts. Three years of drought beginning in 2001 further fuelled the crisis.

Twenty-five thousand farmers have committed suicide under these circumstances since 1997. In the state of Andhra Pradesh alone, 4,500 farmers have committed suicide in the past seven years. This does not include the number of family members of farmers who have also killed themselves.

[2bsirius]

AND THEN there are the chronic problems of the vast increases in pesticides which become necessary to keep these the fragile mono-crops from succumbing to threats from pests...AND then the loss of biodiversity...No, sorry, Borlaung's "Green Revolution" of the 1970s has become pretty much a disaster. But it's been great for agri-business...I'm all for science BTW, but good science tries to understand and learn from its failures, not to try to run and hid from them.

[cehbeach]

Don't forget the political turmoil that keeps local people from being able to farm their own land. Surpluses don't do you much good when you have warlords, 'rebels', and other fine specimens of humanity that use denial of food as a weapon.

[daleshankins]

You raise a very valid point as always. Pesticides that cause memory loss and disorientation in bees, and the practice of overworking them by shipping the across the nation play a role in their demise BUT clearly gmo pollen likely is the major killer. A bigger problem than all of this however is HUMAN OVERPOPULATION of the planet. Too many people. Our current level of population is not sustainable. Nature will cure us of this insanity or we will come to our senses.

[valhala56]

I had come across some speculation that bee loss could be do to cell phones. At any rate whatever the cause.... cell phones, pesticides, virus, gmo pollen or whatever this should be top priority to find an answer to. Einstein said if the bees go so do the human race.

[daleshankins]

Agreed. But saving the bees won't matter unless we control our population somehow. Peace.

[valhala56]

Yeah try telling the Christian folk of the US that you need to contoll the birth rate and Creationism is not science, and stem cells are not people, and Noah didn;t go to all his hard work just so we can have Big Macs, and Whoppers in the 21st century.

I do think White Castle is on to the right thing about meat. Their hamburgers are so bad one has to be stoned and drunk to be able to down sliders and spikes preferbly with Vodka in your Big Red.

[valhala56]

Wasn't there an Irish Potato blight that caused much famine and misery because the Irish relied so much on tubers and not much else. There is one very good thing you can do with a blighted potato that's gone bad, I just learned this trick the other day. Worth it's weight in gold.

[cehbeach]

You didn't come off as preachy at all. While I think there is some alarmism from some quarters it is still an issue that merits scrutiny. What I don't like is that companies like Monsanto are 'modifying' their seed to only work with their fertilizers and to insure that you have to buy future seed. Anyone with a pulse can realize the possible disastrous consequences, as well as the sheer immorality of it. Start banking seeds now. I'd like to hear NDClark's take on this.

[mestena27]

one must ask, if this were such a wonderful, great thing to do with such little risk or harm...then why do we not have labels on our food allowing us to know what's gene-modified and what isn't in our grocery stores? If these big chemical corporations are so proud of their products, then why hide them by lobbying (Paying OFF the FDA) to keep labels off the GM food products? I've been waiting for labeling, at the very least, for YEARS now. What's to hide, here? Why so afraid? LOL

[mestena27]

Genetic modification (engineering) of seeds is completely diff. than the selective process that's been done for so long now. There are natural barriers (genetically) that keep order within the plant/animal/people world. GM food or GE food, if you will, breaks these natural barriers. Not only are bacterial/viral gene markers used, but animal genes, too, are put into these seeds..and consequently, our food. oh, and horizontal gene transfer really is happening now, too.

[nadiaTeeze]

We (humans) have been genetically modifying food since we started to pick which grains to eat and which to replant.

The work of geneticists like Norman Bourlough feed 2 billion people world wide. Is it right to let our feelings allow 2 billion people to die of starvation?

[FeelFreeToArgue]

One thing that needs to be added to your litany of things GM developers don't care about is nutritional value. Their whole priority is delivering an attractive looking product to the grocery store, something that looks like it is healthy and fresh. All other considerations, including nutritional value, are second to this.

GM foods represent just another aspect of our pell mell, uncritical use of scientific "advances" in general. What is our freaking criteria for what constitutes an "advance?"

