http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/crop-circle-270706

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/footer/gmo-map-la-carte-des-champs-o

Marmande, France — If you fly over the south of France you might be tempted to believe that aliens have landed with a huge crop circle appearing in a field of maize. But the aliens aren't from a distant galaxy; it's Genetically Engineered (GE) maize from the laboratory of Monsanto -- that the French government says you have no right to know about.

A French court has ordered Greenpeace France to remove a webpage featuring a Google Map showing the location of commercial GE maize fields in France -- despite an EU law which says the government should make the information available to the public.

So today we have responded by carving a giant 'X' crop circle into one of the GE maize fields in question, marking the spot of the GE maize field that is now censored from Greenpeace Frances' webpage.http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/3635/gecropcircle02kv4.jpg

As we are now forbidden to publish these maps of GE maize on our webpage, we have gone into the fields and marked the field for real," said Arnaud Apoteker, of Greenpeace France.

The EU law says that member states are obliged to maintain public registers in order to inform their citizens about the locations of GE fields. But the French Government is dragging its heels in making the EU's directive into national law, depriving its citizens of vital information to protect against the risk of GE contamination of conventional and organic food.

If you are German, you can find out the locations of GE crops easily by looking on government websites, if you are French however, you are kept in the dark.

"By publishing secret locations of fields of GE maize, Greenpeace is defending the right to know and say 'no' to the environmental and health risks associated with GE Organisms," said Geert Ritsema of Greenpeace International.

Yann Arthus Bertrand, photographer and author of "Earth From Above," took this image of the crop circle marking a GE Maize field in France.
France is not the only country where the growing of GE organisms is shrouded in secrecy. The Spanish government has so far refused to publish the locations of GE fields. The dramatic consequences of this policy became clear in April of this year when Enric Navarro, an organic farmer, burned his crop of maize which had become contaminated with GE rather than sell the contaminated maize to his customers.

Our recent report 'Impossible Coexistence' showed that in nearly 20 percent of the investigated cases, neighbouring conventional and organic maize fields in Spain are contaminated by GE organisms, without farmers and consumers even knowing about it.

Monsanto has to be one of the worst companys around, their GM crops have raised controversy around the world.
Me, I got to be safe and vote for the natural route with the enviroment.

Seems like the French government is the problem here, not Monsanto.

or um...y'know, BOTH of them.

If you live in the US - then you've been eating genetically enhanced food for years. Monsanto roundup ready crops have been in the food supply for years (allows farmers to use roundup to kill weeds but the crops are not killed). Monsanto's first big genetic product was an injection for cows that made them produce more milk.

Nobody knows what the impact will be long term, but at this stage it's a moot point.

As for France, well - they have bigger issues than eating genetically enhanced food.

Overall I think Israel should be blamed for all this.

Nobody knows what the impact will be long term, but at this stage it's a moot point. If it causes blood poisoning and lower organ failure like it did in rats then its hardly a mute point. Should it become evident that GMOs are harmful to humans and that our whole food supply has been tainted forever I hope to have some greedy CEOs heads on a stick.

If it causes blood poisoning and lower organ failure like it did in rats then its hardly a mute point. Should it become evident that GMOs are harmful to humans and that our whole food supply has been tainted forever I hope to have some greedy CEOs heads on a stick.

GM crops do not cause any such symptoms, trust you to come up with some conclusion like that (no doubt you will now provide a link to back it up - you are anti everything that makes sense) - the issue is how will nature react over a 50 - 100 year time span, nature is a balance.

The American public have been eating GM crops for many many years with no adverse effects on human health.

I am very distrustful of those animal studies in which they feed rats 100 times the amount of a substance a human could possibly eat and then announce the substance is carcinogenic.

I for one am in favor of tomatoes that do not taste like cardboard or get over ripe during shipment, corn with larger, more succulent kernels, crops that are resistant to disease and insects.

