Row crops

Question

Does "row crops" here refer to "genetically modified crops"?Background info:Or click:http://tinypic.com/r/2nicr4l/8

GPY · Accepted Answer

I find this quite hard to understand. Do you know what they mean by "refuge"? The implication of the first paragraph seems be that refuges are normally planted with GM crops, which is the exact opposite of what I would have expected.

CalifJim · Answer

SweetFreedomDoes "row crops" here refer to "genetically modified crops"?

No. Row crops can be genetically modified or not. It's got nothing to do with the genetics.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Row_crop

CJ

GPY · Answer

CalifJimNo. Row crops can be genetically modified or not. It's got nothing to do with the genetics.

In a general sense this is true. However, within the context of this text it is not so clear. That sentence seems to be saying that row crops have been used to meet wildlife management objectives. The first paragraph seems to be saying that GM crops have been used to meet wildlife management objectives. If there is supposed to be a connection between these ideas, then perhaps the two are referring to the same thing.

CalifJim · Answer

GPYIf there is supposed to be a connection between these ideas, then perhaps the two are referring to the same thing.

Point taken, but I think the connection is only through the more general topic of converting agricultural land to natural habitats.

This excerpt appears to be from a rather long report that deals with a number of different issues, only one of which is GMOs. It seems clear to me that the discussion of genetically modified crops is already finished by the time we get to the paragraph beginning "Finally", which introduces the new topic of "carbon objectives" and has not a single reference to GMOs.

Finally, the Leadership Team recognized that ... carbon footprint ... Climate Change ... and carbon objectives.

So I think that the question of whether the "row crops" are genetically modified or not is irrelevant to the substance of the paragraph in which that expression occurs.

The OP's question was whether "row crops" referred to GMOs. I would say no, there is no direct reference to the GMOs mentioned previously in the document, though the "row crops" in question may (or may not) include some GMOs. Nothing says so one way or another.

CJ

GPY · Answer

You may be right.

SweetFreedom · Answer

"Refuge" refers to the flora and fauna that need to be protected?
But the file has said "the use of genetically modified crops to feed wildlife". So, "wildlife refuge"should only refer to "animals that need to be protected"?

GPY · Answer

SweetFreedom "Refuge" refers to the flora and fauna that need to be protected? But the file has said "the use of genetically modified crops to feed wildlife". So, "wildlife refuge"should only refer to "animals that need to be protected"?

A "wildlife refuge" is a safe place for animals (probably implicitly extended to plants) to live, away from the interference of man. It could be an area of land that a farmer leaves to nature, for example. However, in the GM context, "refuge" has a more specific meaning, i.e. a place where non-GM crops are grown in an attempt to prevent pests from developing resistance to the engineered defences of GM crops. I think I got a bit confused about which of these was meant. I still don't understand, though, how GM crops would be used to meet refuge requirements. I don't understand how they have any role at all in protecting wildlife.

SweetFreedom · Answer

I'm not clear about this. But the document says GM crops are used to feed the refuge wildlife.

BTW, I'm confused by "refuges that have the ability to replace row crops used to meet wildlife management objectives with moist soil management or other techniques ."
Does "moist soil management" makes the refuge to have the ability?
Or does "moist soil management" is used to help grow row crops?

GPY · Answer

SweetFreedomBTW, I'm confused by "refuges that have the ability to replace row crops used to meet wildlife management objectives with moist soil management or other techniques ." Does "moist soil management" makes the refuge to have the ability? Or does "moist soil management" is used to help grow row crops?

It does not seem clearly written to me. From this sentence, my guess would be that "moist soil management" is a technique used in the creation of refuges, and is one of the reasons that refuges are able to replace row crops.

Row crops

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