Scottish Government to Prohibit GMO

[Shin]

It's being announced that the Scottish government is planning on forbidding the cultivation of GMO crops.

However while this will forbid the growing of GMO crops in general apparently, it will not prohibit GMO research in Scotland.

A spokesperson said: "These changes would not affect research as it is currently carried out in Scotland, where the contained use of GM plants is permitted for scientific purposes, for example in laboratories or sealed glasshouse facilities."

[odhiambo]

This is something I know very little about.
I see GMO food on our shelves and I never think about them as such. What does the Church say about it?

[Shin]

I wonder what an application of Catholic principles would mean for it.

In any case, here in the U.S., there is debate over laws requiring mandatory labelling of GMO crops. The GMO producers do not want it because they believe it would cost them sales.

But I think it's at least a case of honesty -- people should know where what they eat came from, and what -all- actually is in it so they can decide whether in fact they want to eat it or not!

Now that Scotland is allowing research but restricting it to contained areas, there's less chance of a GMO crop going wild there and contaminating others.

Trademarked and restricted crops are a big thing. I read an article once -- did I post it here? about how the agricultural businesses will go to Africa and try to introduce their crops there, at initially heavily discounted prices -- crops which are often superior to what was there before in production amounts, but it gets folks hooked on it, and the actual costs of the crops when the discounts are taken away.. And the monopoly that is formed are both significant drawbacks.

I here just ordering plants for my garden take care to avoid trademarked and similar crops -- what do the trademarks mean? They mean I am not allowed to grow more of the plant than will come from one single seed, or what was delivered, without paying additionally -- you actually have to have a license to grow more of the plant or to sell it.

There have even been cases of farmers who have been sued for having these plants in their fields without paying for them by happenstance -- seeds blown in the wind.

Well, so I will simply not be growing any plants with trademarks or license requirements. Heirloom plants are good enough for me!

[odhiambo]

Wow!
It appears that one can get into a whole lot of legal problems without even knowing it !
Isn't GMO, somehow, an interference with God's own creation; as if what He has created is not good enough?

[Shin]

That's really thought provoking odhiambo! I hadn't thought of it that way!

[eschator83]

I'm curious to know your conclusions about the comments of Pope Francis in Laudato Si' (133):
"It is difficult to make a general judgment about GM..."
"Genetic mutations...have often been caused by nature itself..."
"There remain a number of significant difficulties..."