Oh, wonderful. Organic has a new definition...

[hover]

http://worldtruth.tv/usda-forces-who...cept-monsanto/

Edit: this appears to be semi-old news...apologies.

[Relic]

"organic" from am agricultural perspective actually means next to nothing...
Many years ago, I worked an an agricultural research center that tested herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, they also did bio-tech work. They were able to officially call nearly everything they cooked up "organic" due to the really malleable definition of it. It was pretty sad really

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by Relic

"organic" from am agricultural perspective actually means next to nothing...
Many years ago, I worked an an agricultural research center that tested herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, they also did bio-tech work. They were able to officially call nearly everything they cooked up "organic" due to the really malleable definition of it. It was pretty sad really

Yup, the whole "organic food" trend I find quite funny, in a sad way.

[boynamedsuse]

It may be "semi-old news," but I am still glad to learn this. My primary interest in organic foods is the avoidance of GMOs.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Always found it funny thinking of it in a chemistry manner. Organic chemistry is simply the chemistry of carbon and carbon compounds.

[baba]

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

Always found it funny thinking of it in a chemistry manner. Organic chemistry is simply the chemistry of carbon and carbon compounds.

That's exactly what I think of when I hear organic. Organic Chemistry damaged me for life. Although I did like playing with the tinker toy models.

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by baba

That's exactly what I think of when I hear organic.

Same here. ITS ALL ORGANIC!

[Oneirogenic]

Is it made of a complex chain of hydrocarbons? Then it's organic!

[hover]

Regardless of how it's being defined or whatnot, does it not bother you that it is being forced into the food supply?

Regardless of it being the study of ______, when you knowingly modify the genetic structure of an otherwise naturally occurring living thing's lifecycle, without proof that the modification is not to the detriment of the end user, and then proceed to force it upon said end user through regulation, that should really, imo, piss off said end-user.

We can't all be farmers. I try and grow some things with heritage seed stocks, but hardly enough to sustain for any appreciable amount of time. I guess it's just alarming to me that it's one MORE thing I seem to be losing my choice on. I am not an organic-grown-only zealot, but do appreciate the option...and it's being taken away...

[DwaynieAD]

reading this thread side by side with the "if it aint broke dont fix it thread"

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by hover

I am not an organic-grown-only zealot, but do appreciate the option...and it's being taken away...

I dont think its really being taken away. I dont think it was a real option to begin with.
Im all for the labeling of GMOs, but I bet we'd all be surprised to find out how many things we currently eat are made from them without us knowing. And a number of them are already labeled "organic".

[MJ5150]

Read the ingredients folks, not the buzz words on the label.

-Mike

[DwaynieAD]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Read the ingredients folks, not the buzz words on the label.

-Mike

this post is 100% 95% fat free

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Read the ingredients folks, not the buzz words on the label.

-Mike

Exactly. I bought some tortilla chips the other day.
Ingredients: Whole White Corn, Vegetable Oil, Salt.
That doesnt tell me, however, whether or not theyre using genetically modified corn.
Id say its highly likely they are.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

It's been done at one level or another for centuries, selective breeding of both plants and animals is certainly a form of genetic manipulation.

However, I do agree that the stranglehold held on the US electorate by big business is a scary one. When companies have that loud a voice . . . scary.

As far as I'm aware there isn't any GMO growth in the UK (at least I don't think there is any beyond research applications). It certainly isn't something I'm all that bothered about, however, I certainly think that after a certain amount of tampering it certainly should be labelled so people can make the choice. I also think that Monsanto should be reeled in. Even if the products are safe, the business practices are so Mafia-like it amazes me they get away with it.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Originally Posted by DwaynieAD

reading this thread side by side with the "if it aint broke dont fix it thread"

That's the thing though, these things do go broke. You do need to try and avoid disease and infestation. None of the crops you see in fields are wild-type, they've all been tinkered to one degree or another.

[DwaynieAD]

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

That's the thing though, these things do go broke. You do need to try and avoid disease and infestation. None of the crops you see in fields are wild-type, they've all been tinkered to one degree or another.

that was my point that I never bothered to make. now you have me thinking of the "your favorite type of apple" thread.

I'd feel safe in saying none of the most popular types of apples occur "naturally"

[Simo98]

Originally Posted by hover

Regardless of how it's being defined or whatnot, does it not bother you that it is being forced into the food supply?

Regardless of it being the study of ______, when you knowingly modify the genetic structure of an otherwise naturally occurring living thing's lifecycle, without proof that the modification is not to the detriment of the end user, and then proceed to force it upon said end user through regulation, that should really, imo, piss off said end-user.

I don't necessarily have a problem with GM foods. The foods we eat are already well and truly genetically modified, we've just done it over thousands of years through selective breeding, grafting, and several other techniques. We can just do it faster, and if anything more effectively now.


I don't think they're been "forced" into the food supply, but rather, demanded. People want cheaper foods, people want food they can store longer, people want to buy mangoes in the middle of winter, and the way the market delivers this it through genetically modifying foods to be the way people want, and to be more profitable.

I do think that there needs to be a lot of regulation in place to ensure that what people eat is safe for consumption, and that the package discloses any information that people would want or need to know. I also find it a bit scary the way that large corporations are able to bend and mould these regulations and policies to suit them and are concerned only profitability, but I think that's an issue independent of GM foods and fairly wide spread throughout the corporate world.

[Simo98]

Originally Posted by i_got_a_mohawk

It's been done at one level or another for centuries, selective breeding of both plants and animals is certainly a form of genetic manipulation.

Exactly, the plants and domesticated animals we eat are far removed from what they originally were, many of these species wouldn't have a change in the "real" world, without human intervention, because of how far we have modified them.

People seem to have this perception that lettuce and grain just grow naturally in fields and you can just go out and pick some "natural" lettuce in a forest. Nope, lettuce in nature wasn't even really edible until the Egyptians started cultivate it and breed it for its leaves.

And you take some lettuce and plant it out in what was originally its natural habitat and see how long it survives. The foods we eat and bred to be, well, appetising, and we're far from the only ones who see them that way.

[boynamedsuse]

GMOs are not produced by breeding. Roundup ready grains are made using a chemical process to modify the genetics. The end result is something that cannot be produced by breeding.

Hint: Roundup is not a plant.