Anserine anti-gm movement continues to fail, M&S, Co-operative and Sainsburys to sell chicken fed wi
80 replies, posted
[img]http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Observer/Pix/pictures/2013/5/11/1368273799710/Supermarkets-say-sourcing-010.jpg[/img]
[i]Supermarkets say sourcing non-GM feed for chickens is now too expensive.[/i]
What ho! Economics in action?
[quote]Britain's supermarket giants have been accused of caving in to the genetic modification lobby by dropping their decade-long stance against selling chickens fed on genetically modified crops.
The move has been seen as a key victory for GM food giants such as Monsanto which, environmental groups claim, will benefit from the switch. It is also being seen as a precursor to the introduction of GM meat and poultry by "softening up" consumer resistance to the controversial technology.
It has emerged that Marks & Spencer, the Co-operative and Sainsbury's are following Tesco, Asda and Morrisons and reversing policies that prohibit their suppliers from feeding GM soya to chickens used in the production of their own-brand eggs and poultry. The move came following fierce lobbying from groups such as the National Farmers Union and the British Poultry Council.
The supermarket giants said suppliers had told them that non-GM feed for poultry is now too difficult and too expensive to obtain. There are also concerns that there is a risk non-GM and GM animal feed could become mixed up, making it more difficult to police the UK food chain.[/quote]
[url]http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/may/11/supermarkets-chickens-gm-soya[/url]
Also, just to let you know, farmers actually lobbied for this. The farmers here forced the supermarkets here to start accepting GM food, due to the rising costs of animal feed.
[quote]Environment secretary Owen Paterson has branded sceptics of the technology as "humbugs".[/quote]
That's not a healthy chicken! (it's got it beak cut short, means it's put in a 1 by 1 cage with 5 other chickens for their entire life, it's so they don't peck each other to death from stress)
Anyway, I'm very interested to see where this GMO rocket will strand, especially if it ever turns out that GMO IS bad for your health.
I don't mind GM foods I just wish Monsanto would fuck off having this incredibly scary hold over the world's food supply.
[QUOTE=ZombieDawgs;40791802]I don't mind GM foods I just wish Monsanto would fuck off having this incredibly scary hold over the world's food supply.[/QUOTE]
It doesn't have a scary hold on the food supply.
If it tried to do something like restrict the supply of food intentionally, that would probably cause civil unrest and the US government would do something about it.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40791862]It doesn't have a scary hold on the food supply.
If it tried to do something like restrict the supply of food intentionally, that would probably cause civil unrest and the US government would do something about it.[/QUOTE]
Except that they do. They have a firm hold on the necks of farmers in the US already, due to their patented crops that outproduce everyone else's. It won't be long before they have a monopoly on crops.
The real issue however, is that their products are mostly untested. We don't know what effects they may have on humans.
[QUOTE=Wolfos;40791980]Except that they do. They have a firm hold on the necks of farmers in the US already, due to their patented crops that outproduce everyone else's. It won't be long before they have a monopoly on crops.[/quote]
Except patents expire. Plus having more productive crops is a good thing.
[quote]The real issue however, is that their products are mostly untested. We don't know what effects they may have on humans.[/QUOTE]
Actually they are tested, much moreso than non-gm food.
How long is the patent though? I think FPers are more concern about a Monsanto monopoly than anything.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40792004]Except patents expire. Plus having more productive crops is a good thing.[/QUOTE]
What's stopping them from renewing their patents? They almost surely have the money to do it.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40792004]
Actually they are tested, much moreso than non-gm food.[/QUOTE]
This right here says otherwise.
[url]http://www.psrast.org/subeqau.htm[/url]
Half-assed testing is as good as no testing in my book.
Do they put a "gm-fed" stamp of some sort on the package?
[QUOTE=Wolfos;40792079]
This right here says otherwise.
[url]http://www.psrast.org/subeqau.htm[/url]
Half-assed testing is as good as no testing in my book.[/QUOTE]
Shit source. Get a better one.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40792154]Shit source. Get a better one.[/QUOTE]
Would you mind telling me [I]why[/I] it's no good? Or was it too long to read for you?.
