Comments on: Criticising the GM industry http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/ Ben Goldacre's Bad Science column from the Guardian and more... Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:24:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: lukeg http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-30413 lukeg Sun, 27 Dec 2009 00:26:48 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/#comment-30413 Wow! When's the talk? I am excited about this already. Wow! When’s the talk? I am excited about this already.

]]> By: MedsVsTherapy http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-30109 MedsVsTherapy Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:55:17 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/#comment-30109 another stray thought: if it is not observable, replicable, and falsifiable, then it is not science. pretty close, but not science. another stray thought: if it is not observable, replicable, and falsifiable, then it is not science. pretty close, but not science.

]]> By: MedsVsTherapy http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-30108 MedsVsTherapy Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:50:40 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/#comment-30108 Stunning. Has anyone told Consumer's Union, publisher of Comsumer Reports? It would be just like them to go rent some fields, and throw down some seed, and in their typical style, give a straight story. Or maybe one of these radical envoronmental groups could do the same - except that this would not be done with the hydroponics and grow-lites in the closet and such. Stunning. Has anyone told Consumer’s Union, publisher of Comsumer Reports? It would be just like them to go rent some fields, and throw down some seed, and in their typical style, give a straight story. Or maybe one of these radical envoronmental groups could do the same – except that this would not be done with the hydroponics and grow-lites in the closet and such.

]]> By: bgamsa http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-30002 bgamsa Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:59:47 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/#comment-30002 These types of restrictions are also common with Database software. See for example http://www.allbusiness.com/technology/computer-software/4092403-1.html. These types of restrictions are also common with Database software. See for example www.allbusiness.com/technology/computer-software/4092403-1.html.

]]> By: arabidopsis http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-29995 arabidopsis Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:18:45 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/#comment-29995 There is an immense amount of this type of research done at universities, government labs (USDA in the US), and at independent research institutes in both the UK and the US. Ringspot virus-resistant papaya is a good example of a variety grown commercially that was not developed by an agribusiness monolith. It saved the Hawaiian papaya industry, and the seeds are distributed without restrictive user agreements. Additionally, increasing yield is not always the goal of crop improvement projects. Instead, introducing a trait such as disease-resistance reduces the amount of pesticides the grower must purchase (very expensive) and use. Disease resistance genes can take many years to be introduced by traditional breeding but can be introduced in months by molecular methods. There is an immense amount of this type of research done at universities, government labs (USDA in the US), and at independent research institutes in both the UK and the US. Ringspot virus-resistant papaya is a good example of a variety grown commercially that was not developed by an agribusiness monolith. It saved the Hawaiian papaya industry, and the seeds are distributed without restrictive user agreements.

Additionally, increasing yield is not always the goal of crop improvement projects. Instead, introducing a trait such as disease-resistance reduces the amount of pesticides the grower must purchase (very expensive) and use. Disease resistance genes can take many years to be introduced by traditional breeding but can be introduced in months by molecular methods.

]]> By: CampFreddie http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-29976 CampFreddie Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:52:33 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/#comment-29976 This is just insane. I'm not against GM technology, but some of the actions of GM crop producers are just astounding. The regulators should introduce a requirement that seed must not be sold under agreements that prevent independent testing. This is just insane. I’m not against GM technology, but some of the actions of GM crop producers are just astounding.
The regulators should introduce a requirement that seed must not be sold under agreements that prevent independent testing.

]]> By: Michael Grayer http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-29910 Michael Grayer Sat, 12 Dec 2009 23:50:02 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/#comment-29910 Ah, the joys of the End User License Agreement... http://xkcd.com/501/ Ah, the joys of the End User License Agreement…
xkcd.com/501/

]]> By: Terrible Al http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-29890 Terrible Al Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:12:27 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/#comment-29890 One of the guys at work recently got a chemical formulation sample with a Licence Agreement on the label, stating that we're not allowed to actually investigate the composition of the sample (HPLC, MS etc). I think his attitude was "bollocks to that" as he sent a sample to analytical. One of the guys at work recently got a chemical formulation sample with a Licence Agreement on the label, stating that we’re not allowed to actually investigate the composition of the sample (HPLC, MS etc). I think his attitude was “bollocks to that” as he sent a sample to analytical.

]]> By: Sili http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-29880 Sili Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:14:49 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/#comment-29880 At least it's awesome of Syngenta to engage you on the issue and perhaps listen. Of course, if they try to pay you off, not so much, but I find it hard to believe they'll be that stupid. Good luck! At least it’s awesome of Syngenta to engage you on the issue and perhaps listen.

Of course, if they try to pay you off, not so much, but I find it hard to believe they’ll be that stupid.

Good luck!

]]> By: muscleman http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-29871 muscleman Sat, 12 Dec 2009 16:00:07 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/#comment-29871 @CoralBloom The problem is that who will fund the trials if run by university depts? It is the same problem wrt pharmaceutical companies and trials, only the companies have the money to do trials of the necessary size. Government would have to step in and pay big to finance such things and if other countries will benefit from the knowledge then why would they? @CoralBloom

The problem is that who will fund the trials if run by university depts? It is the same problem wrt pharmaceutical companies and trials, only the companies have the money to do trials of the necessary size.

Government would have to step in and pay big to finance such things and if other countries will benefit from the knowledge then why would they?

]]> By: CoralBloom http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-29857 CoralBloom Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:54:34 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/#comment-29857 @Mitten It strikes me our university agriculture and plant science departments should be getting involved with spin-offs in a big way to counter this. Legal or not, mortgage or not, could you really sleep at night after a day working with an organisation that thinks the contracts are reasonable? @Mitten
It strikes me our university agriculture and plant science departments should be getting involved with spin-offs in a big way to counter this.
Legal or not, mortgage or not, could you really sleep at night after a day working with an organisation that thinks the contracts are reasonable?

]]> By: Mitton http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-29847 Mitton Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:45:06 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/#comment-29847 This is a strong argument for publicly funded GM research. If we choose to leave this technology in the hands of big business we can hardly complain when they use it to make a profit. This is a strong argument for publicly funded GM research. If we choose to leave this technology in the hands of big business we can hardly complain when they use it to make a profit.

]]> By: danielmcl http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-29822 danielmcl Sat, 12 Dec 2009 01:14:24 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/#comment-29822 If I steal the seeds and do some comparative trials am I bound by the same agreement? Not that I'm condoning theft mind you. If I steal the seeds and do some comparative trials am I bound by the same agreement? Not that I’m condoning theft mind you.

]]> By: mus http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/comment-page-1/#comment-29819 mus Fri, 11 Dec 2009 23:27:09 +0000 http://www.badscience.net/2009/12/criticising-the-gm-industry/#comment-29819 is that even a legal contract? does it hold up in court? it's like (wait for the car analogy) Ford would prohibit everyone to crash test its cars. wow. what chutzpah. is that even a legal contract? does it hold up in court? it’s like (wait for the car analogy) Ford would prohibit everyone to crash test its cars. wow. what chutzpah.

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