Scotland bans GM crops

[Nearly Sane]

Dearie me, ludicrous decision.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-33833958

[Hope]

Reading through the article, I'd applaud the decision, but dis-applaud some of the reasoning behind the decision.

[Nearly Sane]

Reading through the article, I'd applaud the decision, but dis-applaud some of the reasoning behind the decision.

What do you think would be good reasoning for it?

[Leonard James]

They'll catch up later.

[Jack Knave]

The problem with GM crops is that they come with a patents, intellectual property rights, and once those genes get into other plants they can't be used without paying royalties. The whole issue of the control of the people by the elites, and controlling access to food becomes a dangerous issue and a concern.

[Leonard James]

The problem with GM crops is that they come with a patents, intellectual property rights, and once those genes get into other plants they can't be used without paying royalties. The whole issue of the control of the people by the elites, and controlling access to food becomes a dangerous issue and a concern.

Ah, there's the rub! Mammon rules!

[Nearly Sane]

Nope, that isn't the case in EU law which decided against any such claim.

[Udayana]

How will the EU decisions be affected by ttip?

In any case, it seems surprising that we can come up with the technologies to create almost any crop we need but are unable to manage their use in a reasonable, safe and fair manner. Seems to be a lack of transparency.

[Nearly Sane]

How will the EU decisions be affected by ttip?

In any case, it seems surprising that we can come up with the technologies to create almost any crop we need but are unable to manage their use in a reasonable, safe and fair manner. Seems to be a lack of transparency.

I don't know of anything in TTIP which would change that. As to the lack of transparency, could you illustrate in some way as it's a very vague statement

[Jack Knave]

Nope, that isn't the case in EU law which decided against any such claim.

You can't trust them they are bringing in TTIP which will make any such ruling null and void. The EU works for the big corporations.

[Jack Knave]

How will the EU decisions be affected by ttip?

In any case, it seems surprising that we can come up with the technologies to create almost any crop we need but are unable to manage their use in a reasonable, safe and fair manner. Seems to be a lack of transparency.

I don't know of anything in TTIP which would change that.

No one really knows because it is being done in secret. Anyone in the know who blabs either goes to jail or gets sent to Guantanamo - no joke.

[Nearly Sane]

How will the EU decisions be affected by ttip?

In any case, it seems surprising that we can come up with the technologies to create almost any crop we need but are unable to manage their use in a reasonable, safe and fair manner. Seems to be a lack of transparency.

I don't know of anything in TTIP which would change that.

No one really knows because it is being done in secret. Anyone in the know who blabs either goes to jail or gets sent to Guantanamo - no joke.

Any evidence for this?

[Nearly Sane]

Good article on Hawaii's ban

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/01/05/us/on-hawaii-a-lonely-quest-for-facts-about-gmos.html?_r=0&referrer=

[Nearly Sane]

And I find it odd that given the Roslin Insitute's prime role in GM for animals, that the Scottish Govt should take this step

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/9995807/Pig-born-using-new-GM-approach.html

[OH MY WORLD!]

I knew Obama was lying when he promised to shut that prison down! Oh wouldn't ya just know it!! Just caught sight of Cleopatra running around in my yard killing snakes again! Oh and look over there, that's Moses, he's dressed up like a Mau Mau fighter pilot!

[Jack Knave]

How will the EU decisions be affected by ttip?

In any case, it seems surprising that we can come up with the technologies to create almost any crop we need but are unable to manage their use in a reasonable, safe and fair manner. Seems to be a lack of transparency.

I don't know of anything in TTIP which would change that.

No one really knows because it is being done in secret. Anyone in the know who blabs either goes to jail or gets sent to Guantanamo - no joke.

Any evidence for this?

I heard it on Going Underground on RT. (I think I still have the episode so I can check exactly what was said.)

Also, Molly Scott Cato, MEP, Green party was allowed to go inside where all this was going on. She had all her electronic items taken from her so that no photos etc. could be taken and was only allowed into certain areas at gun point.

TTIP will destroy the NHS.

[Udayana]

How will the EU decisions be affected by ttip?

In any case, it seems surprising that we can come up with the technologies to create almost any crop we need but are unable to manage their use in a reasonable, safe and fair manner. Seems to be a lack of transparency.

