WFS Home › The Futurist › 2012 Issues of The Futurist › May-June 2012, Vol. 46, No. 3 ›

Engineering the Future of Food

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By Josh Schonwald

Tomorrow’s genetically modified food and farmed fish will be more sustainable and far healthier than much of what we eat today—if we can overcome our fears and embrace it. Here’s how one foodie learned to stop worrying and love “Frankenfood.”

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Comments

There are enough sorts of tomatoes

Submitted by 1606361 on Thu, 07/26/2012 - 4:53am.
For what do we need genetically engineered tomatoes like the Flavr Savr? The author doesn't seem to know that according to the German Wikipedia there are already more than 2.500 sorts of tomatoes registered - the English Wikipedia even speaks of several thousands. Isn't that enough variety in shape, size, taste, and even colour? (There are black, white, purple ... fruits.) In private gardens - all over Europe - you can find all this variety, and most probably the tastes are much better than those sought after by the author! The author should also question whether it is good that 80% of American corn crops come from GM seed. This summer, the harvest will be very bad due to the weather. May be the farmers should have used a greater variety of non-GM seeds - some sorts might have withstand the drought better!

Thank you

Submitted by Pj Schott (not verified) on Thu, 12/27/2012 - 9:07pm.

I can't believe the WFS published this article.

GMO Food

Submitted by 1606782 on Wed, 05/30/2012 - 10:31am.

One thing we must bear in mind is that while biomedical breakthoughs are causing humans to live longer and healthier lives, the increase in population will cause constraints in food and water availability. Farmland will become the next hot commodity like oil or gold is today. We need to be able to produce more food per acre while using the least amount of water possible so I believe GMO food will be the wave of the future if nothing else, out of neccessity.

Future of food/GMOs

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 08/13/2012 - 2:09am.

I think that one of the major waves of the future of food should be in vertical farming with non-GMO seeds. The reason given for the creation of GMO seeds is mostly for pest- and drought-resistance. In vertical farming, the environment is controlled so those problems would probably be non-existent. In addition, it would give our over-utilized soils time to rest and return to some level of normalcy.

Thank you

Submitted by Pj Schott (not verified) on Thu, 12/27/2012 - 9:09pm.

Even though the WFS published this ridiculous article, at least there are some members who haven't lost their minds.

GMO Food

Submitted by 1587654 on Tue, 04/17/2012 - 2:16pm.

I am shocked and appalled.
Here's the other side of the story.
http://www.naturalnews.com/GM_foods.html

GMO

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 04/27/2012 - 2:13pm.

Can anyone 'here' answer why GMO Franken-foods are generally banned in China, as a matter of principle?

Does anyone at "The" Futurist acknowledge that consuming mostly Genetically Modified Organisms means "Genetically Modified" us?

Do they really think that they have made a better mousetrap than G*d (or 'the other side'?), or are they- perhaps less "mad" and more "scientist"- just using US as a 'captive audience' of guinea pigs?

How long before the unexamined bad science starts showing up in general reversed mortality statistics and 'life expectancy' figures, not just the (already epidemic) cancer rates?

I'm sure the literate readership of "The" Futurist is *aware* that GMO has been used on animals for many decades now. How has that turned out?

Thank you

Submitted by Pj Schott (not verified) on Thu, 12/27/2012 - 9:12pm.

There are other countries now that are banning our poison food. It's sad when the only logical explanation for something that appears absurd in a conspiracy theory, e.g., depopulation.

GMO-Frankenfood

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 04/17/2012 - 9:18pm.

Thanks for posting the NaturalNews article. Jeffrey Smiths website:
http://www.responsibletechnology.org is a comprehensive source of information about the Frankenfood that is being 'sold' to us. Read the book "Seeds of Deception" as well. Horrifying--this food is to be avoided!

Thank you

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/26/2012 - 3:24pm.

I will certainly check out "Seeds of Deception." I was so disappointed in the WFS society when I saw this article. But it reinforces the concept that we must all take personal responsibility for our own health & well-being and learn to filter this kind of information.

Pestacide the Problem with GMO

Submitted by 1574008 on Thu, 04/12/2012 - 10:25pm.

I think the problem with GMO is not so much GMO, but the pestacide that is used with the GMO. Monsanto makes RoundUp ready GMO seeds that produce crops that may be sprayed with RoundUp (Weedkilling poisen) so that farmers don't have to worry about weeds compeating with their plants.

Pestacide also causes lots of problems for bees, see http://www.vanishingbees.com/. I'm starting to suspect that if GMOs could be used without pestacides we might really have something, the trouble is nothing is easy and it seems GMO needs the pestacides.

some GMOs that need less pesticide

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 04/18/2012 - 10:35am.

I've read that potatoes resistant to Colorado potato beetle and corn resistant to European corn borer and corn resistant to corn root worm are genetically modified for those traits.

Best wishes, Alan Detwiler: rural resident, gardener, resilient living and self sufficiency advocate, and author. Smashwords author bio at
www.smashwords.com/profile/view/alandetwiler