Bit of an odd question: do you know of any vegan perspectives on GMO crops I can read about? Obviously I am against genetically engineering sentient beings to be used as resources by humans, but I've never really understood the uproar around GMO crops. Maybe it's because I'm a junk food vegan who isn't really concerned with "eating clean" 😅 I also struggle to understand the anti-GMO perspective of Greenpeace--the pro-GMO argument seems to be much stronger in my opinion. But in fairness I've only done a cursory amount of research and a lot of the technical language goes over my head! Going down this rabbit hole made me curious what other vegans think of GMOs, since it's one of those topics that's not technically related to veganism but is related to adjacent issues that lots of vegans are concerned about (environmentalism, food justice, sustainable agriculture, etc). Any suggestions for books, videos, articles, etc, by vegans about GMOs I can take a look at? Thanks so much! Your blog is great!
I don't know of any resources I can point you towards, but I can offer my own perspective, and I know that it is a viewpoint shared by a lot of vegans.
Basically, GMO is not a vegan issue, it is a food system issue more widely. It is adjacent to vegan issues because of the environmental and human rights concerns, but there is no 'vegan stance' when it comes to GMOs.
I think that genetic modification is one of those technologies that is not inherently bad in any way, in fact it could be life saving for a lot of people. Like with so many technologies, the issue is not the tool but the person who is using it. I'll share with you a good excerpt on this:
‘One of the most infamous modern-day monopolies is the biotech agricultural company Monsanto. The company specializes in environmentally toxic, genetically modified crops and seeds, and utilizes patents to dominate seed markets. In India, 95 percent of cottonseed is controlled by Monsanto, as Indian companies have been locked into joint ventures and licensing arrangements for the last couple of decades. Every patented seed is the “intellectual property” of Monsanto, entitling them to royalties, thereby raising the costs of seeds.’
‘Perhaps most shockingly, these patented seeds have come to include “gene use restriction technology” — seeds that will not produce viable offspring seeds. In this way farmers are forced into buying new seeds every year, rather than harvesting them out of the previous year’s crops. The swelling of Indian farmers’ debt — along with increasing farmer suicides — are a product of what Indian environmentalist and ecofeminist Vandana Shiva has dubbed Monsanto’s “seeds of suicide."’
-Hadas Thier, A People’s Guide to Capitalism
As you can see, unfortunately the corporations that are largely in control of this technology are using it for nefarious ends. It is a great shame, because GMOs represent a technology that will likely be absolutely essential for feeding populations under the growing threat of the climate crisis, as more arable land is lost to climate change.
We could solve this problem with proper regulation and legislation of GMOs, but unfortunately, these corporations have massive political lobbying power. All it would take would be for legislation stating that no corporation or individual can patent a seed for profit, and that would be that.
This is just one of a long list of useful technologies that would have been truly transformative if we didn't live in a capitalist society, in which these inventions will always be used to maximise profit at the expense of people and the planet.
