Outdated Aruguments

In October of 1998, the International Food Information Council published an article addressing food biotechnology and the environment. Their claim was that food production for the world's growing population takes its toll on the environment -an indisputable fact. Erosion of rich topsoil, pollution from farm chemicals, depletion of water supplies, adulteration of graze lands and deforestation all plague the natural world. They argue that these unfortunate aspects of modern agriculture could be completely eliminated, that the environment can be spared via... biotechnology (yeah, I thought they were going to say organic farming methods too).

So, the article goes on to list various reasons why biotechnology is a godsend for the environment. Some of these arguments are legitimate while others seem a little short-sighted. And then I came to section where they list how biotechnology and its use in agriculture and plant breeding has already been a huge success -and I couldn't help but laugh out loud. From the vantage point of 1998, American tree breeders had triumphed, producing, with the aid of genetic engineering, a Dutch elm tree immune to Dutch elm disease and an American Chestnut tree protected from chestnut blight! They tell how Brazilian eucalyptus plantations enjoyed a 112% yield increase since employing modern cloning techniques! And at this point I'm on the floor laughing 'till I cry (not literally, but I could have been).

So, yeah, two new breeds of Dutch elm were produced via cloning techniques, which was a major breakthrough, but has since not helped the forests of native American elm trees. The disease was brought to the US via exotic beetles carrying an exotic fungus that wreaked havoc on trees in Europe. It was introduced to elm plantations in America, where vast monocultures of elms were grown for lumber and were produced by means of root grafting, so that sap might be exchanged underground from one tree to another. In short, a disease was introduced into an artifical, homogeneous elm forest, in which every tree was attached to the other. Of course, it spread like wildfire, and of course the creation of a disease-resistant variety is a panacea for owners of tree plantations... but this did nothing for American elm trees in forests, and Dutch elm disease continues to be a threat today.

The creation of an American chestnut tree resistant to chestnut blight has a similar story. I don't deny that the existence of a resistant tree might still prove to be beneficial or even crucial to the tree's survival. Since 1998, however, the American Chestnut has been listed as an extinct species for all intents and purposes. Individuals still exist, but these trees will never make it to the stage of viable reproduction. The species is as good as dead today -despite the miracle of bioengineering 12 years ago.

The story about the eucalyptus plantation is true enough. Plantations in Brazil have flourished with the introduction of this high-yielding variety of tree... and the local environment is suffering for it. This past September, The Global Justice Ecology Project compared the eucalyptus in Brazil to the kudzu problem in the southern states of the US. They claimed that a South Carolina-based company had the "muddle-headed idea" to plant 330 acres of Australian eucalyptus genetically modified to withstand cold weather. They said that "[t]he idea is that the tree, native to Australia, could be used commercially to make paper and as fuel for power plants. The Summerville, S.C.-based ArborGen, says the hybrid it would use can't easily reproduce. People thought kudzu was a good idea, too."

The trees, aside from taking over space and crowding out native species, have robbed native wildlife of food and shelter resources, threatening Brazilian ecosystems. In addition, even when the eucalyptus is controlled, this genetically-engineered "supervariety" requires water like you wouldn't believe! True, output will increase, but substantial amounts of water are needed to support this output. Currently, one of the wettest places on earth -the Brazilian rainforest- is running out of water... But back in 1998, this marvel of biotechnology had saved the world!

Not all of the article's points were so very flawed. The benefits to the pharmaceutical indistry that the authors point out have proven to be very useful in today's medical world. Other arguments about the need to replace chemicals and fertilizers with GM plants and the impossibility of supporting a growing population without increasing yield per acre via bioengineering are still debatable and highly contested today. But these examples I've presented here, as well as others that I didn't mention, just go to show that, in some instances, only time will tell.

Livestock to Raise Greenhouse Emissions

Experts are speculating -as they are wont to do- that soaring international livestock production could single-handedly release enough carbon into the atmosphere to exceed recognized "safe" levels by 2050. A recent study combined figures for livestock production in 2000 with projections for population growth and meat consumption by 2050. The study found that the livestock sector's emissions alone could send temperatures above a 2 degrees Celsius rise -the rise in temperature recognized as the threshold for destabilization (the more conservative estimate is that the livestock sector contributes only 70% of this 2 degree rise). The projections even took into account increased efficiency of grain production.

Canadian researchers have called on governments to prioritize and reign in the livestock sector with new policy. For instance, they suggest a shift away from raising ruminant animals, such as cattle and sheep, to poultry and well-managed fisheries and aquaculture ("well-managed" being the operative adjective). And -because we all saw it coming- they suggest an across the board reduction in per capita consumption of meat and animal products, something they say "may be particularly feasible and advantageous in developed countries."

