Comments on: Flood Resistant Gene in Rice Discovered http://growersandgrocers.net/2006/08/21/flood_resistant_gene_in_rice_discovered/ From farm to table, and all the stops along the way. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:13:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Kayenne So http://growersandgrocers.net/2006/08/21/flood_resistant_gene_in_rice_discovered/#comment-17 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 08:25:26 +0000 http://growersandgrocers.net/2006/08/21/flood_resistant_gene_in_rice_discovered/#comment-17 Is there a reliable certifying body regulating GMO labeling, and more than that, a reliable checkpoint to ensure that these companies selling the seeds aren't taking advantage of the farmers in the US?<br /> <br /> Perhaps filling empty stomachs take priority here in a 3rd world country, but I don't think too many people are aware of the repercussions of GMO plants. Vitamin A or "yellow rice" from a few years back had supposedly taken care of the vitamin A deficiencies (and its negative health impact) in children from poor families. I'll try to do more research on this, but I hadn't heard of it these last few years. I wouldn't even have remembered it, if not for research on this article. Thanks! Is there a reliable certifying body regulating GMO labeling, and more than that, a reliable checkpoint to ensure that these companies selling the seeds aren’t taking advantage of the farmers in the US?

Perhaps filling empty stomachs take priority here in a 3rd world country, but I don’t think too many people are aware of the repercussions of GMO plants. Vitamin A or “yellow rice” from a few years back had supposedly taken care of the vitamin A deficiencies (and its negative health impact) in children from poor families. I’ll try to do more research on this, but I hadn’t heard of it these last few years. I wouldn’t even have remembered it, if not for research on this article. Thanks!

]]> by: Sheryl Kirby http://growersandgrocers.net/2006/08/21/flood_resistant_gene_in_rice_discovered/#comment-16 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 05:11:11 +0000 http://growersandgrocers.net/2006/08/21/flood_resistant_gene_in_rice_discovered/#comment-16 Yes, sort of. Once they switch to GMO rice, they must rely on companies like Monsanto, whereas for generations they've been completely self-reliant.<br /> <br /> Some of the links also discuss the fact that the nutritional aspects are not all they're cracked up to be - that it would be easier (and healthier!) to add foods rich in Vitamin A to their diet instead of suplementing rice.<br /> <br /> There's also issues with patents - once a company creates a GM strain, they get a patent on it, but the patents are quite vague - so once there is GMO basmati rice, quite possibly *all* basmati rice would fall under the ownership patent of Monsanto or other companies. Yes, sort of. Once they switch to GMO rice, they must rely on companies like Monsanto, whereas for generations they’ve been completely self-reliant.

Some of the links also discuss the fact that the nutritional aspects are not all they’re cracked up to be - that it would be easier (and healthier!) to add foods rich in Vitamin A to their diet instead of suplementing rice.

There’s also issues with patents - once a company creates a GM strain, they get a patent on it, but the patents are quite vague - so once there is GMO basmati rice, quite possibly *all* basmati rice would fall under the ownership patent of Monsanto or other companies.

]]> by: Kayenne So http://growersandgrocers.net/2006/08/21/flood_resistant_gene_in_rice_discovered/#comment-15 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 01:10:19 +0000 http://growersandgrocers.net/2006/08/21/flood_resistant_gene_in_rice_discovered/#comment-15 ic... so it's more similar to fair trade coffee. that farmers have to be dependent on having to buy the seeds planted (and someone else profitting from it). i was thinking more of health risks and mutation. but if the seeds from GMO plants won't grow, then that probably eliminates the issue. ic… so it’s more similar to fair trade coffee. that farmers have to be dependent on having to buy the seeds planted (and someone else profitting from it). i was thinking more of health risks and mutation. but if the seeds from GMO plants won’t grow, then that probably eliminates the issue.

]]> by: Sheryl Kirby http://growersandgrocers.net/2006/08/21/flood_resistant_gene_in_rice_discovered/#comment-14 Mon, 21 Aug 2006 10:26:40 +0000 http://growersandgrocers.net/2006/08/21/flood_resistant_gene_in_rice_discovered/#comment-14 The issue with GMO rice (in the short term at least) is the inability to save seeds. You mention India specifically, and you've got to remember that many rice farmers are subsistence farmers - they grow enough rice to feed themselves and support their families - barely. A switch to GMO rice is going to mean a switch to rice that cannot be seeded each year - that's one of the main properties of GMO crops - the gene that controls the seeds is shut off. Seeds harvested from GMO plants won't grow, forcing farmers who have saved seeds every year for centuries to BUY new rice seed each year - something they absolutely cannot afford. This may also lead to a situation similar to what has happened with corn in North America, where there is a glut of product that sells for cheaper than what it cost the farmer to grow it. In the US, that corn is heavily subsidized - the same situation is unlikely to occur in India.<br /> <br /> For more info on GMO rice in India, check out almost any book by Vandana Shiva, or do a google search for "GMO rice India" or "GMO rice Shiva", and you'll have days worth of links to read on the serious **downside** of GMO rice. The issue with GMO rice (in the short term at least) is the inability to save seeds. You mention India specifically, and you’ve got to remember that many rice farmers are subsistence farmers - they grow enough rice to feed themselves and support their families - barely. A switch to GMO rice is going to mean a switch to rice that cannot be seeded each year - that’s one of the main properties of GMO crops - the gene that controls the seeds is shut off. Seeds harvested from GMO plants won’t grow, forcing farmers who have saved seeds every year for centuries to BUY new rice seed each year - something they absolutely cannot afford. This may also lead to a situation similar to what has happened with corn in North America, where there is a glut of product that sells for cheaper than what it cost the farmer to grow it. In the US, that corn is heavily subsidized - the same situation is unlikely to occur in India.

For more info on GMO rice in India, check out almost any book by Vandana Shiva, or do a google search for “GMO rice India” or “GMO rice Shiva”, and you’ll have days worth of links to read on the serious **downside** of GMO rice.

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