Guest guest Posted August 17, 2002 Report Share Posted August 17, 2002 > I was wondering if there are any farmers on this list > who could comment on how GMOs effect their business. > Is there any way a farmer could benefit from a rise in > genetically altered crops? > > I'd love to counterpoint this argument but feel as > though I need solid evidence to do so. Rather than do > some impersonal search on the web, I thought it would > be more thought-provoking if I could get some feedback > from this group. > > Thanks a million, > a > a, I'm not a farmer and I'm FAR from being on expert on the topic, but here's a writeup from " Organic Style " magazine, July/Aug 2002 that offers one small example of " proof " : " Looks like organic veggies really are healthier for you. A recent study by ish researchers found that soups made from organically grown vegetables and herbs contained almost six times more salicylic acid than did nonorganic brands. Why is this a good thing? Salicyclic acid has anti-inflammatory properties and is thekey ingredient in aspirin, which is often recommended by physicians for patients at risk for heart disease. The new research follows a report published last year in the Journal of Clinical Pathology showing that vegetarians have higher blood levels of salicylic acid than nonvegetarians. These studies may help explain the already established correlation between diets rich in fruits and vegetables and a lower incidence of colon cancer and heart disease -- both of which are linked to inflammation. Plants produce salicylic acid as a defense against infection, so it stands to reason that those grown without the protection of chemical pesticides would produce more of the stuff. " Unfortunately, I also had a Washington Post blurb on some study showing the superiority of organic in some regard. But I can't find it at the moment!!! (I had it yesterday!) And I used to have a blurb from the Post about a 5-year study done on apples in Washington state showing the superiority of organic. I also recently read some study showing that organic foods had significantly less pesticide residues than conventional foods (even though, yes, they did still have pesticide residues). I don't usually keep these things, because I'm not currently trying to " prove " the value of organic to anyone. I know you want facts/study, but I mostly have heresay. For instance, a few years ago a friend of mine visited the Rodale organic farm in PA. There was a drought and the people at Rodale explained that there soil was so fertile that it retained moisture far better than conventional farms. Everyone around them had had to irrigate all summer, but they'd only had to irrigate twice. You could Rodale to verify. In fact, they might be a great resource for finding what studies have been done. I think they've had their organic farm going for over 30 years. I know even less about GMOs. They scare me because we are so boldly making major changes in our food supply without anything close to full knowledge what the effects will be -- to us, to other plants, animals, etc... It's such an arrogant position! Wise Traditions magazine (winter 2001) has an excellent article on the GM " golden rice " and the dangers associated with it. I'd highly recommend the article. I can't remember if it does/doesn't offer any studies or proof, but it was thought-provoking, particularly if someone is pro-GMO. I also recall hearing that the GM corn was harming monarch butterflies -- something to do with the GM corn no longer attracting certain bugs that had something to do with the milkweed that often grows on the edges of cornfields, and the butterflies needing the milkweed. I don't remember. I know the point was that the people who developed this GM corn had no idea it would end up affecting butterflies. I think a book might have been written about it. If I find these Washington Post articles that I've temporarily lost, would you like me to post them or send them to you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 17, 2002 Report Share Posted August 17, 2002 --- You can find a nice group of organic farmers to ask this question of at market-farming.com or org. Dennis In @y..., " kili94 " <lm324@j...> wrote: > --- In @y..., erica feldman <hlthgrl5275@y...> wrote: > > I was wondering if there are any farmers on this list > > who could comment on how GMOs effect their business. > > Is there any way a farmer could benefit from a rise in > > genetically altered crops? > > > > I'd love to counterpoint this argument but feel as > > though I need solid evidence to do so. Rather than do > > some impersonal search on the web, I thought it would > > be more thought-provoking if I could get some feedback > > from this group. > > > > Thanks a million, > > a > > > a, > I'm not a farmer and I'm FAR from being on expert on the topic, but > here's a writeup from " Organic Style " magazine, July/Aug 2002 that > offers one small example of " proof " : > > " Looks like organic veggies really are healthier for you. A recent > study by ish researchers found that soups made from organically > grown vegetables and herbs contained almost six times more salicylic > acid than did nonorganic brands. Why is this a good thing? > Salicyclic acid has anti-inflammatory properties and is thekey > ingredient in aspirin, which is often recommended by physicians for > patients at risk for heart disease. The new research follows a > report published last year in the Journal of Clinical Pathology > showing that vegetarians have higher blood levels of salicylic acid > than nonvegetarians. These studies may help explain the already > established correlation between diets rich in fruits and vegetables > and a lower incidence of colon cancer and heart disease -- both of > which are linked to inflammation. Plants produce salicylic acid as a > defense against infection, so it stands to reason that those grown > without the protection of chemical pesticides would produce more of > the stuff. " > > Unfortunately, I also had a Washington Post blurb on some study > showing the superiority of organic in some regard. But I can't find > it at the moment!!! (I had it yesterday!) > > And I used to have a blurb from the Post about a 5-year study done on > apples in Washington state showing the superiority of organic. > > I also recently read some study showing that organic foods had > significantly less pesticide residues than conventional foods (even > though, yes, they did still have pesticide residues). > > I don't usually keep these things, because I'm not currently trying > to " prove " the value of organic to anyone. > > I know you want facts/study, but I mostly have heresay. For > instance, a few years ago a friend of mine visited the Rodale organic > farm in PA. There was a drought and the people at Rodale explained > that there soil was so fertile that it retained moisture far better > than conventional farms. Everyone around them had had to irrigate > all summer, but they'd only had to irrigate twice. You could Rodale > to verify. In fact, they might be a great resource for finding what > studies have been done. I think they've had their organic farm going > for over 30 years. > > I know even less about GMOs. They scare me because we are so boldly > making major changes in our food supply without anything close to > full knowledge what the effects will be -- to us, to other plants, > animals, etc... It's such an arrogant position! > > Wise Traditions magazine (winter 2001) has an excellent article on > the GM " golden rice " and the dangers associated with it. I'd highly > recommend the article. I can't remember if it does/doesn't offer any > studies or proof, but it was thought-provoking, particularly if > someone is pro-GMO. > > I also recall hearing that the GM corn was harming monarch > butterflies -- something to do with the GM corn no longer attracting > certain bugs that had something to do with the milkweed that often > grows on the edges of cornfields, and the butterflies needing the > milkweed. I don't remember. I know the point was that the people > who developed this GM corn had no idea it would end up affecting > butterflies. I think a book might have been written about it. > > If I find these Washington Post articles that I've temporarily lost, > would you like me to post them or send them to you? > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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