Chef's Salud

Across the Atlantic, another fracas is brewing over genetically modified foods. Yesterday protesters hit the streets in Sacramento, Calif., to rally against GM technology, one day before the start of a large international agricultural conference that is bringing together agriculture ministers from more than 100 countries and reps from biotechnology and agribusiness corporations. Family farmers, chefs, anti-globalization activists, and others donned butterfly wings, chef hats, and tomato costumes and waved signs to make their point. "We're here to make a stand against genetically modified food and agribusiness making a profit off us," said Kate Randolph, one of a contingent of Bay Area chefs who joined the demonstration. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman, who's playing host to visiting ministers, argues that GM technology can help eliminate hunger. Critics charge that the U.S. is trying to push GM crops on other nations to benefit large U.S. companies. Protests are expected to continue today.