I have no problem with the so called Frankencrops.

i know that plenty of people get an allergic reaction , from mild sore throat to severe throat closings, from eating gentically altered maize.
for now my maize that i've grown for years from non-hybrid seed stock, has not been contaminated, but i know one day it will. farmers are going the wrong route with seed and growing. you save seed from the strongest plants and desirable traits. you don't have to cross them, or genetically alter them. 99% of hybrids is illegal to save seed from them. all genetically seed from the plants grown can not be saved just for the fact they won't grow, or it is hard to tell what you'll get from them. all this is just another way for farmers to be dependent on the corporations instead of self sufficeint.

I am very distrustful of those animal studies in which they feed rats 100 times the amount of a substance a human could possibly eat and then announce the substance is carcinogenic. I for one am in favor of tomatoes that do not taste like cardboard or get over ripe during shipment, corn with larger, more succulent kernels, crops that are resistant to disease and insects. I have no problem with the so called Frankencrops.

They give either 10 or 100 times the doses to animals in order to shorten the time it takes humans to get poisoned by that substance. I am sure if you were a scientist you wouldn't feed the rats for 10, 20 or 30 years to find the same effect, its a race to save people from "Monsanto" and the likes. And when going to get our food supplies we should be able to read on the levels which is natural and which isn't, but "Monsanto" got the government to not put that in writing on the products. See we are all screwed up, they make good business and we get the cancer. Just like with cigarettes.

All this is just another way for farmers to be dependent on the corporations instead of self sufficient.

Thats right, it is all about finding a way to make a business by having the farmers to keep buying seeds from these Corporations, they altered the ability of the plants to produce seeds along with all the other "benefits".

i know that plenty of people get an allergic reaction , from mild sore throat to severe throat closings, from eating gentically altered maize.

I don't believe that for even 1 second. If they have a reaction - it is a reaction to maize period.

Farmers have been cross breeding crops (& annimals) for centuries. GM altered foods is basically the same thing just done in a more controlled & repeatable fashion to produce crops that have beneficial traits.

The question is not the food having any negative consequences (unlike the pesticides, irradation and spray on preservatives our food is subjected to). The question is how does nature react? You make a crop immune to a certain insect & then that insect population reduces, so other annimals dependant upon that insect are impacted & so on....

There is no possible way for Monsanto to comprehend the ecological & wider impacts because the possibilities are endless.

What Monsanto can do is without any shred of doubt know that the food is safe. Enough precautionary studies, and years of actual human consumption, without a single negative impact to humans is proof that GM food is absolutely & unquestionably safe to consume. Beyond that - if you want to eat you have no choice, unless you pay thru the nose for so called "organic" food (a marketing dream product created solely to rip off consumers) or grow your own.

There hasn't been a single case of death or illness attributed to GM food. It's a panic over nothing. In fact, it's more much more effective at growing food, and offers the possibility of pesticide-free farming that is more effecient than organic.

In Europe the root of GMphobia is anti-Americanism and/or economic nationalism. In the USA, it seems to be it's the small family farmers who are realising they're about to be completely replaced by a more effecient method of farming. :thumbs:

Giving them (Monsanto) the benefit of the doubt, and that there is no cancer or any other illness from messing with the natural order. It happens that the fields with plants that have been altered by them, they infect/contaminate the other fields of plants coming from natural seeds, and the same goes for organic crops. Once they have been contaminated the farmers can not have the seeds from their own fields for the next season. Monsanto's plants do not produce seeds and the farmers have to buy seeds from them all the time, is this fair? Those who opt to buy Monsanto's seeds know what they are getting into, and will be hooked, having to buy these seeds at the price the Corporation fixes.
Also, what about labeling the GE products so we can have a choice when buying food, and what about those of us who don't want to eat any crops that have been altered in a lab (GE), and those who want to eat only organic crops.
Do these people have to be screwed in the name of "progress".

You can already buy "organic" foods - just go to wholefoods stores & pay thru the ass for something with zero additional benefit, while wholefood execs sit back & laugh at your stupidity and willingness to pay a trumped up premium.

You think "organic" food isn't a corporate conglerate too?

