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This is one of the most powerful films I’ve ever watched! I’m from the USA, but have lived in Thailand for the last 10 years. I’m opening a sustainable-living farm for individuals from around the world to come and take part in the operation of running. This film, gives me much more passion for doing so!!! Thank you!!!

This film is good but takes many issues and tars them with the same brush, potentially confusing the viewer. The health scares are very worrying and I don’t agree with some of the conditions the animals are kept in. However, there is nothing inherently wrong with cloned foods, in fact most fruit is cloned (and all bananas). Cloned animals are no different, genetically exactly the same as the parent, a normal animal which you would be happy eating. As long as this is regulated so that you know it is the same and there are no defects then there is nothing wrong with it. Any opposition remaining is just unfounded personal moral criticisms based on no evidence.
GM is similar, genes are added for benefit, such as in this case pesticide-resistance, and this is closely regulated and controlled. Adding a known gene to a crop or animal does not mean that there is anything extra unknown also added to it. Although if this is done to monopolise the industry and create huge profits then that is another matter.
People should not think that these are some kind of ‘franken-foods’, it is the use of clever technology to improve costs to both the producer and consumer, also benefitting the environment as less pesticides and space can be used to grow a crop.
Like organic food, which is bad because it uses more toxic pesticides (natural does not mean good – think of rontenone, asbestos and lead) than conventional agriculture and takes more space to grow things (you cannot want both to save the rainforest and support organic food), the media pushes these issues so people think that certain things are good and others are bad, without giving the consumer the full evidence. These kinds of GM technology has been used for many years such as to produce insulin, and for probably thousands of years in the case of cloned plants.
Try the ‘skeptoid’ podcast if you’d like more information.

You still seem to be of the unfounded opinion that natural products are better than (at least part) synthetic ones. My ‘sub-standard’ analogy was intended to be humorous, and I am surprised that somebody with the apparent intellect of you did not pick up on that. The intent was to lightly demonstrate that the argument that a product that is natural is necessarily safe is wrong, and I’m concerned that you may in fact be insulting the intelligence of the viewers by thinking that they would not understand.

I did quote a source which has done all of the leg-work for me, so I will not place individual peer-reviewed papers on here, plus many might find them boring. Please use the source for further clarification.
And yes if there are deaths or illnesses, foods will be regulated. The reason that there may not be any specific regulations for GM is that is in itself not dangerous, but any food will have to meet certain regulations in order to be sold. Just because a food is unnatural it does not make it dangerous. If it is dangerous then it is dangerous. Poisonous berries anyone?

GM genes are added as a benefit to the producer, seller and consumer. The reason it may not be labelled on foods is because there is no need for unfounded resistance to it.
Farming GM-foods is NOT ANY DIFFERENT to regular farmed foods. The difference is only in where the seeds are obtained.

Organic farming uses many toxic pesticides (hence, pesticide) and so these are by definition toxic. Individual ones many or may not be more toxic but my point was to demonstrate that these are not safer than horrible synthetic ones, which have been regulated for many years and so are within safety limits (no more DDT thank you).
Just follow the sources.

http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4019 – find papers here.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/the-great-organic-myths-why-organic-foods-are-an-indulgence-the-world-cant-afford-818585.html – not peer-reviewed

And your source on why antibiotics are bad? I seriously don’t want to eat diseased meat.
Oh and thanks for pointing out the meaning of ‘franken-foods’, it was me who first brought it up, and hence I already knew what it meant.

Hi, I am very open minded about this but will need some evidence that they are bad. If something is causing problems then it needs to be carefully researched and approached to evaluate it. Either way, we can only make informed decisions when we base our criticisms on evidence. There are possible causes for concern, but my point is that unfounded criticisms (such as just “it’s not natural”) will turn people away from GM when in reality it has the potential to help many people. Even if some potential big companies may screw up some GM research, this only reflects the individuals involved and doesn’t detract from the potential benefit that GM offers if used correctly and researched properly.
Do some research about past uses of GM technology, GM has benefitted people so much, such as production of human insulin by bacteria. This means that people can have cheap insulin that is for humans, and so diabetics don’t have to suffer any potential allergic immune system response reactions from having a pig’s insulin (and the pig doesn’t have to die!). It could also greatly benefit poorer farmers by having drought and disease-resistant crops.
I am in no way benefitting from this, I am just interested in this and concerned about the public understanding of science, although I know that is a common trick that big companies use, like when people say that organic food helps local farmers when actually it is mass produced by the same big companies that we all despise.
I am very interested in this and so would welcome any reliable sources on the dangers of GM.

@ Rob….you sound like a spokesman for Monsanto. What do they pay you to do your write ups on blogs/comments etc???!!! I smell a troll.

Thanks, I find that quite offensive! I definitely do not respect large corporations if they harm people or the environment, and personally I don’t respect some of the things that these large corporations supposedly do. I’m merely highlighting the fact that in certain circumstances it would be corporations that are to blame, not the actual science itself. I definitely agree with you about buying from any company with respect for animals and the planet. However I would just like to make sure that this is backed up by evidence, I want to base decisions on things actually being ok for the environment and not just rely on opinion with somebody merely saying it is good or bad.

If only getting a job were that easy! It is easier to criticise and slander a person rather than the argument in question. Ad hominems abound. Just because somebody finds it interesting to talk to others and share opinions, it does not mean that they must have an alterior motive.
And that wasn’t my position, to aim that argument at me is to create a straw man. I was only talking about the ideals, the science and lack of public trust in the technology. And of course if you had read what I had last said you would have known this.

It might be good to remember GM foods are only one part of the issue. Now let’s assume that Monsanto’s GM soy crops are totally safe. If the only reason these GM crops are being planted is to enable the indiscriminate use of Roundup; then this is probably not positive. Nor is it good to have one company dominating any crop or section of the economy. Monopolies are always negative in the long run.

The documentary is about more than GM foods, it’s about the food system as a whole. This is the bigger picture that is, in many ways, much more important then the debate over GM foods.

So please people, don’t descend into petty arguments about GM. Look at the bigger picture…

GOD:

You are right! The problem is more than food. It’s that high paid corporate lawyers are also destorying our way of life. This is about FREEDOM! This is about how BIG Government, is lobbied by interests other than protecting our RIGHTS and FREEDOMS as human beings. Please AMERICA see this film for what it is and take back power by growing a garden and instilling yourself and your family with pride and integrity. FOOD is just the beginning!

Want more info? please start the revolution by changing yourself first. I starting learning how to change by listening to the SURVIVAL PODCAST.

If you haven’t done the research yourself, whom are u to trust?

All of you make good points. I’d have to agree with Rob’s assertion that, just because something seems weird or counterintuitive (like splicing fish genes with tomatoes) doesn’t NECESSARILY mean it is wrong or dangerous. However Rob, you are completely in incorrect in saying that it is not any different than, naturally grown foods. The simple fact is, that we have been unwitting guinea pigs for corporations and, our government has allowed this to happen. More research and caution needs to be taken as we progress. The long-term effects of eating GM foods has not been ascertained. The government simply approved this process in the name of larger corporate profits. No matter what your bias is in the realm of politics, the overwhelming fact is that we are all, completely fucked if we don’t drastically reduce the size and focus of government and force corporations to play by our rules. Does it make sense to have the same people we are supposed to be regulating working as regulators? There are plenty of qualified people who could be regulators… this type corruption is inherent in big government. Lastly, GM foods may turn out to be good… we could feed the world! But it will never be so, when in the hands of the likes Monsanto.