Well argued David - now will you attend my markets with me and repeat that to every third customer? If I spend my time making these points will Arctic apples reimburse me? Will Arctic apples let me grow their material in return for 'carrying their water'?
This dialog is being forced on me, the front line representative - I resent it - I particularly resent being expected to defend it on the basis of cosmetic issues that were/are addressable by conventional breeding - You know what the short easy answer is for me and people in my position? "My opinion is GMO apples will give you cancer and cause your kids to be autistic. Here - let's have a taste of what I am offering, no GMO here....that bag is $7, thanks very much" - It's tempting - D On Feb 26, 2015, at 11:07 AM, David A. Rosenberger wrote: > Thank you, Kevin, for your comments on how GMOs are needed in many countries > to ensure a reliable food supply. At our national plant pathology meetings > last summer, we heard a keynote speaker, a female scientist from South > Africa, address that same issue. In fact, she pointed out that > glyphosate-resistant crops provided female emancipation on many small farms > because it was the women who were expected to provide the family food supply > from small gardens, and before glyphosate resistant crops became available > they had to spend incredible amounts of time hand-hoeing crops in the heat of > summer. She also mentioned how incorporating disease resistance into cassava > via genetic modification could drastically improve food stability. > > After listening to her impassioned presentation, I pretty much decided that > the anti-GMO folks in Europe and North America are really just > neocolonialists and male chauvinists who lack compassion for the less > fortunate members of the human race. > > Genetically modified foods, at least GMOs that do not include DNA from other > organisms, will eventually be broadly accepted because they offer so many > advantages over conventional breeding. Those who are totally opposed to GMOs > are, in my opinion, very similar to those who were convinced that motorized > vehicles should not be allowed to displace horses. Motorized vehicles have > certainly brought with them a host of human health and environmental issues, > but I doubt that there are any GMO-phobes willing to live without any of the > advantages that we gain from using motorized vehicles. Instead, we have > learned to live with motorized vehicles by regulating their manufacture and > use. However, I doubt that Arctic Apples will have the revolutionary impact > of the Model-T Ford. Instead, I am more interested in watching the > progression of Simplot’s GMO potato because it offers the consumer a potato > that, when fried, will contain less of a compound that is recognized as a > potential carcinogen. This should eventually force consumers to choose > between “safer” potato products (as in reduced carcinogen risk) or non-GMO > products with higher carcinogen risk. How/if Simplot eventually capitalizes > on this GMO potato will be instructive for other commodity groups. > > >> On Feb 26, 2015, at 11:45 AM, kuffelcr...@kuffelcreek.com wrote: >> >> As a nurseryman with a stake in East Africa, I find the discussion >> fascinating. Here GMO is being used to slightly modify a cosmetic flaw in >> an apple for marketing purposes; where I work with in Uganda, it is being >> used to give resistance to plantain bananas to a devistating disease that >> is wiping out their food supply, with people starving as a result. The >> Arctic Apple folks claim that their product is the most tested apple in >> history, and this is why APHIS had to approve it; their conclusion cannot >> be affected by public opinion or demand, but on science. What if it indeed >> proves in the long run to be safe? (I've seen zero research stating >> otherwise). I wish with you guys that the first GMO apple released would >> have been something that's actually useful to us, such as reducing the >> 12-20 sprays necessary to bring an apple to market, but as far as GMO >> actions go, this one is pretty benign; switching off a gene already in the >> apple and not imported from a moth or potato, for a minor alteraion. But >> maybe this was the place they had to start to address a very important >> question; is this indeed safe, and should it be used to protect the world's >> food supply? >> >> Kevin Hauser >> Kuffel Creek Apple Nursery >> Riverside, California >> Nakifuma, Uganda >> >> >> >> On Thu, 26 Feb 2015 15:09:33 +0000, "Shoemaker, William H" >> <wshoe...@illinois.edu> wrote: >>> I like your comment David, and I agree. I don't want to "carry water" >> for >>> them anyway. All of these companies pay big money for the best lawyers >> and >>> lobbyists. They need to help defending their actions. I take the >> position >>> when pressed by folks who are not familiar with genetic engineering that >>> I'm comfortable with the technique, but that I'm not sure I'm >> comfortable >>> with how its being employed. I'd like to see more caution and more >> effort >>> to give the public real answers to their questions about these products >> and >>> about the way these techniques are used. I think they companies which >>> employ GMOs don't feel they need to be accountable for the products they >>> are putting into the marketplace. Every direct-market growers knows that >>> they face accountability, like it or not, and must reconcile with it in >>> some way. And while these companies do to, like it or not, I don't think >>> they are being fair to the consumer in the marketplace by failing to >> make >>> more effort to address their questi >>> ons about their products. So I tell those folks who ask that I can't >>> defend the products, not because I think they are unsafe, but because I >>> don't agree with the way they are being introduced into the market. >>> >>> Bill >>> William H. Shoemaker >>> Retired fruit and vegetable horticulturist >>> University of Illinois >>> wshoe...@illinois.edu >>> >>> ________________________________________ >>> From: apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net >>> [apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net] on behalf of David Doud >>> [david_d...@me.com] >>> Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2015 8:53 AM >>> To: Apple-Crop >>> Subject: [apple-crop] arctic apples >>> >>> Well, I have been to two social events since the GMO 'Arctic apples' >> have >>> been in the news - and that is what people want to talk to me about - >> and >>> pretty much only that... >>> >>> How are you all handling this? My personal opinions aside, I don't want >> to >>> 'carry water' for these guys - they aren't going to let me grow them >> even >>> if I wanted to and I don't feel inclined to spend my time and >> credibility >>> providing them cover and fighting their marketing struggle for them - >>> >>> This is going to be a frequently reoccurring issue this season - I've >> got >>> an event to go to this afternoon and I am dreading this aspect of it - >>> >>> David Doud >>> grower, IN >>> below 0*F, way behind on pruning >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> apple-crop mailing list >>> apple-crop@virtualorchard.net >>> http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop >>> _______________________________________________ >>> apple-crop mailing list >>> apple-crop@virtualorchard.net >>> http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop >> _______________________________________________ >> apple-crop mailing list >> apple-crop@virtualorchard.net >> http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop > > _______________________________________________ > apple-crop mailing list > apple-crop@virtualorchard.net > http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop _______________________________________________ apple-crop mailing list apple-crop@virtualorchard.net http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop
