"The introduction of genetically engineered (GE) crops has corresponded with increasing monopolization of seed by biotechnology companies and higher seed costs. This has led to tragedies in some countries, while pushing out conventional, non-GE seeds and reducing farmer seed choices."
http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/blog/2013/oct/4/the_gmo_seed...
"Angelika Hilbeck, senior scientist at the Institute of Integrative Biology at ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), and several other researchers analyzed seed catalogs in Spain, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. They found that in Spain—the largest European country to adopt GM corn—farmers’ seed choices declined overall and increasingly became a choice among GM varieties.
“Non-GM cultivars of maize were replaced with fewer GM cultivars,” Hilbeck said. But, in three EU countries that ban plantings of GM corn—Germany, Austria, and Switzerland—farmers have either many more corn seed varieties available to them now than in the 1990s (Germany and Austria) or at least the same number (Switzerland). Hilbeck presented their findings at a conference on GM crop cultivation in Bremen, Germany in June 2012."
http://non-gmoreport.com/articles/march2013/farmers-seed-opt...
I mean, I agree that we are backing away from GMOs to some extent. That $2.50/bu premium is worth it. On my farm, we haven't grown GMO soybeans in almost 10 years because of it.
But the fact remains that it takes that additional $2.50+ to cover the costs of non-GMOs. If you took that away, it'd be pretty difficult to not return back to growing GMOs. The costs are lower, and the savings really are being passed on to the customer, in this case – to the tune of $2.50/bu.
I'm still interested in your analysis of how it directly applies to our farms, rather than a bunch of random links. We don't need third-party media to have a discussion with each other. I'm sure you have some good points of your own.
I have some bad recollections of some criticisms of GMO optimism I've heard:
* Current GMOs do not increase yields so significantly as to be considered a necessity for competitive efficiency
* Generally fewer GMO strains are available than non-GMO strains, lowering biodiversity on GMO fields, and some GMO plants (such as Roundup Ready) don't make sense to plant on mixed GMO/non-GMO fields, lowering biodiversity
Overall it is possible that the downsides may outweigh the benefits, and particularly since the benefits (of increased yields/decreased pest issues) are uncertain it is possible for farmers to make "losing bets" which is unfortunate particularly given the use of the "banner of science" to advertise the hypothetical promise of GMOs. While there are still significant advantages to many GMOs, the popular-among-nerds meta-contrarian position that GMOs represent a new lease on the Green Revolution and a necessity for the survival of human life has rather shaky epistemic footing.
> Current GMOs do not increase yields so significantly as to be considered a necessity for competitive efficiency
I think that's mostly a fair assertion. The traits that are on the market are focused more on reducing operational costs (fewer trips over the field) and opening new opportunities for management practices (cover crops are all the rage these days). While those practices might help introduce a small yield bump, the biggest gains are on the reduction of costs. Again, about $2.50/bu when we're talking about soybeans.
Having said that, there is an element of competition at play. Yields of all types, GMO and not, are up significantly. It may be that GMOs did introduce the yield bumps first, forcing those producing non-GMO varieties to up their game. I don't follow that end of the business close enough to say for certain. Something is driving significant increases in yield though.
> Generally fewer GMO strains are available than non-GMO strains, lowering biodiversity on GMO fields, and some GMO plants (such as Roundup Ready) don't make sense to plant on mixed GMO/non-GMO fields, lowering biodiversity
You mean planting many different varieties all in the same field? We actually do that on our corn ground, where we still use GMO varieties. In soybeans, where we haven't used GMOs in years, that would be a big no-no. The market wants to buy soy on specific varieties. The wheat market, where there is no such thing as GMOs, is starting to go in this direction as well.
So, if I understand you correctly, the reality is actually reversed. At least on my farm and many of the farms near mine.
> GMOs cost extra money
Often true, but I don't see how this is much of a criticism? They cost extra money because they are worth more. A business charges what someone is willing to pay, and farmers are willing to pay it because they've done the math.
> Overall it is possible that the downsides may outweigh the benefits
We've touched on some of the upsides: Lower market price, ability to improve soil health through no-till and cover crop practices, reduced use of fossil fuels by reducing the number of trips over the field. I don't know what downsides you are referring to?
Well, e.g:
"Farmers are reconsidering the use of biotech seeds as it becomes harder to justify their high prices amid the measly returns of the current farm economy" http://www.wsj.com/articles/behind-the-monsanto-deal-doubts-...
"The introduction of genetically engineered (GE) crops has corresponded with increasing monopolization of seed by biotechnology companies and higher seed costs. This has led to tragedies in some countries, while pushing out conventional, non-GE seeds and reducing farmer seed choices." http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/blog/2013/oct/4/the_gmo_seed...
"Angelika Hilbeck, senior scientist at the Institute of Integrative Biology at ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), and several other researchers analyzed seed catalogs in Spain, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. They found that in Spain—the largest European country to adopt GM corn—farmers’ seed choices declined overall and increasingly became a choice among GM varieties.
“Non-GM cultivars of maize were replaced with fewer GM cultivars,” Hilbeck said. But, in three EU countries that ban plantings of GM corn—Germany, Austria, and Switzerland—farmers have either many more corn seed varieties available to them now than in the 1990s (Germany and Austria) or at least the same number (Switzerland). Hilbeck presented their findings at a conference on GM crop cultivation in Bremen, Germany in June 2012." http://non-gmoreport.com/articles/march2013/farmers-seed-opt...