Germany Bans Cultivation of Genetically Modified Corn

International:

Germany has banned the cultivation of GM corn, claiming that MON 810 is dangerous for the environment. But that argument might not stand up in court and Berlin could face fines totalling millions of euros if American multinational Monsanto decides to challenge the prohibition on its seed.

The sowing season may be just around the corner, but this year German farmers will not be planting gentically modified crops: German Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner announced Tuesday she was banning the cultivation of GM corn in Germany.

Read the whole story: International

Comments

[marijam]

It's about time somebody won against big business, on anything. I don't think gene splicing is the same thing as breeding and hybridization, and I never will. If there were a local Amish or Mennonite enclave close to where I live, I'd buy all my produce and meats from them, if they were set up for selling to the public, that is.

[kareemachan]

I agree - Monsanto has had its way too damned much.

[Photofarm]

"I don't think gene splicing is the same thing as breeding and hybridization"

More or less you are wrong. It depends on the exact trait you are talking about, but many can be reached by traditional breeding methods, it just takes a lot longer.

The specific trait here is called Bt corn. It will kill the European Corn Borer, which can easily reduce yields 10%-20% in a given year. The way to treat this pest is to use airplanes to fly on very strong insecticides that kill more than just corn borers. Many argue that treating the corn borer traditionally does much more harm to the environment than using Bt corn.

[euthman]

All species are genetically modified. That's how they got to be species. I guess we could wait a few hundred thousand years for the corn plant to naturally select its own defense against the borer larva, but what's the point of waiting?

[CologneCitizen]

Monsanto just has lost in German court.

They went against the decision to ban their MON 810 and the German judge ruled it out that this decision would be reversed. IMO it is sickening that corporations flood the planet with patents for food with the only directive to get filthy rich. This sucks big time.

As a German I am proud that we finally stand up to these global monsters. It is a small step but maybe encourages other nations. And it shows a court in a democracy can decide for the benefit of the people and not only for the wealth of big companies.

[Naresh Caruso]

thank you germany .........m­onsanto is the devil

[Clairvaux]

We MUST work for legislation requiring the labeling of all GM food.

People should be able to choose to eat or not eat this stuff.

I choose not to eat it.

[Upcoming]

Ironically, the Monsantos of the world are the most likely avenue of catastrophic starvation the apologists claim they will mitigate. Look at crop failure in south africa, the emerging notion that catastrophic bee disappearance is related to GM crops, and emerging data in the health damaging effects of GM food. Our safest path is devoting our resources to understanding nature, scientifically, and learning how to work in harmony with it, not to FUBAR.

GM apologists also don't acknowledge that adequate food for the world is primarily a money issue, not a farming technology issue.

[Photofarm]

"GM apologists also don't acknowledge that adequate food for the world is primarily a money issue, not a farming technology issue."

You are really full of nonsense with this statement.

Open pollinated corn in the United States in the 1920's to 1940's would yield 20 to 30 bushels per acre. Just switching to hybrid corn in the 1950's doubled that output. We saw steady increases throughout the years.

When I started farming in 1983, corn yields were in the 120 -125 bushel per acre range. Today they are up to over 155 bushels per acre. So your statement is not based on real facts.

[Upcoming]

It is encouraging that Germany has taken a stand. It is easy to find published research regarding health and environmental damage related to GM crops and Monsanto's corn in particular. The claim of such damage is based on science.

GM apologists bust out the starvation threat to advocate for GM crops. They correctly point out that overpopulation is a problem. It is indeed the fundamental problem. If our world population had only grown to, say , 1/4 of what is now, our impending climate change and water shortage issues would be vastly less severe. For humans to live in a harmonious way in the environment we've evolved with, there simply has to be way fewer of us. Alternatively, a vastly different society, worldwide, that is scientifically educated, and able to manage our resources and ourselves sensibly (not on our current capitalist basis) could allow non-catastrophic re-alignment with our environment.

What the GM apologists don't acknowledge is that our understanding of the biological sciences is still infantile compared to what it should be before we start widespread introduction of GM food crops, or really, any crops in the environment. We are like children playing with loaded guns with regard to GM crops. We not only don't understand the molecular processes of genetic expression sufficiently, (look at the surprise at the role of RNA in gene expression) we most certainly don't have the understanding of the complex ecological interactions these new genes and proteins are likely to manifest.

[seehowtheyrun]

This is great news. Bravo Germany !

[Deparis]

Yeah, let them take their "researchers" somewhere else. It always comes down to their bottom line; i.e, money, doesn't it? Keep your money, i will keep my environment and food healthy. Hope America will rise to the task and ban GM corn as well.

[VicDaring]

Yes, let's all fervently hope for the day when we attempt to feed a rising global population with strictly low-yield methods.

The resulting mass-starvation will be "natural" so it will be good.

[Tyler-Durden]

how about we address the rising population problem instead? solve the problem, not create another one!

[Deparis]

Keep Monsanto away from my food now!

[Deparis]

I salute Ilse Aigner and Germany for their courageous first step.

[sheilaofmiami]

We are all so totally modified already I see no point in worrying. Humans have damaged our own dna and that of the rest of the living on the planet. We are not what we once were.

I know I am weaker than my ancestors.­.

[VicDaring]

You know you are weaker than your ancestors?

Even though your life expectancy is significantly longer? Even though you don't have to battle a litany of dieases that your ancestors might have died from? Even though your overall well being is enormously better, by any meansure?

How, exactly, do you "know" this?

[sheilaofmiami]

my mother had a c-section after 3 days of labor, with my older brother. Neither would have survived without modern medicine as it was in '59. I have fibromyalgia.

She was not well made or birth would not have been such a problem, and I am aware of what the problem was. And I have a health issue that "did not exist" 500 years ago, or at least anyone with this condition would not be well thought of for breeding purposes. I should not have been born, nor, in retrospect, have bred.

My boys are the delight of my life of course, but they show signs of auto immune issues and are not physically as well off as most sports minded parents would like.

We weaken the species by breeding those who should not breed.

I have a dog with lupus. He and his sibs will not reproduce any more German Shepherd's because they are clearly weak. I spayed the girls but my Bucko, the pic, cannot have surgery at all, lupus and predinsone.

I am responsible for their existence, but I also am responsible for not making more sick dogs.

Yes, for all that modern medicine will keep me going well into my 70's, I am weaker than my ancestors. I accept this and tell my boys that they are under no direct obligation to breed, this is up to them. I support their decision.

[nubret2008]

Go to the Gym!

[Halsey]

I salute the German farmers...­.GM food and animals...­just too many unknowns..­and anytime a behemouth like Monsanto threatens.­....well..­.that's enough for me to say keep Monsanto away from MY food....

[VicDaring]

Sadly, it's just conservatives who toss science aside in favor belief-based politcal point scoring.

Maybe someday the anti-GM crowd will get its way, and all farming will be "organic." When that happens, they get to pick which billion people starve to death.

[VicDaring]

Meant to say "it's NOT just conservati­ves..."

[Gripen]

Have you not seen what damage GM-crops has done in india and africa.

It is other ways to feed the world.

[VicDaring]

Damage? You have evidence?