Thursday February 16, 2012

2020hindsight's past comments

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    2020hindsight

    weedkila

    Yes, mainly in Europe the media are mainly to blame about the bad image of GMO's. The media there seem to take an unquestioning stance on claims by NGO's.

    With respect, I'd say it is the US media which is not giving American citizens the whole story so that is why there is probably more acceptance of GMOs than in Europe. Consumers in Japan, for example, are quite wary of GMOs as more info seems to filter through.

    Actually, I think it is the opposite and scare stories rather than fact are causing beople to be wary of GMO's. The US have been eating GM maize and soya beans for years without incident.

    It's a great shame because the potential benefits to the world's poor are immense.

    Posted in: What is causing the global food price spike and what should be done about it?

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    2020hindsight

    I'll have a look. There may be some damning evidence against Monsanto as a company, however the unsubstantiated propoganda against GMO's especially in Europe by NGO's like Greenpeace is threatening to deprive the poor world from improvements in agriculture that will decrease hunger.

    Yes, mainly in Europe the media are mainly to blame about the bad image of GMO's. The media there seem to take an unquestioning stance on claims by NGO's. And, we've been "playing with DNA" for a long time.

    Posted in: What is causing the global food price spike and what should be done about it?

  • 0

    2020hindsight

    Sorry 'feed the world' typo in previous post.

    Posted in: What is causing the global food price spike and what should be done about it?

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    2020hindsight

    weedkila To promote more resarch in GMO's will create farming efficiencies that will feed the would. If many companies invested in the technology, competition will keep them (companies like Monsanto) honest. Unfortunately attitudes in Europe are scaring off potential investors and research.

    Of course food companies are making more money; supply and demand has increased prices. It's not something that they created. And when it goes the other way and prices are low, nobody feels sorry for them then.

    I read the idependent article. "Index-fund investment in grain and meat has increased almost fivefold to over $47bn in the past year, concludes AgResource Co, a Chicago-based research firm. And the official US Commodity Futures Trading Commission held special hearings in Washington two weeks ago to examine how much speculators were helping to push up food prices."

    I'd like to know the conclusion of the commission, which seems to be missing from the article.

    Posted in: What is causing the global food price spike and what should be done about it?

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    2020hindsight

    It's funny how so many people blame commodities traders and speculation pushing up prices. But it's not true. A commodities futures trader has to sell his commodity when it expires because it is impractical and too costly to take delivery of it. He won't horde the commodity, so all produce is on the market and hence no way to push up prices.

    Bad yields over the last year and rising fuel prices are mostly to blame. Solution: introduce more efficient and better farming technology like GMO's. Also, don't waste resources making biofuels.

    Posted in: What is causing the global food price spike and what should be done about it?

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