I’m talking South Africa, but it sounds bad like you say, they eat what they can, it’s a thing that worries some developed communities, that’s a fact.
This remarkable statement was made by Osvaldo Capellini, president of the Dairy Processors of Argentina.
I follow a pro-GMO blog, just to keep up with the other side. Usually it’s just PR nonsense from companies involved in the trade. The mangled statement above (admittedly it’s presumably not in his first language) came at the end of a piece justifying the use of GM food for Argentinean cattle. Thanks to countries like South Africa that eat what they can, and with non-existent controls, they can sell their goods, providing Monsanto and other biotech companies with more PR.
It’s nice to know we’re seen as a market that accepts any old junk, that we eat what’s put on our plate by the kind multinationals.
To summarise my position again briefly for those arriving here for the first time, I am not against genetic technology. Unfortunately, it’s rather like proprietary versus Free software, with immensely more serious consequences. Countless studies have been manipulated or disregarded by those with a vested interest in selling the product, and a vested interest in covering up any bad news. Blindly letting them get away with this is insanity. With proper use and control, the technology can be fantastic. Unfortunately right now it’s merely ruthless profiteering, with all of us at risk.
Technorati tags: genetic modification GM food genetic engineering genetically modified food genetics, GMO dairy
Which are these countless studies that have been manipulated? The one by the World Health Organization(WHO) that indicated that genetically modified foods can’t compromise the health of consumers. You talk about multinational biotech companies profiteering from genetic technology. Research into one crop variety costs close to $1 billion. How do you propose these companies recoup their expenses?
Having to recur $1 billion in expenses is part of the problem. No matter how unclear the evidence, the motivation becomes primarily financial, so twisted research, ignoring contrary evidence, tying ‘customers’ (farmers) into having to purchase more products again the following year ostensibly for their own good, all follow.
As for studies, there’s the WHO one at http://www.who.int/bookorders/anglais/detart1.jsp?sesslan=1&codlan=1&codcol=16&codcch=217, which has been used for pro-GM propaganda, but on closer reading also contains the warning that “vegetative Bt has the potential to produce Bacillus cereus-like toxins whose significance as a possible cause of human gastrointestinal disease remains unknown.”