pcronald’s Recent Comments

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  A review of Tomorrow's Table for Grist?

  Thanks for the good suggestion wiscidea.

  Are there any staffers at Grist, who would be willing to write a review of "Tomorrow's Table: Organic farming, genetics and the Future of Food"?

  If so, please let me know, I will send you a copy.

  All the best
  Pam

  pcronald@ucdavis.eduOn How the organic movement can regain its relevance posted 1 year, 3 months ago 24 Responses

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  Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food

  Dear Permie writer,

  I completely agree that it is often "hard to have a rational discussion about genetic engineering in agriculture because the issue is so confused".

  Fortunately help is finally here. I highly recommend a new book called Tomorrow's Table:Organic Farming, Genetics and the Future of Food. It is a personal account written by an organic farmer and a geneticist.

  OK I am just a BIT biased on the merits of this book because I co-authored the book. You can, however, read the unbiased views on my blog.

  We are trying to reach people that are interested in this topic and want to hear the facts from the trenches...On How the organic movement can regain its relevance posted 1 year, 4 months ago 24 Responses

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  The new organic

  Thanks for the lovely article. I agree that if we're going to move beyond 0.4 percent organic cropland and really challenge industrial agriculture, we need to be informed.

  This includes having an honest discussion about crop genetic engineering.

  The world faces an enormous challenge: Its growing population demands more food and other crops, but standard commercial agriculture uses industrial quantities of pesticides and harms the environment in other ways. The organic farming movement has shown that it is possible to dramatically reduce the use of insecticides, and that doing so benefits both farm workers and the environment. But organic farming also has serious limits - there are many pests and diseases that cannot be controlled using organic approaches, and organic crops are generally more expensive to produce and buy.

  To meet the appetites of the world's population without drastically hurting the environment requires a visionary new approach: combining genetic engineering and organic farming.

  This idea is anathema to many people, especially the advocates who have helped build organic farming into a major industry in richer countries. As reflected by statements on their websites, it is clear that most organic farming trade organizations are deeply, viscerally opposed to genetically engineered crops and seeds. Virtually all endorse the National Organic Standards Board's recommendation that genetic engineering be prohibited in organic production.

  But ultimately, this resistance hurts farmers, consumers, and the planet. Without the use of genetically engineered seed, the beneficial effects of organic farming - a thoughtful, ecologically minded approach to growing food - will likely remain small.

  After more than a decade of genetically engineered crops, and more than 30 years of organic farming, we know that neither method alone is sufficient to solve the problems faced - and caused - by agriculture.

  It is time to abandon the caricatures of genetic engineering that are popular among some consumers and activists, and instead see it for what it is: A tool that can help the ecological farming revolution grow into a lasting movement with global impact.On How the organic movement can regain its relevance posted 1 year, 4 months ago 24 Responses