Finally, after a 12-year delay caused by opponents of genetically modified foods, so-called “golden rice” with vitamin A will be grown in the Philippines. Bu for 8 million kids, the wait was too long.
GM food: Golden rice will save millions of people from vitamin A deficiency. - Slate Magazine.
- Log in to post comments
More like this
The journalist Marc Gunther recently posted a thoughtful article discussing public perceptions of the role of organic agriculture in a future sustainable food system.
He found that many consumers believe that there are only two ways to produce food:
"The first can be described, depending upon who…
This Op-Ed just published today in the NY TImes.
Here it is with links and a few edits.
A REPORT by the National Research Council last month gave ammunition to both sides in the debate over the cultivation of genetically engineered crops. More than 80 percent of the corn, soybeans and cotton grown…
The FDA -- after years of twiddling their thumbs because of the irrational fears of "consumer" groups -- has finally approved cloned food for human consumption:
After years of delay, the Food and Drug Administration tentatively concluded yesterday that milk and meat from some cloned farm animals…
Tomorrows Table: What does GMO really mean?
For years, journalists, television producers and newspaper reporters that write about genetically engineered crops, have used the term “GMO” (genetically modified organism) to describe these new crop varieties. The marketing industry has taken to…
Real humanitarian save children's lives does not involve the rich extorting rights from the disadvantaged, poor, and desperate.
The Slate article is a misleading piece that would never be tolerated if critical of GMO's.
Some flaws include:
- 8 million deaths is an upper range limit,
- The 8M estimate is global, unrelated to the Philippines
- The 8M estimate includes areas where Golden Rice cannot be grown or used.
- No conflict of interest statement accompanies the article, such as the advertisers on Slate who profit from greater include .
- No mention is made that maximizing profit, rather than "saving millions" drives licensing by corporations.
- There appears no mention that using tax money to protect corporate control over food presents troubling analogues to both colonialism and slavery
I would submit that anyone unable to see legitimate problems exist with GMO implementation seems to have significantly impaired judgment.
Real humanitarian efforts to save children’s lives do not involve the rich extorting rights from the disadvantaged, poor, and desperate.
The Slate article is a misleading piece unlikely to be tolerated if critical of GMO’s but with equally flawed arguments.
Some flaws in this piece include:
– 8 million deaths is an upper range limit,
– The 8M estimate is global, unrelated to the Philippines
– The 8M estimate includes areas where Golden Rice cannot be grown or used.
– No conflict of interest statement accompanies the article, such as the advertisers on Slate who profit from greater adoption of GMO's discussed. (more than 20 corporations hold patents relating to the article's topic of GR)
– No mention is made that maximizing profit, rather than “saving millions” drives licensing by corporations.
– There appears no mention that using tax money to protect corporate control over food presents troubling analogues to both colonialism and slavery
I would submit that anyone unable to see that legitimate problems and concerns exist with GMO implementation would seem to have significantly impaired judgment.
Do we know if consumers in the Philippines will want to buy vitamin-A enhanced, orange rice? Whiteness is considered a desirable quality in rice in Asia (and what problems has that caused with nutrition?)
I wish I could find the article I read a while back questioning the usefulness of orange rice; the author considered it a technical fix to a social issue. There are plenty of vitamin A rich vegetables available in the Philippines--an interesting question is why aren't people eating them?
You can see the religious level hysteria against GM foods exemplified in the comments here and at other sites. A level of holy purity is required at the expense of lives of children. Notice too the demonization of anyone who opposes their view.