According to a story in today's New York Times, American sugar beet growers have committed to planting a genetically modified strain that will allow them to control weeds via use of Scott Miracle-Gro's (NYSE:SMG) Round-up product. The farmers expect that the Monsanto-developed beet will lower their production costs by eliminating hand-weeding and increasing yield.
Expect this to trigger another round of public controversy about genetically modified crops, held in great suspicion by world markets. Although the product was approved by the U.S. government in 2005, reluctance among manufacturers to contend with public distrust of modified foods led growers to hold back on adoption.
Look for this issue to raise other sugar-related discussions, including U.S. and E.U. price supports and the lack of free access to these markets by third world sugar suppliers, and the environmental cost of cane sugar growing practices. If Monsanto (NYSE:MON) can overcome these objections, it will represent another major step in cultivating acceptance for other genetically modified crops, which would bode well for the company's future.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-27-2007 @ 4:06PM
StopNow said...
THIS IS NOT GOOD! I've been reading about this for years but I NEVER thought they would be able to buy off/fool enough people for it to really happen. Listen people, THIS CAN NEVER BE STOPPED once it's planted. What they already know is that it can't be contained for testing, it spreads to areas all around it plus, it doesn't work! YOUR GOING TO BE EATING PESTICIDES. Be smart and look up information about this that is not connected to Monsanto or Dow. Remember when you read about it that Monsanto wants to have the ONLY holder and controler of the patent of the seeds! All of the seeds! And remember, THEY TAKE OVER ALL THE OTHERS, the wind carried pollen, etc. I'm not a scientist, just a VERY concerned person with a family that I don't want eating poison! I won't have that choice if these slimemonsters get their way. Just read about ROUND UP, that should be enough for most thinking folks. We can't let this happen, no one should control ALL the food supplies, ESPECIALLY people who sell POISON.
11-29-2007 @ 8:20PM
NJ Jaeger said...
Monsanto claims there has been sufficient safety testing on genetically modified (GM) foods. They failed to disclose that the person in charge of the FDA’s GMO policy was Monsanto’s former attorney, and later their vice president. The policy claimed that the agency is unaware of information showing that GM foods are substantially different. But documents made public from a lawsuit reveal that the overwhelming consensus among agency scientists was that GM foods could lead to allergies, toxins and new diseases. Evidence now shows their warnings to be valid.
The only human feeding study ever conducted found that genes inserted into GM crops transfer into the DNA of human gut bacteria, and remain functional. This means that long after you stop eating a GM food, you might still have its potentially dangerous GM protein produced inside your intestines. Analysis reveals that biotech companies meticulously design their superficial studies to circumvent finding these and most potential health problems.
People should not wait to protect their families. The thundering noise of wallets snapping shut will inspire the rest of US food producers to remove GM foods soon.