It happens that the fields with plants that have been altered by them, they infect/contaminate the other fields of plants coming from natural seeds, and the same goes for organic crops. Once they have been contaminated the farmers can not have the seeds from their own fields for the next season. Monsanto's plants do not produce seeds and the farmers have to buy seeds from them all the time, is this fair?

I like you Cromagnon, and you may indded have a good point about geneticall altered crops posing an extreme danger to humankind, but you are WAY off base with several of the things you say.

the fields with plants that have been altered by them, they infect/contaminate the other fields of plants coming from natural seeds, and the same goes for organic crops. Once they have been contaminated the farmers can not have the seeds from their own fields

That is false.

There has been --it is alleged--some cross contamination, but not the point that neighboring fields are in one year tramsformed into genetically altered plants to the degree that Monsanto can step in and legally stop the farmer in question from owning his own seed that was produced.

Monsanto's plants do not produce seeds

I can name several plants that have been gentically altered by Monsanto....(corn and soybeans being the two most prevalent) but I do not know of ANY that "do not produce seeds". The primary purpose of the plants Monsanto is altering is for seed/grain production. (GM cotton is an exception, but it too produces seeds.)

A lot of Monsanto's products don't produce seeds and the farmer buys seeds each year, but that is nothing new - farmers buy seed each year anyway.

Monsanto didn't create their seeds business from scratch most of their seed producers were aqusitions of other companies.

In the early 90's I worked for Monsanto for 4 years, although not in their ag business. I know several people that work for Monsanto. I can say that Monsanto is very ethically motivated, they really are a pretty stand up company as far as big companies go. They have a culture of always doing the right thing.

I know several people that work for Monsanto. I can say that Monsanto is very ethically motivated, they really are a pretty stand up company as far as big companies go. They have a culture of always doing the right thing.That may very well be so, but they didn't look too good when they sued small dairies for labelling their milk BGH-free.

http://www.motherjones.com/news/outfront/2004/01/12_401.html

In that instance BGH refers to a company product & another company essentially profiting off it - they were well within their rights to sue.

In that instance BGH refers to a company product & another company essentially profiting off it - they were well within their rights to sue.That's not what I got from the article.

Around the state of Maine, it's hard to miss Stan Bennett's fleet of red-and-white trucks. They're the ones with the Oakhurst Dairy logo emblazoned across the side and the Oakhurst guarantee (Our Farmers' Pledge: No Artificial Growth Hormones) spelled out in big bold letters below. That pledge is printed on every carton and jug of milk that family-owned Oakhurst, Maine's largest dairy, sells. And Bennett, who has spent the last decade inducing Maine dairy farmers to "swear off the needle," as he puts it, isn't inclined to change the wording around one bit. "We state what we are trying to do, simply and honestly," says Bennett, president and principal owner of the Portland-based dairy. "It's my right -- and obligation -- to inform [customers] of the facts."

These days, Bennett has been spending a lot of energy defending that position. Monsanto, the nation's largest (and only) producer of recombinant bovine growth hormone, rBGH, doesn't think that Oakhurst -- or other dairies around the country that have put similar labels on their milk -- has a right to tout its products as rBGH-free. Last summer, with Bennett poised to expand Oakhurst's market into the Boston area, lawyers for the St. Louis-based chemical giant struck. The company sued Oakhurst for "deceptive" and "misleading" marketing, and asked a federal court to order that the Farmers' Pledge be removed from the dairy's labels, advertising, and trucks. Monsanto's argument: The genetically engineered rBGH, which increases a dairy cow's milk output by about a gallon a day, has already passed muster with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Oakhurst's labels, contends Monsanto, might cause consumers to question the drug's safety, even though the FDA has found that milk from cows injected with rBGH is the same as regular milk and that the hormone poses no human health risks. Oakhurst's milk is the same as every other dairy's, maintains Monsanto spokeswoman Janice Armstrong: "Milk is milk. There's no scientist in the world who can tell them apart."

The dairy wasn't using BGH in the label, and Monsanto sued for damages caused by what it said were unfair marketing practices, not trademark infringement.

