Seeds

[joy]

Wow....there's an article in today's NY Times about the rapid rise in seed prices, particularly (of course) corn and soybean prices. The rise in prices is impressive, but here's what caught my eye:

"Today more than 90 percent of soybeans and more than 80 percent of the corn grown in this country are genetically engineered. A majority of those crops contain one or more Monsanto genes."

I knew that there were a lot of GE crops, but I had no idea that it was this high! Frankly, I don't want to eat any corn anymore! Sad.

And say what you like about the Obama administration, the article makes plain that they are at least conducting some sort of investigation into monopolies in the seed industry, with a particular focus on Monsanto. You'd never have seen that in the previous administration. (And you didn't!).

[u&iraok]

It's scary. People in the U.S. eat A LOT of corn. I don't eat corn anymore either except sometimes organic corn products like tortillas because I love tacos. I looked, to no avail, for organic fresh corn and never found it so I don't eat it at all.

[Mark]

I feel Obama at least appears he wants to do a couple of things right regarding the food supply. Another example is that he's talking about renewing Clinton's elimination on farm subsidies. Bush stopped that ban in pretty short order when he took office and no one noticed.

My problem, though, is that Obama is sending mixed signals about his intentions. For example:
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-09-24 ... to-organic

[joy]

Maybe his wife is giving him a nudge in the right direction. She appears to have some concern for good nutrtion.

[u&iraok]

If he does have good intentions, he's finding out what he's up against with all the power these large corporations have. It must require a lot of delicate manuevering and the making of concessions.

[u&iraok]

I knew that there were a lot of GE crops, but I had no idea that it was this high! Frankly, I don't want to eat any corn anymore! Sad.

I FINALLY found organic corn. $4.99 for two ears!!!!! Yes, 2 ears. I didn't buy it.

There's something odd about being able to get an organic variety of most any produce, but not corn, and when you do, it's this high. Does this say something about the extent of Monsanto's corntrol of the corn crop in this country and/or the extent to which all corn is GMO? And can you guarantee organic corn is not cross pollinated with GMO corn?

[Mark]

I FINALLY found organic corn. $4.99 for two ears!!!!! Yes, 2 ears. I didn't buy it.

There's something odd about being able to get an organic variety of most any produce, but not corn, and when you do, it's this high. Does this say something about the extent of Monsanto's corntrol of the corn crop in this country and/or the extent to which all corn is GMO? And can you guarantee organic corn is not cross pollinated with GMO corn?

I don't think you can guarantee it, but given the fact that Monsanto is known to try to sue farmers whose crops have been contaminated with their GMO pollen by claiming those farmers were stealing their patents, there's probably a good chance cross pollination hasn't occurred.