A friend writes the The New Yorker -
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Genetically Modified Reporting?
Michael Specter appears to be trying for balance in his article on Vandana Shiva and GMO seeds (New Yorker, Aug 26), but takes his hat off to Monsanto time and again.
In his nod to the potential downsides of GMOs, Mr. Specter allows a mere paragraph for the “potential” of seed contamination. This is not a potential. Wherever the wind blows non-GMO fields have been contaminated by unwanted GMO seeds. What is Monsanto’s response? Take the downwinder to court for unauthorized use of their seeds. I notice the convivial CEO of Monsanto didn’t mention this and Mr. Specter didn’t ask . What other reason would the lord of the agricultural world have for litigation other than vicious harassment of farmers who chose not to use their product? Meanwhile, even if you believe that GMOs are safe, isn’t it scientifically prudent to control and contain their spread while the bugs, so to speak, are worked out?
Yes, Vandana Shiva may be making mistakes in her efforts to stop corporations like Monsanto. She doesn’t, after all, have a harvester full of paid scientists and lawyers in her field. Making mistakes, however, doesn’t make her cause misguided. John Brown was an abolitionist; most of us wouldn’t defend his methods, but do support his cause.
Mr. Specter attempts to dazzle us with a list of esteemed institutions, such as the National Academy of Sciences, which support the use of GMOs. These are, of course, the same revolving-door organizations that supported the very pesticides that they are now claiming GMOs will save us from. If hypocrisy doesn’t come to mind, then a New Yorker reporter should certainly be attuned to irony.
Lastly, Mr. Specter repeats the refrain from supporters that GMOs are the only possible savior of the 10 billion souls inhabiting planet earth. Besides not reporting that there have been small, underfunded studies showing that sustainable, organic agriculture will feed the planet, he doesn’t ask the question; Save us for how long? Every water table in the US is currently contaminated with pesticides and assorted other chemicals and at the present rate of crop irrigation water supplies won’t last another 100 years. This short-sighted strategy – Save them from starvation now! - works well for Monsanto’s stock prices, but not for those of us who believe ourselves to be shareholders in planet earth.
Tom Ballard
President Natural DNA Solutions
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