re: Can anyone enlighten me about Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

It's actually pretty good, but after watching it I didn't want to eat meat for a couple days. It spends a good amount of time describing Monsanto and them bankrupting small farms through lawsuits. It covers poultry and beef too. It's on Netflix if you have spare time. It's definitely one of those documentaries with an agenda though, and my take away from those is usually that a problem exists, but there's a side that I never really got to hear.

It's been years since I watched a netflix documentary. That kind of stuff may have bits and pieces that are beneficial to see but overall there are a lot better ways to invest your time when trying to learn about something.

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Ironically I farm as well.

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There is absolutely nothing ironic about that.

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Oh, I see you were just trolling. Carry on.

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It's really the reason the non-GMOs are pushing this issue though. Money, money, money. The non GMO products are more expensive and therefore less attractive to the public. They're trying to drive the cost up on GMO products to make their products more competitive.

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The non GMO products are more expensive and therefore less attractive to the public. They're trying to drive the cost up on GMO products to make their products more competitive.

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This is true, but they don't want subsidies to end, they want them expanded. The most recent farm bill raised the allotment 150% specifically to pay organic farmers' costs to be certified. They really just want a bigger piece of the pie while keeping a trendy label the average soccer mom believes will give her superpowers.

The only crops that receive substantial subsidies are the big 5 commodities (wheat, corn, soybeans, rice, and cotton). Curiously enough, the organic debate over these crops only arises if they are put into a form that can be labeled on a shelf, usually indirectly as animal feed or in processed foods. There's little stopping an organic producer from getting the same subsidies the large farms get on these crops, they just choose not to produce them because the cost of sub-par farming methods would sink them.

Vegetable, meat, and dairy producers receive little to no assistance, and these are really the areas where the 'organic' money is up for grabs. What organic farmers want is more subsidies (that other farmers don't get) to offset their shitty farming methods, while still whoring out the label.

I didn't read the thread past the first few posts, but that linked article seems pretty stupid to me.

'If you're health conscious, instead of drinking michelob ultra that has less than 100 calories and like 2 carbs, drink this other beer instead that has about 150 calories and 10 carbs'

Seems counterproductive.

I've never heard a farmer say they were forced to buy seeds when they didn't want to buy seeds.

Then again what farmer wouldn't want to buy seeds every year? It maximizes production and allows for planning when you know exactly what you plant in the ground

and yet if you are going to sell a gmo you don't have to label it all, or do anything except accept your subsidies from the farm bill

Whatever. Nice deflection. Way to ignore the gmo entirely

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sorta like gluten

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Especially since the whole gluten thing has been proven false...