Are Genetically-Engineered Crops Green Technology?

July 25, 2008

First, the full disclosure: I grew up in Vermont, where local university students have been known to hang anti-Monsanto banners from the water tower. A few years ago, the state lost a contentious battle with the biotech company over labeling dairy products from cows injected with hormones that increase milk production. Blue labels were on the cheese one day and gone the next. Vermont is adjacent to the Canadian border, so it was news when Monsanto sued a farmer up there because patented seeds had made their way into his field.

While I'm not the banner-hanging type, you could say I was a biotech skeptic. So how was I supposed to write about genetically-engineered crops for the Discovery Channel and be fair? I wondered, Is environmentalism diametrically opposed to biotechnology? Can genetic-engineering be considered sustainable? Is organic farming chemical-free? Read the new Tech 10 and find out what I learned.

Photo: Transgenic rice seedlings. Credit: the International Rice Research Institute.

Comments

[Anita]

There is hunger right here in the US with an overproduction of food - millions of people go hungry in nations that export food. It is not a matter of shortage but economics and an unwillingness of fair distribution of what is available. The increase of production right here in the US of GM crops and we are talking about millions of acres since 1999 (with all the risks involved) has gone hand in hand with an INCREASE in poverty and hunger. RIGHT HERE IN THE USA. So production and development of GM foods to solve world hunger doesn't fly. Look at India as well were poor farmers are killing themselves by drinking Monsanto's poisons they had to borrow money for to put MONSANTO SEEDS on marginal land that does not support Monsanto's seeds - owing their soul to the 'company store'. Read 'Jeffrey Smith's 'Seeds of Deception' and you will know that YOU are being used as a guinea pig since 1999 to enrich a few multi-nationals. Our national leaders are the biggest cheerleaders on information solely obtained from big Pharma. People wake up! There is nothing promising about GMO's except a BARREN future.

[Alyssa]

Hi Anita,

Thank you so much for your response to my article and blog entry--I appreciate your taking the time to write. You've raised very valid points. One of my goals in writing about this was to engage readers in the debate, so it's a relief to see a response. The topic is so important--it amazes me how quiet everyone has been about it.