Posted by Barry M. on February 27, 1999 at 08:44:16:
In Reply to: Genetically modified crops posted by Carlos on February 24, 1999 at 14:35:40:
BT is a handy tool for gardeners and more and more for agriculture. Producers of commercial cole crops (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage) are able to use BT on a commercial scale, and often do, so that the arguement that genetically engineered crops containing of BT may result in its over-use and pests becoming tolerant of it by means of Darwinian natural selection is not enough to quash its widespread use. It seems that if mankind has a tool at its disposal, mankind will use it and over-use it until nature adapts to it and diminishes the tool's value. An example of that in agriculture is the way that herbicide-tolerant strains of weeds appear in areas of extensive use of one particular herbicide, such as Roundup. Another example is how a fast growing/spreading species of weed will move in to a garden that is hoed, even if hoed often.
What is most concerning for me with genetically engineered crops is not the biological factors. In a way, man has been genetically altering living species ever since he decided to breed the cow who gives the most milk and keep her calf, and not breed the low producers. The result over thousands of years is breeds of cattle like Holsteins, the big black and white ones, that milk like crazy and are the choice of dairy farmers, and beef cattle for beef farmers, and desirable strains of wheat, potatoes, dogs, camels, you name it.
The big problem right now with genetically engineered strains is that it is being largelty controlled by some companies in such a narrow minded, profit orientated fashion that economics and greed are becoming the desired outcomes rather than more useful strains of plants or animals. An example of that is genetically altered millet seed that is being sold in the third world that is incapable of being replanted, so the poor farmer or struggling community is forced to buy new seed for each crop instead of sowing their harvested seed. The rich get richer, and the poor starve quicker. That sort of questionable practice and economics is genetic engineering's largest threat to the world. There are hundreds of examples of this life-forms-for-profit approach. Once again the world needs a lot of legislation to protect us from poor economics.