The main misconception with GMOs I find is that the anti-GMO crowd believes conventional products are herbicide-free. This is obviously wrong, as prior to the introduction of GM Roundup-Ready Canola, a farmer would apply:
6,800g/ac of ethalfluralin (LD50 5000mg/kg)
+ 18g/ac of clethodim (LD50 5000mg/kg)
The introduction of GM Roundup-Ready Canola allowed farmers to control the same weeds as the above 2 products, by applying:
270g/ac of glyphosate (LD50 5600mg/kg)
Not only did the active grams of herbicide on those acres decrease by 96%, but the product applied was also less toxic than what was being applied to the conventional varieties.
The other HUGE misconception is this idea that "organic" equals pesticide-free. Wrong. There is a massive market for organic approved pesticides, and they are toxic chemicals... in many cases, more toxic than their synthetic counterpart that the organic crowd believes they're saving themselves from. Troutman's post above emphasizes this.
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