In the USA, it seems to be it's the small family farmers who are realising they're about to be completely replaced by a more effecient method of farming. :thumbs:
And they should be.

I don't believe that for even 1 second. If they have a reaction - it is a reaction to maize period.




if you bet me you just lost.

i person who buys my ground corn meal every year has no reaction to it. but cornmeal from a store he does. almost all cornmeal now has some to all GM corn in it.

if you bet me you just lost.

i person who buys my ground corn meal every year has no reaction to it. but cornmeal from a store he does. almost all cornmeal now has some to all GM corn in it.

I don't doubt you on the reaction, I'm just saying the reaction isn't a result of GM. Cornmeal from a store probably has about 100 additional chemicals added to it.

A lot of Monsanto's products don't produce seeds and the farmer buys seeds each year, but that is nothing new - farmers buy seed each year anyway.ummm...no they don't. They save seed from year to year. Particularly farmers in other countries. They often trade with each other.In the early 90's I worked for Monsanto for 4 years, although not in their ag business. I know several people that work for Monsanto.Now it comes out...

The point is that there has been no long term studies on the effects of GM food on humans. And Monsanto has no right to use people as human guinia pigs.

"Organic" food costs more because not as much is produced in the same area. It requires more work. Organic used to signify no petroleum based pesticides and herbicides. But since Monsanto has the money to keep people from knowing what they are eating it now also has to satify the GM free as well.

Heres a good question:
If monsanto claims that its bio-piracy to save the GM seeds from year to year, under the idea that GM foods are unique....why is it that they simultainiously argue that their food shouldn't have to be labelled any differently then "normal" food?

I know you are going to say 'bad reputation' but hey too fucking bad. Its the companies job to promote thier own reputation, not to hide from consumers what they are eating. Secrecy and the denial of choice is anti-thetical to freedom. It is not ethical to deny freedom of choice for the sake of profits.

A lot of Monsanto's products don't produce seeds ......

I am not sure what you mean by *products*. The specific topic here is genetically modified plants that Monsanto has developed.

The gentically modified grain crops deveoloped by Monsanto--IOW, Monsanto's bread and butter-- do indeed **produce seeds**. It is their purpose for existence.

If you are not aware of THAT fact, then I would suggest that you refrain from talking about something of which you --seemingly-- have ZERO knowledge.

If "Monsanto's GE plants produce seeds, how do they make money, the farmer would just buy once Monsanto's seeds, then they will use the seeds the plants produce, no need to buy from them anymore, I don't think Monsanto is a non profit organization.
Farmers from different parts of the world especially from India, complain that they have to buy seeds from companies like Monsanto every year, because their plants didn't produce seeds, or the seeds simply wouldn't germinate.
The cause for contaminating the other fields with normal plants is the wind, and in Canada people are complaining that their crops can not be certified "organic" because of being altered by cross pollination.

and like monsanto and other GM seed producers it is their underlying scheme to make sure people HAVE to buy seed from them or produce nothing. they make sure that the crops from those seed will not produce viable seed for the next year.
hybridization effectively did the same thing for years. if you saved the seed, there was no guarentee of what would happen the next year. as in, hybrid tomatoes are always a cross between a larger slow season tomato with a faster higher instant yield cherry tomato. save the seed from them and the next year 99% of the tomatoes will be cherry tomatoes. if a hybrid had been stabilized, as in it will produce seed that has guarenteed results year after year has a little message on the bag,paraphrased, "it is illegal to save this seed from year to year." i know this from once working in a feed store years ago.
people were conned out of heirloom proven seed to hybridization dependence, or now, GM products. it is just a way to keep small farmers, and simple small gardeners from being self-sufficient. one day, my maize will end up with GM genes in it. then it will be worthless to save. more than likely the seed would never germinate the next year. right now, i can take my seed and scatter it on top of the ground in the fall and leave it. what does not get eaten by birds, or rots WILL germinate and grow the next spring, survive cold spells (even frosts), and produce very early in the year. i can have corn up and growing by early april - mid april. and farmers and other gardeners will not have corn up and growing until mid- late may.

