Why is Ruto campaigning for GMOs?

[GeeMail]

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http://www.nation.co.ke/news/GMOs-Biotechnology-Agriculture-Science-Maize/-/1056/2830196/-/hay8k0/-/index.html

MonShaitan is a big company and can willingly bankroll Ruto's 2022 campaign if he continues singing the correct tune. Everyone with a little science background knows there's something seriously wrong with GMOs as human food. For some reason Ruto thinks GMOs are perfectly ok. This is slightly worse than Githae's remark that Kenyans should start eating rats, frogs and snakes or something to that effect.

[RV Pundit]

Ruto has been supporting GMOS for quite some time. I also happen to share Ruto sentiments. People who are NOT SCIENTIST should go slow on technical details of GMO. If there is proper research done by reputable institution that shows GMO is not safe for consumption...go ahead and show us.

Otherwise we have been on GMO for nearly 6,000 yrs now....from the day we started domesticating goats, sheeps, and cows...and through in-breeding have produce mutants that cannot mate with their wild cousins...and the same is true for many crops.

If some folks are scared...just label the food GMO and some of us will not mind buying and eating them.

[GeeMail]

http://earthopensource.org/gmomythsandtruths/sample-page/2-science-regulation/2-2-myth-independent-studies-confirm-gm-foods-crops-safe/

2.2 Myth: Independent studies confirm that GM foods and crops are safe
Truth: Independent research on GM foods is difficult or impossible to carry out, but many studies that have been carried out find problems

Myth at a glance

In-depth food safety studies on GM crops and foods carried out by scientists independent of the GMO industry are rare. They are hampered by the difficulty of accessing GM seeds and the non-GM parent varieties from the developer companies. Those scientists who have managed to carry out such research and have found risks from the genetically modified organism (GMO) tested have suffered persecution. Some have paid with their careers and funding.

Claims that the climate for independent researchers has improved in recent years remain unproven....
A review of scientific studies on the health risks of GM crops and foods that did investigate funding sources found that either financial or professional conflict of interest (author affiliation to industry) was strongly associated with study outcomes that cast GM products in a favourable light. Conclusions of safety were also found to be associated with studies in which source of funding was not declared. Furthermore, there was a strong connection between undeclared funding and author affiliation to industry.2

Genuinely independent studies on GM foods and crops are rare, for two reasons: because independent research on GM crop risks is not supported financially; and because industry uses its patent-based control of GM crops to restrict independent research.

Research that has been suppressed includes assessments of health and environmental safety and agronomic performance of GM crops. Permission to study GM crops is withheld or made so difficult to obtain that research is effectively blocked. For example, researchers are often denied access to commercialized GM seed and the non-GM isogenic seed.3,4

we agreed that we would give them the results of the study before we published

Some Kenyans still hope that MonShaitan can focus its efforts on producing GMO politicians who are allergic to corruption.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

If you live in the US, you probably eat GMO food everyday.  I am yet to hear of any health issues that can be blamed on GMO besides the overabundance of food.

[GeeMail]

Trust Kenyans to insert themselves into a crisis.

The virus-resistant sweet potato has been a GM showcase project for Africa, generating global media coverage. Florence Wambugu, the Monsanto-trained scientist fronting the project,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Wambugu

1991; Monsanto Company Outstanding Performance Award, 1992, 1993;

Yara has strong links with BASF and Monsanto.

[GeeMail]

If you live in the US, you probably eat GMO food everyday.  I am yet to hear of any health issues that can be blamed on GMO besides the overabundance of food.

I suppose you have some scientific background. You would not expect to eat a GMO chicken at KFC or a King Size burger from MacDs and immediately start throwing up or dropping heavy liquid stuff (although that cannot be ruled out). GMOs are designed to produce long-term effects (although thankfully scientists have already isolated some short-Termie effects).

http://earthopensource.org/gmomythsandtruths/sample-page/3-health-hazards-gm-foods/3-7-myth-one-ever-made-ill-gm-food/

Claims that no one has been made ill by a GM crop or food have no scientific basis, since no epidemiological studies have been carried out. Also, GM foods are not labelled in the US, the country where most such foods are eaten, so patterns of consumption cannot be traced and linked to any ill effects. However, the cases of L-tryptophan produced with GM bacteria and GM StarLink maize give cause for concern.

