Genetic Engineering and Agriculture
I've been reading in "Earth in the Balance" about genetic diversity and agriculture. This book is 15 years old, but it is raising some important issues I've never even heard about before. For that reason, I am sorely tempted to transcribe, scan, or photograph the section to share with you guys. Because it sounds like important stuff, and because I know a lot of people on my friends page are knowledgeable on related topics and might have interesting things to say about it. But I wont be doing that at work.
In the mean time, I'm wondering what you can tell me about the genetic engineering of crops controversy. I mean, I know there is controversy, but I've never really understood why. I always figured it was fear of creating the next kudzu, scotch broom, or Himalayan blackberry and accidentally releasing it into the wild... which is certainly a legitimate concern, but hardly more legitimate with genetically engineered plants than with crops we simply transport from one corner of the Earth to another. But now I'm beginning to think there may be a lot more to the concern over genetically engineered crops, and am hoping someone in LJ-land could shed a little more light on it for me...
And relatedly, I've got to figure out how to send a letter to Al Gore. I want to encourage him to make an updated edition of "Earth in the Balance."
In the mean time, I'm wondering what you can tell me about the genetic engineering of crops controversy. I mean, I know there is controversy, but I've never really understood why. I always figured it was fear of creating the next kudzu, scotch broom, or Himalayan blackberry and accidentally releasing it into the wild... which is certainly a legitimate concern, but hardly more legitimate with genetically engineered plants than with crops we simply transport from one corner of the Earth to another. But now I'm beginning to think there may be a lot more to the concern over genetically engineered crops, and am hoping someone in LJ-land could shed a little more light on it for me...
And relatedly, I've got to figure out how to send a letter to Al Gore. I want to encourage him to make an updated edition of "Earth in the Balance."