Another View Archive
Date: Friday, 27 September 2002, 1:10 am
Some few organic growers are unscrupulous, and don't care if they use GM, or if they grow using non-organic practices, if its easier for them to make a buck.
The bigger worry though, is contamination of clean crops. I recently read a story about an organic producer who lost his entire contract when the buyer discovered that a small percentage of the crop was made up of GMO when analyzed before accepting delivery. The grower was totally unaware that this had occurred. Which local HFSs or small organic farmers are doing DNA analysis of their produce? Once this stuff is out in the field, it spreads. How will we know by looking at it if its been contaminated with GMO or not?
There are a few vegetables that are self-pollinating, like potatoes, so if not GM to start with, they wouldn’t suddenly change. But most are not; and that’s a big problem. I guess veggies we use pre-pollination, pre-fruiting, like lettuce, could be considered safe from this kind of contamination.
Seeds of Doubt:
North American farmers' experiences of GM cropsSoil Association 17sep02
Contamination
In chapter 7 we look at GM contamination, which has been the single greatest problem. Widespread GM contamination has occurred rapidly and caused major disruption at all levels of the agricultural industry, for seed resources, crop production, food processing and bulk commodity trading. It has undermined the viability of the whole North American farming industry:Contamination has caused the loss of nearly the whole organic oilseed rape sector in the province of Saskatchewan, at a potential cost of millions of dollars. Organic farmers are struggling practically and economically; many have been unable to sell their produce as organic due to contamination
All non-GM farmers are finding it very hard or impossible to grow GM-free crops. Seeds have become almost completely contaminated with GMOs, good non-GM varieties have become hard to buy, and there is a high risk of crop contamination
Because of the lack of segregation, the whole food processing and distribution system has become vulnerable to costly and disruptive contamination incidents. In September 2000, just one per cent of unapproved GM maize contaminated almost half the national maize supply and cost the company, Aventis, up to $1 billion.
http://www.mindfully.org/GE/GE4/Seeds-Of-Doubt-USA17sep02.htm
Here is a listing of articles on genetic engineering in the last 6 months.
Messages In This Thread
- MSNBC article about organic foods...
Verna -- Tuesday, 24 September 2002, 12:15 am- Thanks for the article...
Lynne -- Tuesday, 24 September 2002, 9:22 am- I didn't see the Today show...
Verna -- Wednesday, 25 September 2002, 9:30 am
- interesting article: Organic vs Commercial crops
Lynne -- Tuesday, 24 September 2002, 9:51 am- Thanks Lynne, isn't it interesting...
Verna -- Wednesday, 25 September 2002, 9:38 am
- Asians prefer organic too, in a strange twist
Cheryl -- Thursday, 26 September 2002, 11:16 am- Did you read the Sep 24th article?
Verna -- Thursday, 26 September 2002, 11:27 am- No, I didn't. Thanks Verna. But I'm more concerned with
Cheryl -- Thursday, 26 September 2002, 12:03 pm- Cheryl, we're moving 1500 miles...
Verna -- Thursday, 26 September 2002, 12:29 pm- I used to grow everything
Cheryl -- Thursday, 26 September 2002, 12:42 pm- I'm hoping to find a beekeeper...
Verna -- Friday, 27 September 2002, 12:05 am- Heritage seeds
Karen . B.C. -- Friday, 27 September 2002, 12:41 am- Now that I had my bath, Ill post the sight!!!
Karen . B.C. -- Friday, 27 September 2002, 1:17 am- Thanks for the URL Karen!
Cheryl -- Friday, 27 September 2002, 11:17 am- Always use your given, they are there for,
Karen . B.C. -- Saturday, 28 September 2002, 1:44 am- Know what on the soil?
Cheryl -- Sunday, 29 September 2002, 12:43 am
- Cheryl, Brandywine tomatoes...
Verna -- Saturday, 28 September 2002, 10:31 am- heirloom seeds
Emmi -- Saturday, 28 September 2002, 11:50 am - Know what on the soil?
- I can't get the link to work
Cheryl -- Friday, 27 September 2002, 4:10 pm- I have it like that,
Karen . B.C. -- Saturday, 28 September 2002, 2:06 am- Ok, I found it, thanks to your tip on the book.
Cheryl -- Sunday, 29 September 2002, 12:26 am
- Ok, I found it, thanks to your tip on the book.