my tomatoes have been around since the mid-1800's. they don't produce all at once like hybrids or GM's. they produce slowly through the summer. and die only if disease, cold, or insects do the job. if not they produce for a very long time. slowly. i don't have to jump out into my gardens and pick everything all at once and try to get them put away or sold as soon as possible. i can leisurely harvest and put away.

my tomatoes have been around since the mid-1800's. they don't produce all at once like hybrids or GM's. they produce slowly through the summer. and die only if disease, cold, or insects do the job. if not they produce for a very long time. slowly. i don't have to jump out into my gardens and pick everything all at once and try to get them put away or sold as soon as possible. i can leisurely harvest and put away.

That's great for the amature grower, I imagine your tomatoes are quite delicious, but for production on a large scale, farmers can benefit from disease resistant strains and more predictable outcomes.

Of course, they have a choice, nobody is placing a gun to their head and forcing them to use GM strains, and if there were no benefit to using them, then no farmers would have.

That's great for the amature grower, I imagine your tomatoes are quite delicious, but for production on a large scale, farmers can benefit from disease resistant strains and more predictable outcomes.

Of course, they have a choice, nobody is placing a gun to their head and forcing them to use GM strains, and if there were no benefit to using them, then no farmers would have.

amatuer?

not mad, but it has taken me years of growing this stuff, selecting seed only from the STRONGEST, etc.. this is where hybridization and GM don't get it. you select the strongest of what you want. not crossing them, unless you are seeking the strongest from that and saving the seed, or making the seed unviable year to year.
hybridization and GM is only good for the profit margin. not the overall genetic diversity, strength brought about naturally from nature, and careful attention by the grower. they seek uniformity, ripening all at once, etc.. but sacrifice nature, and flavor. all for profits.
all of this one day WILL come up and bite humanty on the ass.

The gentically modified grain crops deveoloped by Monsanto--IOW, Monsanto's bread and butter-- do indeed **produce seeds**. It is their purpose for existence.

Freethinker, Drew is not wrong. The seeds Monsanto sells to farmers produce crops that do not produce viable seeds thereby necessitating that the farmers continue to purchase their seed from Monsanto. This is done so that farmers cannot simply buy the seed once and then produce their own for future plantings.

but sacrifice nature, and flavor. all for profits.
all of this one day WILL come up and bite humanty on the ass.

You may well be right, but everything we do on this planet could fall into the same analysis.

If "Monsanto's GE plants produce seeds, how do they make money, the farmer would just buy once Monsanto's seeds, then they will use the seeds the plants produce, no need to buy from them anymore...

Do you think farmer's grow plants for their looks?

What do you think the PURPOSE of the plant is, if not to produce seeds?!?!?!

YES, Monsanto's plants (corn and soybeans being the prime examples) produce seeds. YES, those seeds are perfecty viable. There are heavy penalties associated with saving seed and planting them next year. It is sometimes done, but at great risk to the farmer.

SOME OF Monsanto's seed crops have had a *terminator* gene inserted, that DOES make the seed non-viable........but the two biggest crops, soybeans and corn, do not have that gene inserted and are perfectly viable seed.........even though it is highly illegal to save them for re-plant.

I defy anyone here to name a Monsanto plant that has been genetically modified that ""does not produce seed"".

....in Canada people are complaining that their crops can not be certified "organic" because of being altered by cross pollination.

I understand that.....but what i was taking issue with was your claim that --""genetically modified crops infect/contaminate the other fields of plants coming from natural seeds, and the same goes for organic crops. Once they have been contaminated the farmers can not have the seeds from their own fields.

That is a falsehood.

i'll try to dig up more research on GM crap when i have time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sci/tech/2321443.stm

Drew and Frogger - you both abviously have no clue what you are talking about (but since when has that ever stopped you...).

Terminator seed technology is not commercially available. The way Monsanto makes money is by threatening to sue the shit out of farmers for "bio-piracy".

Is it so much to ask that you know what you are talking about when you post? You could at least say you are not sure. As it is you have 0 credibility because your willing to spout off your ignorence like fact.

