Why can't we label genetically modified foods?

[tecelote]

Why?

- because we have no idea what foods are affected or how.

It's not a question of "if" our nation's crops will be affected. It's too late. They are infected. We can't stop it.

Bees and butterflies don't know anything about barbed wire. Genetically modified pollen mixes with natures standard. It's beyond our control.

So, we need to research and regulate the results of this real time human experiment.

Government needs to protect it's citizens by keeping tabs on the research and by requiring the truthful labeling of products in an effort to inform consumers.

[Scootaloo]

1. Because "gentically modified" is an overly vague term?

It's practically meaningless because every domesticated plant and animal has been genetically modified.

Meaning either every food you buy would have to be so labeled, or any law requiring such labeling would be thrown out within minutes.

You're going to have to be more specific. I suggest consulting science.

[tecelote]

2. Genetically modified food - Wikipedia

Genetically modified foods (GM foods, or biotech foods) are foods derived from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), such as genetically modified crops or genetically modified fish. GMOs have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering techniques.

[Scootaloo]

18. Selective breeding is a genetic engineering technique

It's a relatively imprecise method, but it goes in fact "count." This is the argument that would be made in court against labeling laws, and it would win.

Labeling is a dead end. It's not going to tell you anything useful anyway because unless you're an expert in the field, you won't be able to tell labeled wheat that's just engineered to produce larger berries from labeled wheat that oozes neurotoxic pesticides.

What you want to do is go after the corporate ability to patent organisms and genes. Pull the whole issue out by the roots; No patent to make frankenfoods, no incentive to make frankenfoods. The only ones you'll get are those made with common benefit in mind, rather than fast profits.

[OhZone]

3. Well there's breeding and then

there is genetically modified with pesticides built in. That's the crap that scares me.

(BTW: MLPFiM rocks, Scootaloo!)

[99th_Monkey]

4. Because Obama appointed Monsanto minion to run the FDA. ~nt

[tecelote]

5. Here Here

[closeupready]

6. Strong lobbying by vested pro-GMO interests.

As simple as that.

[byeya]

7. People aren't talking about selective breeding or animal husbandry. It's the Frankenfoods that we

want labeled. Every corps from Monsanto to CocaCola spent tons of money to defeat the proposed labeling in California.
According to Jim Hightower, the corps who want and need to keep people in the dark about GM foods "illegally contended that the Food&Drug Administration and Stanford U. supported 'No on 3' " when neither did.

More lies from our corporate overlords.

[tecelote]

8. Guinea Pigs only go so far...

How many people you know have to end up with cancer to be an acceptable rate?

How much is the shareholder's profit worth?

[byeya]

10. The onset of cancer is so long it's impossible to prove linkage even if

millions die of the same cancer. We're not even guinea pigs - we're blind cash cows to them.

[tecelote]

11. You'd think they would support universal health care so their experiments would last longer.

[L0oniX]

9. Because Monsanto owns the US government! ...except for its debt.

[tecelote]

14. Two bullseyes in one!

It goes so deep.

Agriculture is out of focus for most people. But corporate politics are coming to light

[Mnemosyne]

12. Because almost no one would eat it. nt

[Egalitarian Thug]

17. ^tecelote, Here's your answer^

[bluestate10]

13. Labeling sounds logical to me. If the companies that push food that has been modified

as safe, there should be no reason why they should be afraid to label that food as modified and explain to consumers what the modification was.

[tecelote]

15. But your neighbor farmer did not opt in.

The bees and the butterflies did it.

The farmers do not even know if their crops have been genetically modified.

The bees and the butterflies did it.

How do we label that?

[tecelote]

16. And, oh yeah...

If your neighbor's farm is proven to have gm products, they may have to pay a licensing fee to a company they never contracted with.