- Always use your given, they are there for,
- Hey Karen! We got Organic grass&willow-fed Mule
Bill -- Friday, 27 September 2002, 8:52 pm- We can mix that with,
Karen . B.C. -- Saturday, 28 September 2002, 2:16 am- Bill, thanks but I've got horse
Verna -- Saturday, 28 September 2002, 10:34 am- Yes Verna, I have a beautiful crop of Chickweed
Bill -- Saturday, 28 September 2002, 3:15 pm- That's why you need to wait...
Verna -- Saturday, 28 September 2002, 6:09 pm
- That's why you need to wait...
- Bill, thanks but I've got horse
- quick question for all you passionate gardeners
Lynne -- Thursday, 3 October 2002, 12:17 pm- Big plastic owls on poles in the air,
Cheryl -- Thursday, 3 October 2002, 4:48 pm- Cheryl, you have the best...
Verna -- Friday, 4 October 2002, 12:42 am- And yet, My Squirrels....
Betsy Ann -- Wednesday, 9 October 2002, 1:19 pm- Damn nibblers
Elena -- Saturday, 12 October 2002, 11:47 am- Squirrels & street suicide...
Betsy Ann -- Saturday, 12 October 2002, 6:02 pm
- Damn nibblers
- Yes, Cheryl ....I too have used the
Bill -- Friday, 11 October 2002, 3:58 pm- P.S............I should point out that
Bill -- Friday, 11 October 2002, 4:24 pm- I'm laughing so hard right now
Cheryl -- Friday, 11 October 2002, 8:52 pm
Lynne -- Friday, 11 October 2002, 8:57 pm- If he has a towel, he has all the necessary
Bill -- Saturday, 12 October 2002, 12:26 am- hey, Bill... I have a lot of squirrels, too...
Lynne -- Saturday, 12 October 2002, 12:45 am- Other things you can distract them with....
Cheryl -- Saturday, 12 October 2002, 11:18 am- They also like BBQs
Cheryl -- Saturday, 12 October 2002, 11:34 am- for several years we had a wild Mallard
Bill -- Sunday, 13 October 2002, 3:46 am - They also like BBQs
- They aren't afraid of cats!
Cheryl -- Saturday, 12 October 2002, 11:37 am- HAHAHA these pictures are very funny!
Lynne -- Saturday, 12 October 2002, 9:04 pm
- Ladies at a definite disadvantage
Elena -- Saturday, 12 October 2002, 12:05 pm- (Message Deleted by Poster)
Bill -- Sunday, 13 October 2002, 3:22 am- Even though I am pleased at my own cleverness
Bill -- Wednesday, 16 October 2002, 3:31 pm
- Even though I am pleased at my own cleverness
- Other things you can distract them with....
- hey, Bill... I have a lot of squirrels, too...
- Where do skwerls come from?
Cheryl -- Saturday, 12 October 2002, 11:29 am
- I'm laughing so hard right now
- And yet, My Squirrels....
- Passionate yes......but not about gardens!?!
Bill -- Monday, 7 October 2002, 4:23 am- "Capt. Midnight," could you elaborateon THAT? nmi
Karen . B.C. -- Monday, 7 October 2002, 3:51 pm- Hi Karen ! I wouldn't really expect
Bill -- Monday, 7 October 2002, 5:04 pm- Comic Strips
Dick S. -- Monday, 7 October 2002, 11:38 pm- Yes, Dick; I agree!! That has been one
Bill -- Friday, 11 October 2002, 4:12 pm
- Yes, Dick; I agree!! That has been one
- Comic Strips
- Hi Karen ! I wouldn't really expect
- Cheryl, you have the best...
- Thanks for the URL Karen!
- Johnny's Seeds...
Verna -- Friday, 27 September 2002, 1:14 am- Good company
Karen . B.C. -- Friday, 27 September 2002, 1:31 am- Thank you, thank you! It's better to
Cheryl -- Friday, 27 September 2002, 11:28 am - Thank you, thank you! It's better to
- Heritage seeds
- I'm hoping to find a beekeeper...
- GM/Organic food
Dick S. -- Thursday, 26 September 2002, 11:48 pm- GM is not considered organic. But.
Cheryl -- Friday, 27 September 2002, 1:10 am
- I used to grow everything
- Cheryl, we're moving 1500 miles...
- No, I didn't. Thanks Verna. But I'm more concerned with
- I didn't see the Today show...
- Thanks for the article...