Genetic modification of corn

[300 H and H]

I have been aware of this for a while, but yesterday it came to the point I have been asked to go to Wahington DC. by the food grade processor I sell my corn to. Some time ago a company I won't bother to name, created a corn hybrid using genetic material form the deep ocean forms of life that live near ocean vents in high temps., and lots of sulphur. They are able to make an enzym called alpha almalase. This genetic segment has been succesfully been inserted in the genetics of a corn plant. And, it works very well. This in fact was done so that an ethanol plant would not have to purchase the enzym alpha amalase. Only 25% of the corn going in would have to be this genetic version, as it is so strong with the enzym. What it does is to liquifie starch at around 200 deg. The company thinks that a farmer will recieve more money for his corn going to an ethanol plant because of this. But this enzym is cheap to buy, and easy to get. So all of this is a solution for a problem that doesn't exist....

The problem is two fold...pollen drift, and it can drift long distances, and cross pollenation would render other growers corn alpha amalase corn as well, even though it was not planted. The second problem is a producer who is not carefull and coe-mingles or just decides not to take it to an ethanol plant. And fails to tell anyone what he has.

If this corn enters the human food chain all hell will break loose. Can you imagine a corn dog that when fried, the batter would liquifie in the oil, and you remove a naked, fried hot dog. Or Corn bread that turn to something more like corn pudding.....you get the picture.

This company wants permission for wide unregulated use of this type of corn anywhere a farmer wants to plant it. (from USDA) They think that "natually" none of it will end up in the wrong place, as "surely" ethannol plants will pay enough extra to ensure all will go only to ethanol plants. Although in theory this should be the case, we already have a past situation with another unapproved corn variety getting into the food chain. It was called "starlink" and was found in taco shells. This triggered manditory testing of food grade corn for 5 years.......and it came from the same company we are talking abut now.... This costed consumers million of dollars by the way.

So what do you think? Should this be allowed? And, should I get involved with going to Wahington DC to the USDA about this, with my processor friend? (at his expence) If I go, I though it would be nice to hear form others out side of agriculture, of their take on these goings ons...

Best regards, Kirk

 

[joec]

I have gotten where I avoid anything be he meats raised on corn or oils made with corn. I have a problem with genetically modified food crops in general. But then I am for government regulations, be it banks, manufacturing, foods, etc. Now I said regulation not a take over which is a whole lot higher up that ladder.

 

[Melensdad]

I'm pretty much afraid of some of the GMO foods. Not because I think they are a health risk, because honestly I don't (yet) see that as a major problem. But rather because I think that they can contaminate the non-GMO foods via cross pollination, they can alter the eco-system through this and that can potentially, and dramatically, reduce bio-diversity.

For the most part I have come to the conclusion (self-delusion?) that Monsanto is an evil company. They are on the forefront of many of the plant patents and do an extensive amount of lobbying for their own benefit but, which I wonder, may be long term detrimental to the earth.

 

[joec]

The stories of what Monsanto has done are flat scary and have to agree they are and evil company.

 

[300 H and H]

Funny how you assume Monsanto, as they are the 800 lb gorrilla here...but in this case it is not them, but a Corp that is not a U.S. one. The companys name starts out like Syngen...... You can fill in the blanks. Oh ya, I think Monsanto is a greedy, evil, self serving..... ..while they tell you how great they are company. Just think about how greed works, and you define the company.

Regards, Kirk

 

[300 H and H]

If you were in my shoes and were asked, would you go to the USDA in Washington D.C.? I am trying to decide if there is a down side in my involvement. Some years ago, I used to grow seed corn for this company, but they canceled our production area, and this cost me substantial income. ($80-$100K/yr.)So in a very real way I have the chance to pay them back here. Just not sure I should....but it would sure feel good.

Regards, Kirk

 

[Melensdad]

Kirk, one thing I learned in business is to do the right thing. You can go for "pay back" or you can go because it is the right thing to do. How you wrap your mind around those ideas is how your testimony will be perceived.

 

[thcri]

If you were in my shoes and were asked, would you go to the USDA in Washington D.C.? I am trying to decide if there is a down side in my involvement. Some years ago, I used to grow seed corn for this company, but they canceled our production area, and this cost me substantial income. ($80-$100K/yr.)So in a very real way I have the chance to pay them back here. Just not sure I should....but it would sure feel good.

Regards, Kirk

Kirk,

You know what is going on here way more than I do. Forget about paybacks. What is on your heart? What do you think is best? Then go for it. jmo

 

[pixie]

I am against further genetic modification of anything . (Show me a wild corn plant ) Just because they can, doesn't mean they should.

I go out of my way not to eat any corn products.

