I'm no expert either, but they shouldn't contain DDT. Genetically modified crops are spliced with genes from other organisms like bacteria, usually so they are resistant to something, not so much to make them big frankenstein vegetables.

For example Bt corn has genes from the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis to produce a natural toxin that kills caterpillars. It's the same bacteria you can buy in a powder form to sprinkle on your plant to protect against loopers or tomato hornworms, but instead, the plant itself created the toxin. There are issues with it harming other good bugs like Monarch butterflies.

Then there are Round-up Ready plants that are modified so they aren't killed by Round-up (glyphosate). That way farmers can just blanket spray their fields to kill everything but their crop. The problem there is overuse of herbicides and the creation of resistant weeds, which is already happening.

It is a grossly over-blown subject. People who do not truely understand the subject are the ones you usually hear from..ugh.
Texasflip summed it up well. I might add this...in regards to Roundup Ready plants (usually soyabeans)- by being able to use glyphosate, the farmer does not need to use things such as Atrazine. This is the chem. that has contaminated water so badly in the midwest. Very scary.
A lot of people think that GMO corn will give you cancer and all kinds of stupid things. This is absurd. The body does not recognize these minut bits of genetic material as different from any other. You have been eating GMO tomatos for many years if you have bought them at the store. They contain a gene that simply slows down the enzyme that causes ripening. That gene is called "Flavor-savor" as I recall.
Genetic manipulation is the way of the future. The whole subject is huge and remarkable.
The same people who freak about this are the same ones who seem to think hybred vegtables are something that does not occur in nature and are to be avoided. Wrong wrong wrong. They are far better than all the "heirlooms" out there.
Anyway, I guess what I am trying to say is not to worry much about it. When you read stuff in the press, remember, if it was boring, no one would care or read about it. Important bits of info seem to often be left out- leaving the reader with an unjustified fear. Lay people then latch on to this info and repeat it to death- at which point it becomes "fact". I always assume there are a lot smarter people in this world than me doing the research and work. These people live on the same planet as you and I. They have children as do we..why would they do something for "profit" that would harm the environment or us? It is great that you care enough to research this issue. Just remember to dig further than the surface stuff that clogs the internet. Then, use you own powers of extrapolation. View it from a scientific perspective, not a doom and gloom twist like so many others. You will probably, like me, become intrigued by all that is going on to make our food supply better in this world (oh, and give us blue roses!).

I don't feel there has been enough study on the long term effects of GMO consumption. I guess I'm hesitate to believe the folks who promoted DDT and agent orange and the belief that introducing a gene from something that doesn't usually show up in a plant as a good thing. Especially with the recent discoveries that genes control more than one thing.

But the biggest problem I have with what's happening in the seed world is the buying up of varieties and then taking them off the market. About 90% of the vegetable seed market is controlled by 5 companies. Think about that. He who controls the seed, controls the food. And those companies are primarily chemical companies that are into genetic manipulation.

Thank you all for the fascinating information. I'm learning and want to be more informed. I agree, fear grabs attention and I often tune out the loudest voices...but that doesn't mean I am wise to do so all the time.

The cross contamination seems a real issue. I also think that our demand for "perfect" looking fruits and veggies is a problem. And, I think that the bees may be in trouble or at least calling our attention to trouble like a canary in the deep mine. But I'm trying to keep an open mind and really value every word in these posts.

c

Shebear summed it up perfectly for me...........TOO much control !!!!

Before you decide either way, I think you should see the film "The Future of Food". It explains it very well. I saw mine from Netflix, but you can see the film on the www.thefutureoffood.com. It is about 1-1/2 hours long. Like shebear, I don't think there has been enough study on the effects, and there likely won't be. The Future of Food not only goes into roundup-ready crops, but also putting medicine in food, etc. It's truly amazing to see what is being done, no matter what you think about the subject.

The last I heard on the bees was it is possibly the phorid fly. I'm attaching a 3 minute newscast on this discovery.

Here is a link that might be useful: Newscast on Bee/parasitic fly discovery

I spoke to a very knowledgeable person today. I learned that there have been no instances of health problems from these crops. I'm still learning. Trying not to overreact but wondering about them just the same. Just wanted to add this.

c

You've all summed things up pretty well..

Timh:
You are obviously knowledgeable on this topic, but the point is not really whether these things are franken-vegetables but that these GMO's have been in use for a long time now without the knowledge of the public. We've all been eating genetically modified corn and corn products that are in nearly every processed food for years now without realizing it because it is not required to be labeled as such.

Furthermore, GMO's were put into widespread use without proper research into their possible effects (other than by the very companies producing them). Yes, perhaps the topic has been blown out of proportion, but even the expert proponents on the subject should not in good faith claim they know what the effects are and that they are benign. They simply don't know because there is not enough evidence either way at this point.

Then there is the whole copyright issue, where farmers are being sued for saving their own seed if it has acquired genes from the GM crops grown next door. The fact that GMO's are part of the arsenal of large, corrupt corporations trying to monopolize seed, and stealing the rights of small-time farmers is reason enough not to embrace them. Europeans have the right idea on this.

Well said fabaceae native.

We just don't know what effect gene altering in plants has on the body that eats them or wears material made from them. Perhaps there is nothing significant. However, this is from a NewScientist article late last year.

"A landmark study suggests that this dinky member of the cabbage family [brussels sprounts] - along with rice, broccoli and possibly all the plants you eat - changes the behaviour of your genes in ways that are new to science.

"In what is the strongest evidence yet that the genetic material in food survives digestion and circulates through the body, fragments of plant RNA have been found swimming in the bloodstreams of people and cows."

The Environmental Working Group (ewg@ewg.org) is pushing for full disclosure to the public of genetically altered foods:

http://www.ewg.org/agmag/2012/02/follow-the-food-ensuring-greater-transparency-in-our-food-supply/

Here is a link that might be useful: Full article about survival of genetic material in the body ...

According to the ET's,.. Genetically Modified food can be good, scroll down on the link to #16

The science of genetic engineering is established in the laws of overall evolution; therefore, it also cannot be prevented, even though in the future, irrational ones, who will unite together in whole organizations, will want to destroy such progress by all unfair means, even with lies and with false test reports and impact reports on genetically altered plants, animals, and humans.

Here is a link that might be useful: Genetic Engineering?

I guess like everything else in these times on earth there are good things that come about by genetic engineering of plants such as increases in food production and bad things such as profit, control and power motives that lead to side stepping the issues of possible detrimental effects of life on our planet.

I try to remind people that just because something is natural, doesn't mean it is good. A drop of 100% all natural, organic botulinum toxin can kill a lot of people. Most diseases are natural. It is even natural to starve to death if there isn't enough food.
My point is that everything man-made isn't necessarily bad, just like everything natural isn't inherently good.

I spoke to a recently retired Hort. Professor. He said that there are some modifiecations that can be good. But pointed out the modification for BT like pesticide has the potential to destroy so many beneficial insects and butterflies that no one really knows what the long term results will be.[I can't remember the exact working].

He also told me about Monsanto's lawsuits against farmers and seed growers. Just google it and be as surprised as I was. Anyway, y'all have really helped me begin to grapple with this topic. I can certainly see how tempting it would be to use these seeds if my income depended upon big yield. But it seems that Monsanto crosses a line like a poacher with automatic weapons and tanks. Deep sigh.

I remember a time when you just cut the worm spot out of the ear of corn. Can't remember when I saw a worm in an ear of corn at the grocery.

c