(1/10) Whew. We read that @nytimes piece “Learning to Love G.M.O.s” too… and let’s just say we’re not impressed. Let’s break it down. A #thread:
(2/10) This article is a pro-corporate ag spin piece. It’s the same pro-GM arguments we’ve heard again & again, repackaged. They argue we need GM for a) healthier food, b) better-tasting food, and c) more food for a growing population in a changing climate. That’s just not true.
(3/10) A) GM won't solve for healthier food b/c it doesn't address the underlying social, econ, & political drivers of deficiencies. Proprietary tech DOES line the pocketbooks of corps like @Bayer, though. Read more from @MarciaIshii on GM golden rice here panna.org/blog/golden-ri…
(4/10) B) We don’t need GM & proprietary tech for palatable food. Arguing we do suggests that farmers, workers & eaters aren’t experts in growing + eating what’s healthy & culturally appropriate for ourselves.
(5/10) We believe in #foodsovereignty, & we’ve never needed corporate ag to tell us how to farm & eat. Farmer (& PAN staff) Rob Faux explored this concept way back in 2010 when #Monsanto sought to marry heirloom tomatoes and proprietary hybrid breeding: genfaux.blogspot.com/2009/11/heirlo…
(6/10) C) We don’t need GM crops to feed the world. Hunger isn’t a problem of production; we produce enough food. Hunger exists b/c our food system prioritizes corporate profits while failing to feed people & steward our climate. More myth-busting here panna.org/food-democracy…
(7/10) The truth is, corporations spin the GM story b/c they want to sell their proprietary products. For example, patented GM seeds are designed for use with specific pesticides, leading to increased use of these chemicals.
(8/10) Widespread application leads to emergence of herbicide resistant weeds. Industry’s solution? More proprietary GM seeds, and more pesticides. More info on the pesticide treadmill here: panna.org/gmos-pesticide…
(9/10) We know, however, that farmers and workers *already* have the solutions we need to today’s challenges. From agroecological & climate-resilient practices on-farm, to community movements for food sovereignty, the solutions are right in front of us.
(10/10) For more info on the origins of GM and the solutions to today’s challenges that already exist, check out the animated short Seed Keepers and Truth Tellers: panna.org/resources/vide…
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