Judge in California Could Halt Planting of Genetically Modified Sugar Beets

Does not most if not all of the responsibility for the use, or misuse, of Agent Orange lie with the US government? After all, the military ordered its production and then used it indiscriminately.

As to the use of round-up ready crops, it is becoming clear that these crops are not the future of agriculture. The secondary effects are too great and lead to far too many other issues with the “target” species. (The target species being those that are being sprayed with round-up in an effort to kill them.)

If one talks with Agronomists, one learns quickly that research in the academic sector, where these things “get their start”, is rapidly moving towards organic with GM crops for production, drought resistance, and shorter production time. There is currently work being done on Peaches to shorten the cold hours requirements. There is also work being done on broadening the genetic “background” of field crops to increase pest resistance.

The reasons for the paradigm shifts are obvious, but pest resistance and drought resistance are paramount. The industry is always slow to react to these but the move eventually. Look at what happened to corn production and the disease problems in the seventies from the use of one or two varieties of corn. It took nearly a decade for the changes to take hold in the industry but it happened none the less.

I am not defending ANY corporation! I am defending the work of reputable scientists trying to help humanity. Nothing more nothing less, notice the Academic v. Corporate research.

Another factor that has yet to seriously impact factory farming is the cost of transporting the product. When fuel costs outweigh profits, and they will, the shift back to local, small farmers will explode.
At the same time, it is unfair to bastardize corporations for trying to make a profit. My take on it all is that there needs to be a balance, until the balance is there the situation is going to remain the same. Monsanto’s market share is big but, by no means do they have the entirety of the Ag. Market. Agriculture is too unstable and varies too much to have a company like Monsanto continue for too much longer. Look at some of the companies that were once giants in the industry that are now just barely able to survive. (Sorry, I cannot recall any specifics at the moment.) A related industry that has seen similar things is Horticulture. The companies that dominated the industry ten years ago started crumbling five or six years ago and they have a long way to go! Georgia Pacific, Dow Agro, White Nurseries, Shemin, and there are others that directed the markets. White Nurseries is gone, Shemin is all but history and Monrovia is only stable because of their diversity and name. The only company that did not suffer was Paul Eckies, they did well because they hold nearly all the patents on Poinsettias.

Sorry for the length but, I have been in the industry for over twenty years and can cite many changes in horticulture and agriculture over the years.