GM wheat crops in Australia, Greenpeace takes action

[Tsyal Makto]

Originally Posted by Banefull

I often hear people expressing worries over a lack of testing on the effects on consuming genetically modified plants. The thing is, very little testing is needed. Scientists do not create the genes, they use genes from existing organisms. If researchers take a gene that codes for a protein already known to be non-poisonous and transfer it into another plant, why do they need to test the same exact protein in the new plant again to determine whether its somehow spontaneously poisonous? Its a bit ridiculous as the proteins are the exact same even though they are in different plants.

But when that gene works in conjunction with the other genes in the plant, they can lead to adverse effects, especially when they cross-polinate with wild plants. Superweeds, anyone?

GM crops created superweed, say scientists | Environment | The Guardian
‘Superweed’ explosion threatens Monsanto heartlands - FRANCE 24

Regardless though, they are some of the most heavily regulated products on the market. The way GMOs are treated compared to other methods is extremely inconsistent. Artificial selection by farmers replanting their best crops does the exact same thing but using a slightly different method yet absolutely zero regulation goes into that. What makes insect resistance by those means any safer, better, or different than laboratory methods?

The old "substantial equivalence" argument...

No, they are not the same. TBH I don't know why people do not see that. When the best of an organic crop is selected to be replanted, it is using genes that are native to the plant, not adding genes that are foreign to the plant. Selective plantation is simply accelerated evolution, GMO crops create whole new branches of evolution by introducing new traits into the plant strain. How are they in any way the same?

Not necessarily true. Most are grown in industrialized countries.

Of total yields, yes, but of countries using them at all, it is mostly in the developing world. The US is really the only 1st world industrialized country to really embrace GMO crops with open arms, which is why I think Monsanto and co are targeting developing countries. IIRC they are banned in Europe. And TBH it hasn't really worked out well for us, either. Monsanto pretty much monopolized GMO crop production here in the US, and...well, for lack of a better term, they are thugs. They lobbied for the banning of GMO labelling, they falsify scientific studies, and they strong-arm farmers into following their strict rules. Europe made the right move, IMO.

‪FOOD, INC. - (Full)‬‏ - YouTube

This is FOOD, INC. Monsanto and GM are addressed about an hour in.