In 1989 in the US, a food supplement, L-tryptophan, produced using GM bacteria, was found to be toxic, killing 37 people and disabling over 1500 others.3,4,5 The resulting disease was named eosinophilia myalgia syndrome (EMS). Symptoms included an overproduction of white blood cells called eosinophils, severe myalgia (muscle pain), and in some cases, paralysis.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/329614-overview

In 2000 in the US, people reported allergic reactions, some of them severe, to maize products. A GM Bt maize called StarLink was found to have contaminated the food supply. Regulators had allowed StarLink to be grown for animal feed and industrial use but had not approved it for human food because of suspicions that the Bt insecticidal protein it contained, known as Cry9C, might cause allergic reactions.

[GeeMail]

Tracing the effects of GMO in large US populations will be made harder by the anti-labeling decision made by US House of Reps to block food manufacturers from labeling their products. GMOs are pollinating organic foods and very soon if not already the distinction between organic and GMO foods will be gone.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gmo-labels-food_55b12fabe4b08f57d5d3f393?kvcommref=mostpopular

Thankfully in Kenya agriculture is a devolved function. Counties can override MonShaitan money and demand labeling. On the other side MonShaitan has a big fat chance of bankrolling debates and sponsoring retreats. Nationally, Ruto and company are probably guided by KARI reports with support from KARI's long-time partner Monsanto.

[RV Pundit]

Would you rather people in Africa and the world die from hunger (I think there are more than 1 billion folks who cannot afford food) or would you rather scientist and companies like Monsanto work really hard to find cheaper food for everyone.

At least the very people will live longer as they await for "long term" effect.

Show us one NEW DISEASE that has arisen from GMO. None.

Tracing the effects of GMO in large US populations will be made harder by the anti-labeling decision made by US House of Reps to block food manufacturers from labeling their products. GMOs are pollinating organic foods and very soon if not already the distinction between organic and GMO foods will be gone.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gmo-labels-food_55b12fabe4b08f57d5d3f393?kvcommref=mostpopular

Thankfully in Kenya agriculture is a devolved function. Counties can override MonShaitan money and demand labeling. On the other side MonShaitan has a big fat chance of bankrolling debates and sponsoring retreats. Nationally, Ruto and company are probably guided by KARI reports with support from KARI's long-time partner Monsanto.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

If you live in the US, you probably eat GMO food everyday.  I am yet to hear of any health issues that can be blamed on GMO besides the overabundance of food.

I suppose you have some scientific background. You would not expect to eat a GMO chicken at KFC or a King Size burger from MacDs and immediately start throwing up or dropping heavy liquid stuff (although that cannot be ruled out). GMOs are designed to produce long-term effects (although thankfully scientists have already isolated some short-Termie effects).

http://earthopensource.org/gmomythsandtruths/sample-page/3-health-hazards-gm-foods/3-7-myth-one-ever-made-ill-gm-food/

Claims that no one has been made ill by a GM crop or food have no scientific basis, since no epidemiological studies have been carried out. Also, GM foods are not labelled in the US, the country where most such foods are eaten, so patterns of consumption cannot be traced and linked to any ill effects. However, the cases of L-tryptophan produced with GM bacteria and GM StarLink maize give cause for concern.

In 1989 in the US, a food supplement, L-tryptophan, produced using GM bacteria, was found to be toxic, killing 37 people and disabling over 1500 others.3,4,5 The resulting disease was named eosinophilia myalgia syndrome (EMS). Symptoms included an overproduction of white blood cells called eosinophils, severe myalgia (muscle pain), and in some cases, paralysis.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/329614-overview

In 2000 in the US, people reported allergic reactions, some of them severe, to maize products. A GM Bt maize called StarLink was found to have contaminated the food supply. Regulators had allowed StarLink to be grown for animal feed and industrial use but had not approved it for human food because of suspicions that the Bt insecticidal protein it contained, known as Cry9C, might cause allergic reactions.

DB,

I didn't say no one has been affected.  I said, if any has been affected, I haven't heard of it.  You share links which seem to suggest that is the case without any evidence, claiming that the same has been covered up.

In any case, ultimately everything we eat, even the healthy stuff will eventually kill us over the span of a lifetime.  Should I be concerned that GMO will catch up with me when I am 80 if I am starving?

[Georgesoros]

Buyer beware. GMOs should be labeled.

[MOON Ki]

The information at DB's links are interesting.   For example, one of them concludes that:

Claims that no one has been made ill by a GM crop or food have no scientific basis, since no epidemiological studies have been carried out. Also, GM foods are not labelled in the US, the country where most such foods are eaten, so patterns of consumption cannot be traced and linked to any ill effects.

But that does not appear to have stopped the author from trying to argue the other side of the coin----that GM foods are terrible.

