Few technologies are all good or all bad, and GM crops are the rule not the exception. However, legislation can create a situation where the positive benefits of the technology can be achieved w/o the bad..
- An obvious solution to fears of herbicide-resistant genes spreading to create superweeds is to have rigorous environmental monitoring and force seed manufacturers and farmers to pay for it via a licence fee.
- Concern about GM patents being confined to a few "greedy multinationals" can be solved by spending more public money on crop genetics.
- Implementing labelling systems (Like in the EU) to overcome public concern about consumption of GM products
The GM companies are a huge problem. They copright the specific gene that was modified, not the modified crop as a whole.
It stands to reason, they didnt create the plant, they only inserted the gene into the plant.
Maybe there is a global food shortage, but not in Australia. If GM food was to help with the starving, then the companies, out of their genoristy should export it to Africa and other starving places.
Australia produces more than enough food for it's meagre population. The only thing that importing GM produce is going to bring us is more unempolyment, a loss of our productive output, and a sore blow to our economy.
If Australia didn't NEED GM crops, we wouldn't be developing them would we?
You seem to have a few misconceptions about the purpose of GM food. GM foods are not being developed to help "people in starving places" as you put it (though, all things considered if they adopt the technology in Africa it does have the potential to alleviate some food shortage problems) but to engineer a better product for growers and/or create a product that would be desirable for consumers.
From what you seem to think, GM technology will decrease productive output? If it did that, which it wont, im sure farmers will have the intelligence to not take it up, however, I dont think any farmer could think that disease resistant fruit would reduce productivity ;-) You also seem to think it will harm the economy, but if agricultural output is higher I don't see how it would. Also, GM foods has the potential to create a biotechnological industry in Australia, EMPLOYING people, as opposed to creating the job loss you seem to envisage. Do you propose we ban computers? Because im sure 20 people could act as substitutes for one computer, thus employing people..and helping the economy amirite?
What is wrong with the natural product. There is nothing as good as it, and no real reason to change it.
I think bacteria that can excrete a protective barrier to protect against the HIV virus, or sheep that produce insulin in their milk for diabetics are better then the natural product.
thanks.