[QUOTE=Wolfos;40791980] They have a firm hold on the necks of farmers in the US already, due to their patented crops that outproduce everyone else's.[/QUOTE]
How is this a bad thing? Aside from a possible monopoly?
Even if you consider the "they have to buy seeds annually" argument, farmers always buy brand new seeds.
[QUOTE=Wolfos;40792173]Would you mind telling me [I]why[/I] it's no good? Or was it too long to read for you?.[/QUOTE]
[url]http://www.psrast.org/[/url]
[quote]Scientists are being harassed if they tell the truth about GMO hazards. Research on GMO hazards is being suppressed and negative research reports have been destroyed. Scientist who say GMO-foods are safe are not seldom lying out of fear of becoming unemployed and unable to get any new research job. Read the alarming stories.[/quote]
Oh boy, a conspiracy theory webshite.
[QUOTE=Wolfos;40792173]Would you mind telling me [I]why[/I] it's no good? Or was it too long to read for you?.[/QUOTE]
Website is extremely biased, and after a quick look through it continually cites itself and offers no links to the original studies, or outside websites.
[QUOTE=Sobotnik;40792200]
Oh boy, a conspiracy theory webshite.[/QUOTE]
So you didn't even read the actual article I posted? Just because it's on a website that clearly opposes your views you dismiss it as trash? Wherever the article is hosted it was still written by a doctor, not some random loony, so it's still a valid source.
[QUOTE=Wolfos;40792269]So you didn't even read the actual article I posted? Just because it's on a website that clearly opposes your views you dismiss it as trash? Wherever the article is hosted it was still written by a doctor, not some random loony, so it's still a valid source.[/QUOTE]
I did read the article. I have also seen other articles, and the scientific consensus is that GM foods are safe.
[QUOTE=Wolfos;40792269]So you didn't even read the actual article I posted? Just because it's on a website that clearly opposes your views you dismiss it as trash? Wherever the article is hosted it was still written by a doctor, not some random loony, so it's still a valid source.[/QUOTE]
A little searching showed me that the article is [Url=http://members.iinet.net.au/~rabbit/notjcsoy.htm]14 Years old[/Url] and the testing practices mentioned are [Url=http://cera-gmc.org/docs/decdocs/09-094-001.pdf]15.[/Url]
A lot can happen in 15 years.
[QUOTE=bubbagamer;40792127]Do they put a "gm-fed" stamp of some sort on the package?[/QUOTE]
Why should they?
GMO food is amazing and is helping feed people in third world countries, as well as making food more affordable and accessible to people in developed countries. The real agenda behind the anti-gmo push is anti-corporate and conspiracy paranoia. The government tests GMO crops just like they test any other food. If the FDA okays it to be put on the shelves, I don't see what's so worrying. I imagine these same people use over the counter drugs to help a headache or a cold. All I see are people demonizing GMO crops because A: They see a scary sounding chemical name and jump to a conclusion simply because they don't understand the science behind it, and B: They can wake up in the morning and have any type of food they want. It's easy to be critical when you're not hungry. You cannot sustain the world's current and growing population off of organic farming alone.
[QUOTE=Wolfos;40792173]Would you mind telling me [I]why[/I] it's no good? Or was it too long to read for you?.[/QUOTE]
Any website that has a gigantic emphasis on conspiracy theories has an infinite bias towards fear mongering
[editline]26th May 2013[/editline]
It's ironic really, conspiracy theorists always blame our media for being biased, suppressing disagreeing opinions or whatever, when really all the news outlets that pander to conspiracy theorists attempt to keep people paranoid through any underhanded means possible, typically in the way of outright lying.
[QUOTE=JoeSkylynx;40792340]Why should they?[/QUOTE]
Because people deserve to know what they're eating, and sticking a label on GM products is the least they could do.
Also, I concede that my source was outdated. However, you still haven't addressed the patent issue. What is there to stop them from renewing them?
I also want to make it clear that I am not against GMO's. I am against Monsanto's business practices.
[QUOTE=Wolfos;40792555]Because people deserve to know what they're eating, and sticking a label on GM products is the least they could do.[/QUOTE]
Then read the packaging. Why need a sticker?