I don't think much of ethanol, either, wether it's from corn or bio-mass.

Thanks, Kirk, for standing up for common sense.

 

[300 H and H]

thcri,

You are right. In my heart it is the right thing to do. The payback part is mearly a coincidence, or added bouns. Unless they are quick on their feet and realize who I am, and could use this against me, and what I have to say. I really don't want to be labled a disgruntled former contractor.

Regards, Kirk

 

[SShepherd]

we start playing God, and we're in for biiiig trouble.

We might just be engineer ourselves into being extinct

 

[loboloco]

Actually people, everything we consume is genetically modified. From the cow in your barn to the sugar in your bowl. What he is talking about is a different level of mod. It uses direct gene transfer from another species. I see the problem and really think that corn should be restricted in its growth area.
However, the general hysteria over gene modification in general is IMHO rather silly. We as humans have been practicing gene modification since the stone age.

 

[300 H and H]

loboloco,

Yes we have been doing this a very long time. Just not at the cellular level. That is a big difference that only goes back to the mid 80's. This is not the same in any way as the selection of plants/animals that we have been doing for centuries. I don't think you can make a blanket statement like you have, as it isn't quite true. We are altering the genome of the corn plant....don't think you can do this in the way it was done in the past.

Best regards, Kirk

 

[muleman]

Selective manipulation of breeding stock is a smart thing to produce better seeds and animals. Genetic modification of something in a way that would never naturally occur is a dangerous thing. Lots of our pests and pharma resistant diseases came about this way. Once the damage is done it will take centuries to bring it back to anywhere close to what we have enjoyed. I would go and express my concerns and pray they see the light. These companies own too many politicians as it is so the battle will be long and drawn out.

 

[loboloco]

loboloco,

Yes we have been doing this a very long time. Just not at the cellular level. That is a big difference that only goes back to the mid 80's. This is not the same in any way as the selection of plants/animals that we have been doing for centuries. I don't think you can make a blanket statement like you have, as it isn't quite true. We are altering the genome of the corn plant....don't think you can do this in the way it was done in the past.

Best regards, Kirk

as I noted, this was at a different level. Gene transfer from other species should be carefully monitored and spread restricted. However, since I have seen the original corn plant (maise or maize) I know that somewhere along the line some really serious breeding modification took place. Different methods, yes. Different dangers, yes. But the hysteria created over Gene Mod reminds me of the hysteria over nuke plants. Based mostly on false information and deliberate fear mongering.

 

[Erik]

Kirk,
I think you've answered your own question -- cross polination.
If this happens, how will the big seed companies be able to quarantee their baseline stock isn't contaminated at some point. it's one thing to have a hybrid on purpose, it's another to infect it with something else on accident.
I'm just now getting into food plot gardening, and prefer heirloom species, but it's going to be tough for me to do this because of the large cornfields within 2 miles of home, due to that same pollen drift.
The other question I have is what unforseen consequences does adding this gene do to the nutritional content and disease resistance of the modified plant?

Best of luck, hope enough others join you in DC that you're merely part of the choir and not the soloist on this one.

 

[300 H and H]

I think I would feel safer dealing with GM crops if they would come out of our excellent University system....and not be patentable. If they are good for mankind, why should a private Corp. get enriched by this. If it were done in Universtys and the results made puplc it would be good thing. This way no one has anything to gain that others cann't also have. Today we have a conflict of interest, with the seller trying to make as much as possible, and has a gov. given monoply on the trait. (Patent's) Plus if done at University, independant testing could and would be done, to check for harmful events that should not be released. I don't trust privately held or public Corporations to test and reveal all that they find. It isn't required, and I am very sure they leave the results they don't want to share locked away so no one can know all the facts.

By the way this all came about from a bill crafted by Bob Dole and Birch Bye, that alows private concerns to fund resarch in land grant university's and make the result propriatary and patentable. This bill was passed in 1980 or 81. This was D day for this all to have come about. Without this bill I wouldn't be posting this. This was done at a time when no one realized what would come about these many years later.

Best regards, Kirk

 

[Danang Sailor]

thcri,

You are right. In my heart it is the right thing to do. The payback part is mearly a coincidence, or added bouns. Unless they are quick on their feet and realize who I am, and could use this against me, and what I have to say. I really don't want to be labled a disgruntled former contractor.

Regards, Kirk

Kirk,

No matter what you do, there's a strong possibility that this may come back and bite you in the rear end. However, I agree that bringing this to the attention of the folks in DC is worth the personal risk; it's the right thing to do. My only problem with genetically modified food that is field-grown has to do with unintentional cross pollination of neighboring crops.

If you do make the trip please keep us posted on how things go and whether or not there are any personal repercussions against you. Best of luck!