• Pacattack57@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    29
    ·
    6 months ago

    Organic food versus GMOs. I think big farma is in on the organic food prices and put false narratives about the dangers of gmo foods.

    • TheOubliette@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      13
      ·
      6 months ago

      They’re also not even the same category. Organic vs. non was about what kinds of chemicals amwere allowed to be added. Herbicides, pesticides, that kind of thing. GMOs are about whether a certain technology was used to genetically engineer the plants (artificial selection vs. the techniques of molecular biology). But they get all mixed up together as a result of marketing and a public that does not receive information any other way.

      There are dangers with GMOs but they’re about farming sustainability and corporate power, particularly the use of IP law. The food itself, so far, is perfectly safe.

      Also, organic food is not necessarily safer. You can still put fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides on organic crops, you’re just restricted to the use of certain kinds. You still need to wash organic produce to get rid of potential residue.

    • EtherWhack@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      6 months ago

      Aren’t bananas and corn both genetically modified, at least in the analog sense? Both wouldn’t exist without humans altering them.

        • EtherWhack@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          6 months ago

          Yeah. Those were just two examples that came to mind. Tangelos or any “seedless” produce are some other ones.

          I see GMOs as just another form of agricultural development to decrease issues/problems with production. (like splicing in a gene that makes them less appetizing to pests so you would use less pesticides or one that makes them more drought tolerant)

          One of the largest drawbacks to GMOs though (aside from the capitalistic approach of introducing sterility) is due to allergies. This could however be easily mitigated by listing where each gene comes from so people who may be allergic to the gene of the donor would know if it should be avoided.

          • geoma@lemmy.ml
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            3
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            6 months ago

            You guys are mixing too much concepts here. Non GMO doesnt necessarily mean organic. A lot of seedless varieties come from hybrids, not GMOs. IMHO though, GMOs and seed patents are the way of bringing capitalist concept of copyright into plants and food. It’s not good not being able to have your own seeds and grow them.

            • EtherWhack@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              3
              ·
              6 months ago

              I don’t disagree on the symantics of the term. I’m just alluding to the fact that selective breeding/hybridizing foodstuffs can be similar to genetic modification from an outside perspective.

              There are a lot of people that will completely discredit anything that that says It has been genetically modified. What they don’t necessarily realize is that GMOs and selective breeding/hybridizing can both carry similar, if not the same risks/benefits. You can make your “all-natural” seeds (for instance) sterile. They can both carry similar risks for allergies. They can also both have the same benefits of of disease/pest/drought tolerance. (see the Great French Wine Blight)

              It’s also not good, not being able to feed your people without imports.

    • UnsavoryMollusk@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      7
      ·
      6 months ago

      I wish the debate around gmos didn’t focus on bs about poison so that we could talk about it’s moral issues and the disgusting behavior that some gmo producers practiced