[QUOTE=Wolfos;40792555]Because people deserve to know what they're eating, and sticking a label on GM products is the least they could do.
Also, I concede that my source was outdated. However, you still haven't addressed the patent issue. What is there to stop them from renewing them?
I also want to make it clear that I am not against GMO's. I am against Monsanto's business practices.[/QUOTE]
But there's nothing wrong with GM food. Putting a sticker on it would just cause unneeded cost, confusion, and paranoia.
[QUOTE=T2L_Goose;40792412]GMO food is amazing and is helping feed people in third world countries, as well as making food more affordable and accessible to people in developed countries. The real agenda behind the anti-gmo push is anti-corporate and conspiracy paranoia. The government tests GMO crops just like they test any other food. If the FDA okays it to be put on the shelves, I don't see what's so worrying. I imagine these same people use over the counter drugs to help a headache or a cold. All I see are people demonizing GMO crops because A: They see a scary sounding chemical name and jump to a conclusion simply because they don't understand the science behind it, and B: They can wake up in the morning and have any type of food they want. It's easy to be critical when you're not hungry. You cannot sustain the world's current and growing population off of organic farming alone.[/QUOTE]
Seeing all the bullshit about people whining about fracking and that Keystone pipeline honestly I have to agree, the GMO thing sounds very similar to the kinds of things people say about those.
[QUOTE=POLOPOZOZO;40792647]Seeing all the bullshit about people whining about fracking and that Keystone pipeline honestly I have to agree, the GMO thing sounds very similar to the kinds of things people say about those.[/QUOTE]
Except fracking is known to cause problems and the keystone pipeline would be run by a company with an abysmal safety record
There was an internal memo about this at work which basically stated the reason they were switching was that GM feed kept turning up in supposedly 'GM Free' feed, so it was easier to just say that the chickens were fed GM feed, and that it didn't necessarily mean that they were going to change the feed. It also doesn't effect things like the premium free-range or organic ranges of poultry.
It might not go down that well though, I work on the Produce (fruit, veg, etc.) section and I have spoken to a few customers who genuinely believe that eating non-organic food will make them sick or give them cancer, fuck knows what they thing about GM food.
I'm as apprehensive about corporate chemical food as anyone, but honestly, genetic modification is the only way we're going to avoid some seriously nasty famines and shortages in the relatively near future. Regular crops are just not going to cut it when climate change and aquifer depletion start pushing yields down when demand continues to rise exponentially. We need to engineer better food sources, or start organizing a die-off of a couple billion people.
I really am all for distrust of big corporations and I think it's bullshit that farmers have to pay a tithe to Monsanto every time they replant, but organic farming ain't gonna feed the entire world, not by a long shot.
[QUOTE=Wolfos;40792555]Because people deserve to know what they're eating, and sticking a label on GM products is the least they could do.
Also, I concede that my source was outdated. However, you still haven't addressed the patent issue. What is there to stop them from renewing them?
I also want to make it clear that I am not against GMO's. I am against Monsanto's business practices.[/QUOTE]
The only thing a GM Label will do is ruin the entire GM Movement.
Think for a second about this. Put a label on something which is completely harmless and then add in the fact you got a bunch of asshats from Green Peace promoting that GM Food is evil blargablarg. Now what happens? Anyone who doesn't understand why the FDA and USDA exists will end up going, "oh shit this must really be evil!" and thus a snowball effect will occur.
It doesn't make sense to label something(aside from nutritional facts) which is completely harmless!
[QUOTE=Used Car Salesman;40792769]I'm as apprehensive about corporate chemical food as anyone, but honestly, genetic modification is the only way we're going to avoid some seriously nasty famines and shortages in the relatively near future. Regular crops are just not going to cut it when climate change and aquifer depletion start pushing yields down when demand continues to rise exponentially. We need to engineer better food sources, or start organizing a die-off of a couple billion people.
I really am all for distrust of big corporations and I think it's bullshit that farmers have to pay a tithe to Monsanto every time they replant, but organic farming ain't gonna feed the entire world, not by a long shot.[/QUOTE]
The anti-gm movement is a poisonous malady on the world.
GMO is fine but I'm against the idea that we should be allowed to patent living organisms
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