**The European Commission has cleared the way for a genetically modified potato to be grown in the EU - only the second GM product it has allowed.**The Amflora potato can be utilised for animal feed and industrial uses - such as its starch being used to make paper - but not for human consumption.
Environmental groups have strongly opposed the introduction of GM crops.
But the Commission insisted its decision was based on “a considerable volume of sound science”.
Thats the worst things that any country can do to its people i.e. introduce genetically modified crops in its agriculture.
Indian cotton farmers have been worst hit by BT cotton. Thousands have committed suicides. Genetically bloody fool Indian politicians rely the research of the Companies that introduce these seeds. Money making powerful monopolist Companies like Monsato need to be closed down. or at least kicked from South Asia
dude, can you elaborate what happened? I understand that GM cotton has had negative impact on indian farmers, and I suppose the same across the border in Pakistan, would be interested in finding out more.
She says that before Bt cotton, Indian farmers were planting cotton seeds and reusing the saved seeds from every yield to plant the next crop.
Monasanto promised a better yield from its seeds than the traditional cotton seeds. The Indian govt, obviously after some financial prodding from Monsanto, advised farmers to buy Bt seeds. Monsanto even started selling Bt cotton in India under the name of some Indian companies.
Monsanto suckered the uneducated farmers into buying its seeds by promising a higher yield. The farmers took huge loans to buy Bt cotton seeds from Monsanto.
But the Bt cotton seeds from one yield cannot be used by the farmers to plant the next crop. They have to go back to monsanto to buy new seeds. That is how monsanto ensures a steady inflow of cash. Bt seeds need more pesticides which are again sold by some big multinational company, and for all you know might be related to Monsanto. Bt cotton needs constant irrigation which is not available in many parts of India. Farmers depend on the irregular monsoon. So the farmers are forced to go into more debt to buy bore wells and pumps.
And finally the yield is not as high as promised. Bt cotton is supposed to be harmful to the animals grazing in the cotton field. So you finally have a farmer with a huge debt and with no way of getting hold of seeds for his next crop. The farmer has no way out but to kill himself.
Monsanto is an American firm. Its a very powerful company with deep pockets. It operates in India with name Maharashtra Hybrid company.. Mahyco Pvt Ltd.
1stly..As a company their main aim is to make profits rather save the world. They introduced BT seeds in India. The did a massive campaign about their high yield BT seeds that do not need pesticide. Coz they have a gene that kills the worm that infects the plant while growing. This gene is called the herbicide. This herbicide kills all the organism that have relation with the crop, such as nitrogen fixing bacteria etc etc. It will kill everything but the plant. It has negative impact on the soil and the environment..
2ndly, in natural crop production, you plant the seeds and grow crops, you save some of the seeds for next season, so the cycle continues.
But in BT seeds, a farmer cannot save the seeds for the next season. BT seeds are patented by the Company, a farmer cannot legally save the seeds and in fact you cannot resow the seeds, So the farmer has to go to the Company again to buy the patented seeds for the next season. This way they have patented life and the agriculture of the whole country goes in the private hands…
Plus, once the BT seeds are grown on the farms, the seeds currupt the natural seeds. If a some BT seeds are blown by wind and those seeds grow on someone elses soil, then that farmers can get sued by the company for grwing a patented seed.
You can go to Hulu - Watch your favorites. Anytime. For free. and search for the movie “the future of food”, I highly recommend you to watch this 1.25 hr movie. You will come to know what they do. It is a must watch.