You could at least say you are not sure. As it is you have 0 credibility because your willing to spout off your ignorence like fact.

Now that's the pot calling the kettle black. Mr No credibility himself has spoken.

I will grant you that you show promise for a 12 year old.

Go ahead give the link so I can go buy some terminator seeds....I'm waiting...

If "Monsanto's GE plants produce seeds, how do they make money, the farmer would just buy once Monsanto's seeds, then they will use the seeds the plants produce, no need to buy from them anymore, I don't think Monsanto is a non profit organization.
Farmers from different parts of the world especially from India, complain that they have to buy seeds from companies like Monsanto every year, because their plants didn't produce seeds, or the seeds simply wouldn't germinate.
The cause for contaminating the other fields with normal plants is the wind, and in Canada people are complaining that their crops can not be certified "organic" because of being altered by cross pollination.

Monsanto has also been sueing farmers over the cross pollinated crops, calling it theft. Using helicopters to take samples from any farmers field. http://www.percyschmeiser.com/ http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/13889778.htm

Monsanto has also been sueing farmers over the cross pollinated crops, calling it theft. Using helicopters to take samples from any farmers field. http://www.percyschmeiser.com/ http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/13889778.htm

What the.......?!?!?!

I have no clue where you're getting THAT interpretation........?!?!

You'd better try reading the article again, American.

The link that YOU provided reports on organic farmers --who are concerned with "genetic contamination" of conventionally grown crops by biotech varieties-- who are suing the federal government.

Monsanto is not suing ANYONE for "the cross pollination of crops".

Monsanto --the article points out-- has sued farmers it caught purposefully planting its genetically engineered corn, cotton and soy seeds without paying the company's technology fee.

I have NO argument with you about Monsanto being a callous corporation that is more concerned with profits than human beings.....but you are BADLY, BADLY misrepresenting what this news article is saying.

reread the Canadian case again http://www.percyschmeiser.com/
http://www.percyschmeiser.com/conflict.htm
Agreed, I miss interpreted the US case.

Go ahead give the link so I can go buy some terminator seeds....I'm waiting...

I didn't disagree with you. Monsanto have the ability to produce seeds that are sterile and have a patent for it but haven't used it (yet)

reread the Canadian case again http://www.percyschmeiser.com/
http://www.percyschmeiser.com/conflict.htm
Agreed, I miss interpreted the US case.

Ok.

But we're talking about one farmer here, and after the case was settled he was not required to pay Monsanto anything.

Also, it is quite possible that Schmieser was selectively harvesting the portions of the fields where volunteer Roundup Ready plants were growing (as the picture illustrated) and replanting that seed knowing it would have the Roundup Ready trait.........which would have prompted Monsanto's objection.

http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__business/&articleid=260937

even though i would never eat soy, but here's something. and keep in mind america soy industry mostly does not fermint soy properly before consumption and is being shown to cause a lot of problems in itself.

http://www.foodconsumer.org/777/8/Most_Offspring_Died_When_Mother_Rats_Ate.shtml

http://www.mindfully.org/GE/GE2/Corn-Trials-Threaten-Organic.htm

A lot of Monsanto's products don't produce seeds and the farmer buys seeds each year, but that is nothing new - farmers buy seed each year anyway.
I didn't disagree with you. Monsanto have the ability to produce seeds that are sterile and have a patent for it but haven't used it (yet)you did...now you've been corrected. remember that.

Ok.

But we're talking about one farmer here, and after the case was settled he was not required to pay Monsanto anything.

Also, it is quite possible that Schmieser was selectively harvesting the portions of the fields where volunteer Roundup Ready plants were growing (as the picture illustrated) and replanting that seed knowing it would have the Roundup Ready trait.........which would have prompted Monsanto's objection.
How do we keep the gm crops separated? Do we want companies like Monsanto controling our food supple(the genetic makeup of plants) and able charge farmers at their discretion? Volunteer crop means it is spreading beyond the intended field at what point does Monsanto control the entire farming industry via unintentional crossbreeding/contamination. A simple genetic test will back Monsanto and possibly entitle them to compensation from the farmer.

