If corn is so bad why are we still growing so much of it?

[Malo83]

Those C&H commercials really brought back a lot of old memories.

 

[svtrit]

Which part is not true?

All of it. Roundup is not in the plants and therefore cannot end up in the meat. The gene used to create the resistance to glyphosate (Roundup) is an existing gene from another plant.

it is physically impossible for glyphosate to end up in meat unless some one poured it on the meat prior to testing it.

Ever notice how only Roundup is accused of this? There are other genes that are inserted for resistance and yet no one is sued or freaking out over that. What chemical? Glyphosinate

Chemical use in farming is down substantially with the adoption of GM crops. Other practice, such as no-till are also major contributors, but rely on GM crops to be successful.

We still use pre-emerge herbicides as well. Funny they aren’t in meat either.

Your favorite organic farm also uses chemicals. That’s a dirty little secret. I used to use them in my insect control rotations.

 

[IndyFan]

Two things about corn....
1. Corn feeds hogs. Hogs are made of bacon. So that makes corn good.

2. Life has chewed me up and crapped me out. But I'm ok. I'm made of corn!

 

[Pelican]

All of it. Roundup is not in the plants and therefore cannot end up in the meat. The gene used to create the resistance to glyphosate (Roundup) is an existing gene from another plant.

it is physically impossible for glyphosate to end up in meat unless some one poured it on the meat prior to testing it.

Ever notice how only Roundup is accused of this? There are other genes that are inserted for resistance and yet no one is sued or freaking out over that. What chemical? Glyphosinate

Chemical use in farming is down substantially with the adoption of GM crops. Other practice, such as no-till are also major contributors, but rely on GM crops to be successful.

We still use pre-emerge herbicides as well. Funny they aren’t in meat either.

Your favorite organic farm also uses chemicals. That’s a dirty little secret. I used to use them in my insect control rotations.

Glyphosate is not in the meat, you're right, but it is bad for the soil & waterways where it ends up. I've used glyphosate to kill the weeds in hayfields before sowing, but it was used ONCE, now instead it has become a regular yearly practice.
Canola (GMO resistant to glyphosate) has now crossed-pollinated with wild mustard making the latter glyphosate resistant too and it's now a problem for prairies farmers. We've industrialized farming, we're pushing our diet onto populations that never had it and this is bad for the environment, soil and is not sustainable. I lough when I see that adjective used on labels, NOTHING is sustainable at the current population growth. But that's a whole new show!

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

Two things about corn....
1. Corn feeds hogs. Hogs are made of bacon. So that makes corn good.

2. Life has chewed me up and crapped me out. But I'm ok. I'm made of corn!

I'm glad I am made of carbon, don't think I would like being a corn entity, and I'm surrounded by it for miles and miles in every direction.

 

[thastinger]

This is a genuine question as I do not know the answer, so please don't shoot.

So far I heard a lot of negative things about corn using a lot of nitrogen fertilizer, wasteful as ethanol source, feeding cows are not really energy efficient compare to other sources, and growing it is harmful to the soil condition and all.

Yet I'm sure there's a reason why we still grow so much of it to feed cows and pigs and we don't have a better alternative for much of the farmlands in the US. What is the reason? How is the economics of corn compare to say, soy beans, hay, other grains, etc?

Go to Walmart and have a look at the size of these people. Field corn feeds all the things that feed those folks, that chicken nugget doesn't grow on a tree.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

This is a genuine question as I do not know the answer, so please don't shoot.

So far I heard a lot of negative things about corn using a lot of nitrogen fertilizer, wasteful as ethanol source, feeding cows are not really energy efficient compare to other sources, and growing it is harmful to the soil condition and all.

Yet I'm sure there's a reason why we still grow so much of it to feed cows and pigs and we don't have a better alternative for much of the farmlands in the US. What is the reason? How is the economics of corn compare to say, soy beans, hay, other grains, etc?

List of uses.