US Farmer Paul Aasness; Genetically Modified Corn Grower

Paul Aasness, a US corn, soybean and wheat grower, explains how GM crops have significantly reduced pesticide spraying and increased beneficial insect and wildlife populations on his farm.

http://www.monsanto.com/biotech-gmo/asp/videogallery.asp

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• biotechnology
• genetically
• modified
• food
• organisms
• monsanto

[Gunnut880]

Very good video, to all that oppose GMO crops all I have to say is this say that for some odd reason that we go back to raising non GMO corn and beans, this is what would happen one our yeilds would dramatically decrease 2, we would have to start spraying toxic insecticides to battle corn bore and rootworm Beatles and 3 we would have to use other chemicals to control weeds. which in all would lead to increase in food cost because we wouldn't be producing enough to feed our growing population.

[mheaddem]

I think it's nice to see, regardless of who sponsors this, the other side of this issue. All we are forced to consume these days is fear mongering organic hype. Monsanto appears to be helping farmers be more economical -- nobody is forcing the farmers to use these seeds. They are helping keep affordable food on our tables. What's so evil and nefarious about that? I'd suggest organic black marketing scaring us into paying 100% more for food which is no different is what's evil.

[myndy86]

@Bergy00031 I grew up on a farm as well, so my experience is based on first-hand knowledge as well as numerous peer reviewed studies which is where I have you easily beat. YOU may have no RR resistant weeds but go to the southeast(I have) and it's a very different story. You are basing your entire opinion on your own limited experience and attempting to apply that to the whole world. If you think it is so easy to get rid of RR resistant weeds you've been severely misled by biotech propaganda.

[myndy86]

@Bergy00031 By rotating weed killers you reduce the chance of resistance because if a weed is resistant to glyphosate for example, it may still be killed by glufosinate, etc. You are just sort of making things up at this point because you have no real argument. I can provide you with studies suggesting some GM crops adversely affected the health of certain organisms, so your claim of ALL studies are inconclusive is based on the fact that you admit you haven't read all studies.

[Bergy00031]

The reason I say you should go get first hand experience is because I have lived and worked on a farm all my life, from which I have gained more experience than you can pull from your readings. We have no signs of RR resistance, if we did, we would use a selective post-emergence herbicide to take care of those few individuals. We are doing our part as are most farmers. If you believe everything you've read or heard, you're being severely misled by greenpeace and other activists groups.

[Bergy00031]

@myndy86 - I don't have to read ALL studies; luckily there are sources that do that for me (yes more than one unbiased source not including farm papers). Using multiple herbicides not only pollutes water, it is also possible for weeds to develop a resistance them. Weeds will develop a resistance to anything, thats called evolution. And yes test plots are often times walked for weeds (hand-pulled) I know because I have worked on them.

[myndy86]

@Bergy00031 "Also the yields that you are looking at were taken from test plots that have uniform factors such as no weeds." Can you direct me to where I can buy a test plot piece of land that has no weeds? Unless they are conducting the field trials in a lab, greenhouse, etc. they are going to have weeds. Even garden store soil often has weeds in it so even in a lab, etc. they might have at least some weeds. You are pretty much just making excuses that don't make any sense.

[myndy86]

@Bergy00031 You "know" RR crops reduce herbicide use because of your one circumstance? Are you serious? Using multiple herbicides decreases the chance of weeds developing resistance and organic uses none. The best thing for you to do would be study the practice 1st hand on a southeast farm and you will see that the huge majority of farms there have glyphosate resistant weeds on them from using only Roundup. If you believe this video then you are severely being misled by biotech propaganda.

[myndy86]

@Bergy00031 "First, all studies on the long term effects of GM crops have been inconclusive." So, you have read ALL studies on the long term effects of GM crops? This is why it's hard to take your comment seriously. "Also the yields that you are looking at were taken from test plots that have uniform factors such as no weeds." Maybe if you read all of the studies I referenced and their references you would know that a lot of the data came from community based studies NOT from test plots.

[Bergy00031]

@myndy86 I said GM crops help reduce the application of herbicides, that is because with conventional crops, you have to use multiple selective herbicides rather than one application of Round-up. I know this because since switching to RR crops, we have limited our herbicides to nearly nothing. The best thing for you to do would be study the practice 1st hand on a midwest farm. This would help you see how you are being severely misled by greepeace radicals that will say anything to get heard.

[Bergy00031]

@myndy86 First, all studies on the long term effects of GM crops have been inconclusive. Also the yields that you are looking at were taken from test plots that have uniform factors such as no weeds. Its possible that in those circumstances that organic would grow better. But that is besides the point. The obvious reason for using RR crops is that its needed in places with bad weeds. In these places organic would be overtaken by weeds and have a terrible yield.

[myndy86]

@Bergy00031 There are numerous conventionally bred crops(used in organic) that are disease resistant(Aflatoxin resistant maize, Larger grain borer resistant maize, Wheat streak mosaic virus resistant wheat, etc.), weather resistant(Drought tolerant maize, soy, pigeon peas, Nerica rice, heat tolerant beans, flood tolerant rice, etc.) and studies suggest organic farming itself has higher yields compared to conventional in times of drought and other poor weather conditions.