A simple genetic test will back Monsanto and possibly entitle them to compensation from the farmer.

There's no law, at least in this country, under which such a thing would be possible.

How do we keep the gm crops separated?

I do not think there is any way to do it.

That is why I oppose Monsanto's dictatorial stance on this issue.

Do we want companies like Monsanto controling our food supply (the genetic makeup of plants) and able charge farmers at their discretion?

NO...... absolutely not.


Volunteer crop means it is spreading beyond the intended field at what point does Monsanto control the entire farming industry via unintentional crossbreeding/contamination.

Monsanto has --IMO-- zero recourse to blame non-GM farmers for the spreading of the genetic make-up of the GM plants.

GM problem:

Plants can transfer their genes fairly easily. So what happens when the weeds pick up the herbicide resistant gene?

GM problem:
Plants can transfer their genes fairly easily. So what happens when the weeds pick up the herbicide resistant gene?
Very good question! I believe that as the name for this thread says, "Monsanto is screwing up natural crops, and everything else natural too.
I want to send to Monsanto's executives, a man eater plant that already has all those altered genes, and now is ten times bigger, and can even walk...

GM problem:

Plants can transfer their genes fairly easily. So what happens when the weeds pick up the herbicide resistant gene?

It's already happening. The consequences may be severe. Roundup resistant pigweed --aka careless weed-- is becoming a MAJOR problem for cotton growers. There is also takl that some species of waterhemp are becoming resistant.

http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/1340/mexicocropcirclebt3.jpg
Mexico — John Lundberg, a professional cropcircle maker talks about his latest work, a giant question mark in a maize field in Mexico and working with us.
"For years I'd thought that crop circles would be an ideal medium for promoting Greenpeace's genetic engineering (GE) campaign. The crop circles generate an alien mystique, encouraging people to consider the unknown.

Greenpeace's GE campaign (http://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/genetic-engineering) aims to prevent alien organisms from contaminating our plants and food, while raising awareness of the unknown consequences that could arise from such material entering the food chain.

This combination of mystery, creativity and an underlying message perfectly reflects the work that Greenpeace is doing worldwide. It was also embodied in the formation we created for them - a 65 meter (200 feet) circle with a question mark at its centre."
Why a question mark?

"For thousands of years, maize (corn) has been an essential food for the people of Mexico; it also plays an integral part in their culture and religion. Unfortunately, in recent years the maize has been tainted by GE varieties entering the country and being planted by unaware farmers. As a result, normally GE-free maize is showing signs of genetic contamination.

So the question mark conveys a simple message - contamination is happening, but nobody knows exactly where it is taking place, nor where it could lead for the wider environment.

A day after our crop circle creation we were transported to a tiny village called Cuanajo in the state of Michoacan. A celebration was held to honour the regions GE free status. The festival was an amazing cultural experience, each type of maize has a purpose. Maize for tortillas, tamales, atoles, pozole, animal feed and also to create handcrafts which they sell in market stalls.

Protecting this precious diversity is paramount for the people, regional government, scientists and environmental groups who have all worked together to cement the region as GE free. Other surrounding regions are also interested in following this example to create their own GE free zones.

The more I find out about the issues surrounding GE, especially within Mexico, the happier I am to have been involved in this project. With literally thousands of different strains of maize in Mexico, it's vitally important for both its people, and the rest of the world, to keep the seeds clean and maintain their variety.

Working with Greenpeace in Mexico (http://www.greenpeace.org/mexico/) was a rewarding and fun experience - even during the rainy season! Circlemakers hope to continue our relationship with Greenpeace and I also hope that Mexico can successfully rid itself of genetic contamination and keep its maize GE-free."

a man eater plant that already has all those altered genes, and now is ten times bigger, and can even walk...

You mean a Triffid.

http://www.bullybugle.com/images/Triffid.gif

I want a platoon of agricultural engineers assigned to the advancement of marijuana potency. Corn is plentiful, there's no shortage of wheat, rice or soybeans, but I sometimes have a helluva time finding a good bag of herb at a reasonable price.

