"Tim wrote in message
: Bob wrote:

: : I would be interested BUT only if these plants were also made
sterile,
: : as all GM plants should be.
:
: That's the luddite position.
:
: I don't think it will last - in the future most probably all living
things
: will be "transgenic".

: Thanks for that, I'm therefore proud to be a "Luddite".
: Better than being responsible for the GM parsley fiasco in France, the
GM
: Sweetcorn pollen fiasco in the UK. I wouldn't mind if it was an exact
: science but it isn't, even those doing it can't be certain about the
outcome
: as the introduced gene often causes other dormant genes to react.
: I for one don't think we are knowledgeable enough yet to use GM outside
the
: lab.

I think we are. There's no point in waiting forever.

GM plants have been quite successful outside the lab in some areas.

For example see this article on GM cotton:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/india/stor...891348,00.html

I also think GM food has great potential. For example, currently I suffer
from the effects of many natural pesticides our food plants employ - the
powerful acids in spinach - the phytoestrogens in legumes - and so on.

Personally I can't wait for scientisits to genetically engineer some
of the anti-nutrients out of the vegetables I eat - and use mechanical
barriers - instead of toxic poisons - to prevent pests.

You suffer from natural pesticides AND you want GM foods. I think you aught
to study what genes they are transposing as a lot of them are those very
"natural" pesticides you dislike.
GM Cotton has a gene from a Bacteria that attacks and eats caterpillars, so
will you be able to wear Indian cotton in future, you can't wash it out,
it's in the DNA.

Did you hear about the Starlink corn fiasco, pollen has crossed over the
inadequate barriers into "Organic" corn in fields that have been organic for
10 to 15 years thus polluting the environment. Starlink corn is officially
unfit for human consumption!!!
That is also something that has been levelled at Monsanto and others,
deliberate polluting of non-GM crops so eventually we can no longer make a
choice, all crops are GM polluted anyway. Are these trials disasters
accidents? These people are experts and must know exactly what they are
doing.( Don't they?)

I agree it has some potential for good, but it also has a great potential
for environmental harm, indeed, disaster, and for the domination of our seed
supply by a few.
The fact that our legislators seem to pass laws to help this domination
leads me to be suspicious of their motives. One firm being allowed to Patent
the food chain is crazy.

Did you hear about Monsanto taking a farmer to court because his crops had
been contaminated by their trials and their lorries carrying the their seed
away. They accused him of stealing their product/research and they won!!!
How arse about face is that.

--
Bob

www.pooleygreengrowers.org.uk/ about an Allotment site in
Runnymede fighting for it's existence.