I don't know of anything in TTIP which would change that. As to the lack of transparency, could you illustrate in some way as it's a very vague statement

Basically TTIP will open up EU markets to US food products. So far the Commission has stated that imported products will have to meet existing EU GMO related regulations. This fine as far as it goes, but says nothing about labeling, of concern to people that don't want to consume, directly or indirectly, GM products.

When I'm prescribed a medicine, or buy an otc medical product I get sheet fully describing the proper use of the product, side effects and so on. When buying foods or other products I want sufficient information to allow me to decide if I want to use that product or not. Eg. I do not want to use products that cause an increase in the use of pesticides or are causing traditional crops to be abandoned or become un-affordable, or causing hardship for 3rd world farmers or native populations o the environment. If possible I want to be able to find out the full impact, biological, environmental and economic, of the production and ingredients of any product.

Currently I don't know of an independent and reliable source of information on such topics. Ideally I would be able to know, from labelling, which GMOs are in the product and be able to look up comprehensive information.

[Rhiannon]

It's not just GMOs - we have currently understood and banned substances ranging from hormones in food to chemicals in toiletries that will be allowed in the EU under TTIP.

[SweetPea]

The problem with GM crops is that they come with a patents, intellectual property rights, and once those genes get into other plants they can't be used without paying royalties. The whole issue of the control of the people by the elites, and controlling access to food becomes a dangerous issue and a concern.

Spot-on, Jack.

[jeremyp]

The problem with GM crops is that they come with a patents, intellectual property rights, and once those genes get into other plants they can't be used without paying royalties. The whole issue of the control of the people by the elites, and controlling access to food becomes a dangerous issue and a concern.

Spot-on, Jack.

It's already been refuted.

[Hope]

It's already been refuted.

Unfortunately, many third-world farmers' experience is otherwise, jeremy.  I accept that this may be to do with unscrupulous suppliers ripping the farmers off.

[Udayana]

The problem with GM crops is that they come with a patents, intellectual property rights, and once those genes get into other plants they can't be used without paying royalties. The whole issue of the control of the people by the elites, and controlling access to food becomes a dangerous issue and a concern.

Spot-on, Jack.

It's already been refuted.

But what are the details? How will US GMO producers make money from their "inventions" if they can't patent genes? I believe they patent the methods for inserting or modifying particular sequences which effectively has the same effect.

How will the rest of the world outside the EU be affected by over-production of US or EU GM products? As the GMOs are man made and supposed to be under our control, all of this can be planned - and all the details and assessment thereof, for each product, should be made accessible  to consumers or anyone that wants to know.

[Outrider]

It's already been refuted.

Unfortunately, many third-world farmers' experience is otherwise, jeremy.  I accept that this may be to do with unscrupulous suppliers ripping the farmers off.

And there's the rub - EU law protects people and their livelihoods to a degree, not allowing the GM companies to claim rights over your work via stealth.

In third world nations - where these crops are more desperately needed - more corrupt regimes are happy to take back-handers from multinationals to rewrite their own laws to the detriment of their people.

Those claims have been refuted in the EU, but EU law doesn't hold sway everywhere.

TTIP, by implication, will open up the world markets to a rush to the lowest common denominator - the least regulated regime will set the standard to which companies will operate. Until and unless specific requirements on health and safety law, product safety and good practice in power generation and manufacturing are agreed as part of the arrangement, it'd be criminal to accept it - unfortunately, I fear we're regressing, and it will go through.

O.

[jeremyp]

It's already been refuted.

Unfortunately, many third-world farmers' experience is otherwise, jeremy.  I accept that this may be to do with unscrupulous suppliers ripping the farmers off.

Can you give specific examples where third world farmers have been sued because their non GMO crops contained GMO DNA?

Could you then explain how that would relate to Scotland with its different laws?

[jeremyp]

But what are the details? How will US GMO producers make money from their "inventions" if they can't patent genes?

How do specialist seed suppliers make money from their "inventions" now?

I believe they patent the methods for inserting or modifying particular sequences which effectively has the same effect.

What you believe is of no consequence.  What actually happens is what matters.

How will the rest of the world outside the EU be affected by over-production of US or EU GM products?

How is it affected by our current superior non GMO farming methods?