genetically altered meat birds

[UncleHoot]

I didn't read every single post, but I don't think anyone mentioned the fact that if GMO chickens eventually replace our egg and broiler chickens, the GMO technology is something you "license". As such, it may no longer be possible for you to try to develop new breeds with your GMO chickens without violating the license agreement (just like copying a computer program). Granted, very few of us do anything like that, but a handful of people on this board have done so. While I have no plans to breed chickens, it's at least comforting to know that the option is still available to me.

 

[Chicken7777]

Dancing bear (Dancing bear you seem to know allot and have some experience? )you are very correct on that, and i believe so also that if we let things like these get out into the environment even with licenses, or certificates or regulations things can go wrong like they have in the past with many other things. For example corn that is being genetically modified (GMO) might have strands of other genes on other plants that naturally are impossible to get into the plant but are used for benefits. One example would be a corn strain with the genes of the plant that has its own natural herbicide. Now if that corn were to pass its pollen; which needs to happen to produce corn, then the same traits might pass to other corn, and other corn until those corns might inhabit heritage corns, or other types of plant that are used for crops that might make more messes with the environment, and natural way of living. It is good to do research on certain things that might benefit anyone, or everyone but if it has too much of a risk why try it at all when things might just go wrong.

 

[dancingbear]

Uncle Hoot, thanks, you're correct, and that's the goal of these companies doing the GM to our food. They want total control and ownership of everything. They want everybody to have to pay them, in some way, for every bite of food they get. It's not for the benefit of mankind, it's not to help the animals, it's not to help the farmers. It's to create a total food monopoly. And, they don't care what damage they cause in the process.

Chicken7777, that's correct, and it's already happened. GM markers have already been found in wild plants near GM crops, even unrelated plants.

GM crops have contaminated non-GM crops growing nearby. This stuff is dangerous, the recombinant DNA allows the genetic material to spread around, all over the place.

Seed savers and breed preservation groups are doing their best to maintain biodiversity, which we will need for survival in the future. If we lose all these heritage varieties, at some point we'll not only be at the mercy of Monsanto and others like them, but when, not if, there's a plague on food crops of a disease outbreak that wipes out these GM birds, we won't have anything to fall back on. It'll be gone.

 

[Chicken7777]

Well i i just hope we do have the voice once it is time do decide, because just like the mortgage crises it happened due to ambition wanting only more and more, and could happen with the GMO due to them being greedy and causing more problems. I hope the next president will choose wisely over this too...

 

[Carolina Chicken Man]

I agree that genetically modified foods, both plant and animals is cause for concern. But science always pushes the envelope, that's how we put a man on the moon.

While cause for concern, it could benefit mankind. The valves that are transplanted into peoples hearts come from transgenic pigs, the pigs have a human gene spliced into their DNA. They are also doing research to use pig corneas for human transplants.

 

[RTRChick]

ya'll think genetically altered meat birds is scary... take a look at this.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23476268-38200,00.html

It's frightening to me. People are playing God to much now.

 

[paduanchook]

the proponents of this craziness is failing to consider that not all people have good motives. what about mad scientist and people in high positions that have evil intentions to create horrid things to bring destruction on others. we keep this up and get better at it, the fringe will take this technology and Lord help us. kinda sounding like the wierd creatures in revelations to me

 

[RTRChick]

now i'm even more frightened! I hadn't thought of that yet

 

[Swamp Roo]

I think we need to differentiate the difference between scientists and the companies they work for. Just because a CEO sees financial gain and exploits a development, doesn't mean the researchers weren't "trying to feed the world". Not saying there aren't irresponsible researchers out there, but let's not just shove everything in the scientists shoes. Do I think we should have the right to know what we are eating? Absolutely! Again, that is a corporate thing. It's up to us to insist that we want a choice, something that some of you have already expressed. Is genetic modification a risky business. Yes. So is just about any cutting edge science. It's a tool nothing more, nothing less. You can build a house with a hammer, or commit homicide, that is the users choice. After all, would the world be better off without nuclear weapons? Perhaps (probably). But what about the byproducts of the initial research? Would we have nuclear medicine as advanced as it is today without it? I know that I am personally grateful for that aspect. And yes I know that nuclear medicine is not the same as nuclear fusion, but the understanding of the atom helped spawn the medicine. The fact of the matter is that if populations continue to increase, there WILL be a point when the world can't feed itself. When that point will be reached is still open to debate. I will say that I don't want any of my children or children's children etc. starving to death. I think genetic research should continue there is great potental in it, I just hope we as a species we are smart enough to use the results wisely. At the rate we are destroying the natural world around us, genetic modification may be the only place to find a cure for the next "plague" or whatever. Who knows where this will all lead. Someone else touched briefly on this, I think the biggest threat is the monoculture this country has endorsed and continues to develop (through things like GM). One nasty bug, and it won't just be one field, county, or state that will be wiped out. I applaud people that are willing to protect heirlooms and keep genetic diversity, even though they won't have maximum production. Bigger and faster is not always better.

Swamp

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
There's ahuge difference between using GM animals for medical applications such as transplants, and GM animals in the breeding pool for food animals. Especially if the companies that hold patents are able to replace other strains of meat animals, like they're trying to do with GM food crops. That would spell disaster, sooner or later.

GM animals for transplants are another story. Those animals would never be part of the food supply. A part transplanted to a human wouldn't be escaping that human and joining with anything in the environment. Also, when it comes to something like a heart valve being replaced, even if it proves problematic down the road, it still gave that person an extension on life, when without the valve replacement, they probably would have died.

If I eat a naturally produced, open pollinated variety of corn, instead of GM corn, he lack of GM corn isn't going to harm me in any way.