Yes...triffids rock, figured I was the only person to ever read that book.

UPDATE 1-EU to act Wednesday on tainted U.S. biotech rice
Tue Aug 22, 2006 6:21am ET
By Jeremy Smith

BRUSSELS, Aug 22 (Reuters) - EU authorities plan to act this week to ensure that an unauthorised biotech rice detected in the United States does not enter the bloc's food chain, an official at the European Commission said on Tuesday.

"We are hoping to adopt tomorrow measures that will ensure that this GM (genetically modified) rice will not reach consumers," the official told Reuters, declining to elaborate.

The biotech rice case recalls a similar transatlantic clash over GMO foods last year, when EU experts blocked imports of U.S. maize animal feed and grains unless there was proof they were untainted by an unauthorised GMO.

The European Commission was notified late on Aug. 18 by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns of trace amounts of unauthorised biotech rice detected in long-grain samples that were targeted for commercial use.

On July 31, U.S. agriculture and food safety authorities were notified that testing by Bayer CropScience, a division of Bayer AG (BAYG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research), showed the genetically engineered rice -- called LLRICE 601 -- in rice bins in Arkansas and Missouri.

It was the first time that unmarketed genetically engineered rice had been found in rice used in the U.S. commercial market.

Japan, for which the United States is the largest rice exporter, has already suspended imports of U.S. long-grain rice.

EU Commission experts have contacted Bayer and the U.S. authorities for more information about the unauthorised rice strain, with a view to establishing whether it might have found its way into any shipments destined for European markets. Continued...

http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspx?view=CN&storyID=2006-08-22T102146Z_01_L22121916_RTRIDST_0_FOOD-EU-USA-RICE-UPDATE-1.XML&rpc=66&type=qcna
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So....bad for business. Is that enough to get you to turn against GM or are you just going to rant on and on how the majority of the people/world are just plain wrong to disagree with the US?

I want a platoon of agricultural engineers assigned to the advancement of marijuana potency. Corn is plentiful, there's no shortage of wheat, rice or soybeans, but I sometimes have a helluva time finding a good bag of herb at a reasonable price. Go to Amsterdam, they already do it. When I was in high school it was easier to score herb then booze. Of course I lived but 40 minutes from Mexico...

I want a platoon of agricultural engineers assigned to the advancement of marijuana potency. Corn is plentiful, there's no shortage of wheat, rice or soybeans, but I sometimes have a helluva time finding a good bag of herb at a reasonable price.


ever see caddyshack? kentucky bluegrass crossed with pot. is that now a possibility? imagine, cutting your lawn, raking it up, dry it out, and get high as a kite for weeks.:thumbs: now that's GM i can handle.


around here the only thing i can afford is bullshit mexcian ditch weed full of seeds for $60 a 1/4 oz.. the good stuff, sinsemilla high grade is double that. people don't realize that when the low grade ditch weed comes across the border it probably costs $5 a quarter ounce. but everyone keeps doubling up etc., of the price because people are stoopit enough to pay it. the high grade stuff is usually indoor and you have to pay some guys electric bill.

wow that sucks.

$55-60 = oz of mexi in AZ
$5 = 1/2 O in Mexico

Of course it all depends on who you know...

the dealers are ripping people off. big time. then a lot of local growers take advantage of that and charge outrageous prices for good fresh local. i think the next dealer i run into i'll ask to see the weed first, and then throw about $30 at him for the bag. if he doesn't like it, he can call a cop. or just find a nice patch and hope it belongs to a dealer and rip HIS ass off.

i think the next dealer i run into i'll ask to see the weed first, and then throw about $30 at him for the bag. if he doesn't like it, he can call a cop. or just find a nice patch and hope it belongs to a dealer and rip HIS ass off.You're gonna steal from a patch and just hope that it belongs to a dealer? That's not cool. Why don't you try growing your own? That way you wouldn't have to rip off anybody.