The Coffee House

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-64596453

Gene-edited food can now be developed commercially in England following a change in the law.

Supporters of the technology say it will speed up the development of hardier crops that will be needed because of climate change.

Critics say that the change could bring ''disaster'' to our food production and the environment.

Gene editing involves making precise changes to an organism's DNA to enhance certain characteristics.

The new law also opens the door to the development of gene-edited farm animals, but a further vote by MPs will be required before it is allowed, again only in England.

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Well, I'm sure there are plenty of potential benefits to this (whether it's making crops more weather-resistant or just tastier). But I'm not sure that I'd like to be one of the first to try them!

Would you be open to eating any of this?

I would be open to trying stuff like this. It is a good idea, especially with the shortages that we’ve had for seasonal produce. I see why people would be hesitant so I think in time it would be more normalised. Animals seems like a different ball game to me though.

(03-24-2023, 02:13 PM)Shiny Star Wrote: [ -> ]I would be open to trying stuff like this. It is a good idea, especially with the shortages that we’ve had for seasonal produce. I see why people would be hesitant so I think in time it would be more normalised. Animals seems like a different ball game to me though.

Yeah, you've got all kinds of moral issues when it comes to gene-editing animals .

Although, if lab-grown meat becomes more common, perhaps a lot of those ethical issues can be completely sidestepped?

(03-24-2023, 05:40 PM)Kyng Wrote: [ -> ]

(03-24-2023, 02:13 PM)Shiny Star Wrote: [ -> ]I would be open to trying stuff like this. It is a good idea, especially with the shortages that we’ve had for seasonal produce. I see why people would be hesitant so I think in time it would be more normalised. Animals seems like a different ball game to me though.

Yeah, you've got all kinds of moral issues when it comes to gene-editing animals .

Although, if lab-grown meat becomes more common, perhaps a lot of those ethical issues can be completely sidestepped?

Potentially. I don’t know if I’m being overly cautious but genetically modified meat does scare me a bit, like that sheep that they cloned that managed to live but died pretty quickly. I think if technology was more advanced for that to and it was more normalised I would be more open to it. Genetically engineering crops seems more ethical and ‘simpler’. Maybe I need to read more about this though.

My largest issues with GMO and gene editing and all those sorts of things are actually the patents and how many farmers are basically forced into low margins and terrible deals as the seeds and stuff that they need are now essentially copyrighted. The health factors are less on my list. I do believe we need to keep a suspicious and questioning attitude towards them, but we also need to decide if we want altered food or to start purging the population numbers down a bit as we are likely going to have to pick one of those or end up with a great famine.