Before that, the same article claims has section with the bold title:

Two outbreaks of illness linked to GM technology

and then proceeds to explain that:

Two high-profile cases have emerged in which a GM food was suspected of causing illness in people.

The scientific understanding also seems iffy.   For one of the cases, it is stated that:

In 1989 in the US, a food supplement, L-tryptophan, produced using GM bacteria, was found to be toxic, killing 37 people and disabling over 1500 others.

The real story, which has been reported on by numerous people and in numerous ways, is a bit more subtle.   Here is an example:

Even though the bacteria used to produce L-Tryptophan was genetically modified, there is insufficient evidence to prove that these modifications were solely responsible for the contaminants linked to the Eosinophilia- Myalgia Syndrome

http://www.nemsn.org/Articles/truth_about_tryptophan.htm

And here is another one:

The claim that a GM microbe was at fault was made without any evidence.  It is a sort of urban legend created by those who oppose GM crops in order to try to discredit them.  No cause and effect between a GM microbe and the EMS disease has ever been established nor is there a need to find such a link, because another cause of the illness has been discovered.

http://academicsreview.org/reviewed-content/genetic-roulette/section-1/1-20-gm-microbe-does-not-cause-ems/

[Georgesoros]

GMOs dont affect directly. Most effects are slow and rarely noticed.  One has to conduct research to link GMOs and disease. Its like pesticides. Most are not acute killers when used in small quantities.

[Georgesoros]

Another thing. GMOs will pour money to politicians so that they can get into the market. Monsanto is a monster company.

[MOON Ki]

GMOs dont affect directly. Most effects are slow and rarely noticed.  One has to conduct research to link GMOs and disease.

I am prepared to accept that.   So where is the research that confirms the (presumably indirect) link?

Its like pesticides. Most are not acute killers when used in small quantities.

Most things (including nominally good things)  are probably harmful beyond certain levels.   

[Georgesoros]

GMOs have been linked to changes in genes leading to new diseases. What happens with GMOs is that they change the genes and that has consequences on those who consume these foods. Look at what they used to do with animals - feed them antibiotics, so people developed antibiotic resistance leading to more research into use of more powerful antibiotics. Its a race we couldn't win and now they are kind of backing away from feeding antibiotics to animals.

[MOON Ki]

GMOs have been linked to changes in genes leading to new diseases. What happens with GMOs is that they change the genes and that has consequences on those who consume these foods.

That's very interesting.   Where could one find scientific articles that confirm these linkages and changes?

[Olekoima]

Ruto has been supporting GMOS for quite some time. I also happen to share Ruto sentiments. People who are NOT SCIENTIST should go slow on technical details of GMO. If there is proper research done by reputable institution that shows GMO is not safe for consumption...go ahead and show us.

Otherwise we have been on GMO for nearly 6,000 yrs now....from the day we started domesticating goats, sheeps, and cows...and through in-breeding have produce mutants that cannot mate with their wild cousins...and the same is true for many crops.

If some folks are scared...just label the food GMO and some of us will not mind buying and eating them.

I am not sure domesticating is the same thing as GMO. I thought the later involved altering the genetic make up of something. No?

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

GMOs have been linked to changes in genes leading to new diseases. What happens with GMOs is that they change the genes and that has consequences on those who consume these foods. Look at what they used to do with animals - feed them antibiotics, so people developed antibiotic resistance leading to more research into use of more powerful antibiotics. Its a race we couldn't win and now they are kind of backing away from feeding antibiotics to animals.

The layman that I am, I imagine that the stuff I eat is metabolized.  That if I eat bitter herbs, the cannibal that eats me will not be ingesting bitter herbs, but rather protein and animal fat.  Doesn't it work like that with antibiotics?

I am also getting that GMO food changes genes, because it is itself genetically modified?  Is that the logic?

[Georgesoros]

You gonna be a busy man.
http://www.hulu.com/search?q=gmos

GMOs have been linked to changes in genes leading to new diseases. What happens with GMOs is that they change the genes and that has consequences on those who consume these foods.

That's very interesting.   Where could one find scientific articles that confirm these linkages and changes?

[MOON Ki]

You gonna be a busy man.
http://www.hulu.com/search?q=gmos

GMOs have been linked to changes in genes leading to new diseases. What happens with GMOs is that they change the genes and that has consequences on those who consume these foods.

That's very interesting.   Where could one find scientific articles that confirm these linkages and changes?

Thanks.  Unfortunately, those videos cannot be watched by anyone outside the USA.   Also, what I'd realy like is proper scientific papers, published in peer-reviewed journals and the like.   Do you have any good links to such?