As a nurseryman with a stake in East Africa, I find the discussion fascinating. Here GMO is being used to slightly modify a cosmetic flaw in an apple for marketing purposes; where I work with in Uganda, it is being used to give resistance to plantain bananas to a devistating disease that is wiping out their food supply, with people starving as a result. The Arctic Apple folks claim that their product is the most tested apple in history, and this is why APHIS had to approve it; their conclusion cannot be affected by public opinion or demand, but on science. What if it indeed proves in the long run to be safe? (I've seen zero research stating otherwise). I wish with you guys that the first GMO apple released would have been something that's actually useful to us, such as reducing the 12-20 sprays necessary to bring an apple to market, but as far as GMO actions go, this one is pretty benign; switching off a gene already in the apple and not imported from a moth or potato, for a minor alteraion. But maybe this was the place they had to start to address a very important question; is this indeed safe, and should it be used to protect the world's food supply?
Kevin Hauser Kuffel Creek Apple Nursery Riverside, California Nakifuma, Uganda On Thu, 26 Feb 2015 15:09:33 +0000, "Shoemaker, William H" <wshoe...@illinois.edu> wrote: > I like your comment David, and I agree. I don't want to "carry water" for > them anyway. All of these companies pay big money for the best lawyers and > lobbyists. They need to help defending their actions. I take the position > when pressed by folks who are not familiar with genetic engineering that > I'm comfortable with the technique, but that I'm not sure I'm comfortable > with how its being employed. I'd like to see more caution and more effort > to give the public real answers to their questions about these products and > about the way these techniques are used. I think they companies which > employ GMOs don't feel they need to be accountable for the products they > are putting into the marketplace. Every direct-market growers knows that > they face accountability, like it or not, and must reconcile with it in > some way. And while these companies do to, like it or not, I don't think > they are being fair to the consumer in the marketplace by failing to make > more effort to address their questi > ons about their products. So I tell those folks who ask that I can't > defend the products, not because I think they are unsafe, but because I > don't agree with the way they are being introduced into the market. > > Bill > William H. Shoemaker > Retired fruit and vegetable horticulturist > University of Illinois > wshoe...@illinois.edu > > ________________________________________ > From: apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net > [apple-crop-boun...@virtualorchard.net] on behalf of David Doud > [david_d...@me.com] > Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2015 8:53 AM > To: Apple-Crop > Subject: [apple-crop] arctic apples > > Well, I have been to two social events since the GMO 'Arctic apples' have > been in the news - and that is what people want to talk to me about - and > pretty much only that... > > How are you all handling this? My personal opinions aside, I don't want to > 'carry water' for these guys - they aren't going to let me grow them even > if I wanted to and I don't feel inclined to spend my time and credibility > providing them cover and fighting their marketing struggle for them - > > This is going to be a frequently reoccurring issue this season - I've got > an event to go to this afternoon and I am dreading this aspect of it - > > David Doud > grower, IN > below 0*F, way behind on pruning > > _______________________________________________ > apple-crop mailing list > apple-crop@virtualorchard.net > http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop > _______________________________________________ > apple-crop mailing list > apple-crop@virtualorchard.net > http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop _______________________________________________ apple-crop mailing list apple-crop@virtualorchard.net http://virtualorchard.net/mailman/listinfo/apple-crop