[valhala56]

If one has ever eaten at the thousands of Asian buffets all over the US, you will have tasted the huge amounts of MSG they dose their General Tso chicken with and just about everything else they serve. I know this isn't gentically modified it is chemical but if a human being can withstand the high dose of MSG one recieves at an Asian buffet which is probaly the equivalent of 10 rads of radiation in the amount of damage done to the liver and live a normal life then that truly is astonishing.

[valhala56]

In Marengo Indiana a company is working with genetically modified corn in a CAVE. I kid you not. This corn is gentically modified to grow at stupednous rates. The reason why they do it in a cave is because the experimenters can try different envirmental, i.e. effect of global warming. Althoug it really isn't any kind of top secret thing, they are keeping it from nosy prying eyes. Note: Corn isn't even a natural food, this is a modified food over the centuries. Think High Fructose corn syrup.

[aZeroGodist]

I don't know much about GM, But if a food is patented say by coca-cola then it would be anti competition, if the GM food is open-source then maybe. But nature has its own way of dealing with things & evolving, I don't think GM is the holy grail in food production as it is made out to be.

At the same time since age dot people have always picked foods that would produce higher yields, cattle have been selectively reproduced to be more passive..etc.

[angryislander56]

Did you know the French don't even grow their own

cornichons anymore?! PEI is awash in chemicals

from potato farming when it should go organic.

The organic farmer that supplies my restaurant is

my age so hopefully he will supply me for as long

as I can stand behind a stove:)Important topic!

[mconn2112]

Monsanto is operating perfectly within their rights under the law, but they are morally bankrupt. GM foods, aspartame, etc. They are causing quite a bit of damage with their practices.

I have been against GM foods for a long time.

[tmafkap]

Yes, a very good and very neccessary video. Why do you say you won't stay on this topic for some more videos? When we look at India for example, and the farmers that commit suicide over there because of GM seed (not only food), we see that it's something we NEED to talk about. And I think you, Karen, are really fit to give the rest of us good information about the topic.

[ozjthomas]

Thanks. I agrree, this is very important. I'll check out the links.

[Maiyanna]

I agree with you! Great video! We are losing total control as consumers and small business owners and these large corporations do cause a great deal of destruction, what with no conscience and all.

[concerned00citizen]

We keep the same folks in power and expect different results. Small farms are being symatically & incrementally put out of business. "Special" programs to promote small farms will in the end end small farms. Experienced it myself.

[nicanicabad]

Great video--man can't play God, even 'he' can't manage the job.

Please speak more of this! I'm 8 years gone btw too-coming Sept.

[tomken8dy]

The international bankers (Rothschild) own the US Federal Reserve, the central banking system of the UK and most of the money in the world, including the economies is Red China and Russia.

They have created another Great Depression to rake in more wealth from those who default on loans and go bankrupt just as they did in 1929.

As the new Great Depression grows, food prices will increase further. Genetically altered food is PATENTED, giving them more control over us all.

See where this can go?

[concerned00citizen]

Great post and the bigger picture. If you can find a documentary Future of Food - it's great.

[2bsirius]

Tom, we need to stay on the topic...GM foods are scary enough. It's a good bit off topic to comment about the Rothchilds, US Federal Reserve, etc...They really AREN'T under discussion here. Your comment that GM foods are patented IS on topic. Monsanto also holds patents on their seeds and farmers will have to go to Monsanto and buy their seed EVERY YEAR. Heritage seeds are disappearing, and they are our legacy for the future.

[tomken8dy]

Karen, my comment is very relevant.

Bankers control governments, economies and industry.

They want more wealth, more power, more control.

Thus the "Phantom Menace" of terrorism to institute fascist control, and control over something everyone needs; food.

As our once wealthy Western societies plunge to Third World status they will need absolute control over a rebellious world.

Eliminating natural seed for GM gives them the extra control they need.

Next? Sell us oxygen when the air is destroyed?

[jakluk4]

DONT apologize! GMO foods arent talked about NEARLY enuf IMO!

CODEX ALIMENTARIUS, if no one is familiar, they should to google it. Dr. Rima Laibow is amazing to listen to on the subject.

Thanks for posting this :)