GM seeds - who benefits?

[CerberusIV]

Article about patenting and modifying biological material, especially seeds, and a new EU approach to benefit third world farmers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2719129.stm

The point that struck me was the suggestion that seeds could be modified so that the resulting plant would not produce further seeds. one way of stopping GM plants spreading but great for the bio-tech companies turnover.

[Skanky Burns]

That's a great plan - until a stray mutation causes one of the plants to be able to procreate.

[Solly]

This is really going to confuse the lefties.

What do they want..GM crops not spreading as they tree-huggingly wanted. Or the greedy, filthy, money-loving, greedy biotech companies getting their just rewards on a sound investment.

[General Ludd]

Originally posted by Boddington's
This is really going to confuse the lefties.

What do they want..GM crops not spreading as they tree-huggingly wanted. Or the greedy, filthy, money-loving, greedy biotech companies getting their just rewards on a sound investment.

Niether. I don't want GM crops, period.

[MikeH]

Originally posted by Boddington's
This is really going to confuse the lefties.

What do they want..GM crops not spreading as they tree-huggingly wanted. Or the greedy, filthy, money-loving, greedy biotech companies getting their just rewards on a sound investment.

That's a classic.

I'm a lefty and I think that GM crops are a good thing as long as they are developed and used responsibly, which I don't think that even you fascist righties would disagree with.

[TheStinger]

Wheat is a GM crop, its just been done over a long period.

[Solly]

We are GM.

[Skanky Burns]

Everything animal used by humans has been genetically modified. Its just that now we have more powerful tools to do the genetic modifications (although more powerful tools means more opportunity for mistakes).

[Az]

Responsible GM
Responsible GM
Responsible GM

I am not totally against patentation. However I think that the patents should be short.

we should be careful with GM, but not be crazy about it.

[Urban Ranger]

Genetic modification isn't the same as breeding plants and animals, not in the sense that is currently used.

Personally, I am against GM. Preliminary studies have already shown that spliced genes spread into the environment, contradicting the assertion of biotech companies. So, how much more are they hiding from the public?

The main point, however, is not there is insufficient food in the world. There is - it is just poorly distributed.

[Skanky Burns]

EDIT: Nevermind, I think I get it now.

[Gary]

Quite so UR

I think it's just you Skanky

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Skanky Burns

Preliminary studies have already shown that spliced genes spread into the environment, contradicting the assertion of biotech companies.

Is it just me, or does that sentence not make sense?

Oh, picky people.

What I was trying to say is the spliced genes do spread into the environment via a number of routes, while the biotech companies asserted that they wouldn't.

[Az]

Personally, I am against GM. Preliminary studies have already shown that spliced genes spread into the environment,

what do you mean by that? that the GM crop spreads into the enviroment? or that the genes spread into the enviroment?

[Urban Ranger]

The genes.

Nobody knows what they would do, it could get us all into deep trouble.