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AIM: maestrojed
YahooOrganic, Engineered and Pharma Crop Foods:
I have noticed a recent increase in the amount of organic food that is available and the interest in this food. I personally believe that organic food is a better choice, so when I have the choice, I buy organic. I believe organic food is a better choice because the over-use of chemicals and pesticides bothers me. Not only do I not want to eat these chemicals, but they are harmful to the environment.
However, I have noticed what I feel is a contradicting view amongst other organic food consumers. This deals with genetically engineered foods. In my experiences, I have found that people who choose to buy organic also choose not to by genetically engineered foods. These foods are often regarded with the same disdain as crops grown with pesticides and chemicals. I couldn’t disagree more. The advancements made in genetically engineered foods can positively effect world hunger and natural resource depletment. In addition, newly engineered strains are more resistant to disease and pests, hence reduce the uses of chemicals and pesticides. So if you buy organic food because you don’t like what chemicals and pesticides do to the environment and/or don’t like ingesting them yourself, then you should embrace engineered food.
On a side note, I recently read an article about pharma crops. This is engineering food to contain antibiotics, vaccines, and other drugs. I am not quite sure what the need for this is. It seems people have no problem taking their drugs in the forms in which they exist today. This article also warned of some dangers associated with pharma crops. As these crops are grown it will be very difficult to keep them from cross-pollinating and contaminating the normal strains. I could also see this being an issue with genetically engineered food. Although I think that these engineered foods will be beneficial, I also realize we are experimenting and testing these new form of agriculture. Along with pharma crops I would not like to see these experiment strains contaminate our food supply.
It will take extreme responsibility and a watchful eye to make sure these new advancements are handled properly. But if you eat organic foods and are concerned about the world’s food supply, I strongly suggest considering engineered foods. I just hope my aspirin corn does not get mixed in with that Viagra corn!
Tags:
20. May 2005 at 13:41
The European community has been oppossed to genetically engineered foods for some time because the long term effect is unknown. They handled this by requiring that labels stating that the fruit or vegetable is genetically modifyed are applying with the PLU code. Monsanto who became Pharmacia who was purchased by Phizer pioneered a lot agricultural engineering has been very successful in supressing a lot of these sort of conversations because of the lack of hard evidence.
The other common argument used in the agriculture business is that it isn’t feasible to label because it isn’t always possible to avoid genetically engineered foods. So you would be hard pressed to gaurantee that someone who ordered 15 lbs of heritage tomatoe seeds didn;t get any genetically modified seeds in with that. Thats just the pillow talk Jed so don’t get impatient.
So good luck AVOIDING genetically modified foods even if they are organic. The good people of Dole fill very large boats full of tropical organic fruits everyday and fill the hull with gases to prevent the fruit from ripening too quickly on its way North. The gas is typically CO2 and Nitrogen. So organic isn’t really that meaning full to me. Now what are we engineering these veggies and fruits for? Aren’t they already good? Well its to withstand blight, fungus, look better, last longer.
Flavor? No. Nutrition? I don’t think so. Faster biodegradation? Lets get serious. Why not? cause all those things are naturally there.
World hunger? Nice one.
NUCLEAR WAR!
Finally, Local, sustainable, no mono-cultural farming, eat seasonal. I am excited for you to have these conversations with the eco nerds, co-op using, vegan terrorists of rainy Multnomah county.
21. May 2005 at 10:18
Is this a typo contest? Or an ego "depletment" exercise?
Many large scale farms have begun making some organic varieties that are typically the same strain as the non-organic for the reasons Jed listed, they withstand pests and diesease. So we are eating these "super" strands already and I agree with been it would be hard to avoid without labeling.
But, these companies farming practices still aren’t sustainable and consume large tracks of land and require fertilizers. So the soil is still being depleted and erosion is still a problem. Although the Dole example made little sense to the conversation, what I think is important is recognize that Dole doesn’t have good farming practices and even though their organic products aren’t coated in pesticides they over produce and ruin the biodiversity of the region they operate in.
World hunger doesn’t seem to be an issue of food shortage as much as it is logistics, environment (many vegetables can’t be grown in North Africa because of a lack of irrigation and soil nutrients and thats why indigenous peoples grow yams, and greens and heartier crops that have worked there for years and I would argue don’t require modifiying) and corruption.
I strongly suggest moving to smaller scale farming and using hierloom and heritage seeds over engineered seeds if you are concerned about future soils, appreciate natural systems, and want the best flavor. I’ll take a South Carolina produce stand tomatoe over a bi-lo organic hydroponic tomato from CANADA!
Plus, this way no watchful eye needed we just do it the old fashion way Naturally.
Nice rant Jed!
27. May 2005 at 12:51
I can’t believe you two are even considering starting a company together! Please tell me you’ll have a secretary who is able to spell and can compose grammatically and structurally sound material.
As for the rant, I agree w/ Ben and Herman that we are eating these "super" strands already and that it would be hard to segregate and label them accurately. Even if you could, the cost to do so would outweigh the benefit to the producer and consumer. Herman hit the heart of the issue in his discussion of the need for sustainable farming practices. However, the rant started w/ organic vs. genetically engineered choices; not the cure for world hunger or ill effects of Super-farm production.
The bottom line is that we don