Sea Slug DIscovery

A new species of sea slug has been discovered by Jeff Goddard, a marine scientist working on a project with UC Berkley. Its name is Flabellina goddardi and it measures only about 30 mm long when stretched out and crawling. You can read about this new discovery at http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/41826.
Yay for nudibranchs!

Wither the Wheat

Uncontrolled fires and the worst drought ina century have sent Russia's farmers scrambling to bring in the wheat crop this year. At the end of August, Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, announced a temporary ban on grain exports from the country in an effort to increase food security within the nation's borders and to keep prices stable. Despite these efforts, Russian citizens are already seeing the effects of the bad harvest, with their beloved kasha -or buckwheat- disappearing from grocery store shelves. This has sparked a wave of panic-purchases, hoarding and speculation by the Russian people who, form past experience, have witnessed government trouble following the scarcity of staple commodities (flour, sausage, table salt and vodka to name a few).

But the trouble isn't contained within the nation's borders. With the absence of Russian wheat in the global marketplace and the increased demand of grain imports into Russia, the price of wheat has been steadily rising -and with the increasingly dismal projections for Russia's wheat crop (even now only 30% of the allocated cropland has received enough rainfall for a winter wheat planting) the situation looks to only be getting worse for consumers. In wealthy nations, where food dollars account for only a fraction of the family income (7% in the USA), this rise in grain prices is a nuisance, but in less wealthy nation, food dollars can account for as much as 80% of total income, making a rise in the market price a very big deal. Riots in Mozambique have already erupted earlier this month in response to a 25% increase in the price of bread.

At the same time, there are those who secretly enjoy Russian farmers' misfortune -namely, other wheat farmers around the world. With the price of wheat being driven up and the increased demand in not only Russia and Eastern Europe, but all over the world, Framers in the United States and Australia have much to gain. Already, Egypt, the world's largest importer of wheat, has committed to purchasing 225,000 metric tons of wheat from the US for a price 5% higher than a month ago. The UN has raised export estimates for the US to43% after Russia's wheat forecast dropped 10% at the beginning of this month. US corn is becoming more profitable as livestock producers switch from other grains to corn-feeding their animals and despite a dry season and expected locusts later in October, Australian farmers have made a strong start and expect to profit from increased exports as well.

Genetically Modified Salmon

The US Food and Drug Administration has delayed approval of a commercial genetically modified salmon. In addition to determining whether or not this fast-growing salmon is fit for human consumption, the FDA is to determine whether or not it would be required to be labels as GM. In a briefing document published this week, the FDA concluded that "the food from AquAdvantage salmon (the triploid ABT salmon) that is the subject of this application is as safe as food from conventional Atlantic salmon, and that there is a reasonably certainty of no harm from consumption of food from this animal."

UK campaigners, on the other hand, claim that there's not enough conclusive evidence to prove "unequivocally" that GM products have no side effects despite FSA claims that GM foods are subject to "rigorous safety assessments." But what's of most concern to me is the ecological impact that the licensed farming of a "supersalmon." Though the creators of the GM salmon assure the USFDA that the fish are sterile and thus pose no threat to established ecosystems, the fish's eggs have a 5% fertility rate, and so the potential is there in the event that a fish (or two, or three...) do happen to escape into the wild, for competition and interbreeding. Aside from that, there's always the potential that these fish can disrupt wild food chains, harm other fish and introduce diseases and pests to their wild counterparts.

Despite the delay, campaigners say that an approval for the salmon is likely, with stocks expected to be on supermarket shelves in the US by 2012.

Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Contest

The EPA, Generations United, The Dance Exchange, and the Rachel Carson Council Inc. announced their annual poetry, essay, photo and dance contest at the end of this summer. The aim of the contest is to encourage a shared sense of wonder at nature between generations, and so all submissions are to be the work of teams consisting of two or more persons, some older and some younger. The creative work should then express the sense of wonder that the team feels that some aspect of nature evokes within them. Dance entries are a new medium this year and all are encouraged to participate. Voting for winning entries will take place until November First, and you can find out more at www.epa.gov/aging.resources/senseofwonder.

Mechanizing the Machete

For the last five centuries, Brazilian sugar cane has been harvested by hand via the traditional method of field hands setting fire to the brush and then descending upon the harvest with their machetes. This, however, is quickly changing, as more than half of Sao Paulo, Brazil's' largest sugar-producing state, harvested with machines during the 09/10 season. This transition was driven both by increased competition and tougher environmental laws. Brazil is tremendously successful in its sugar cane production, and hopes to further expand its international market, but to do this, it has to keep up with regards to efficiency. In addition, the Brazilian government has instituted new environmental laws that discourage the practice of first burning the fields before harvest. Setting fire to the fields clears out the underbrush and runs out the mice and snakes before workers go in to harvest, but these fires also contribute exorbitant greenhouse emissions and unnecessary air pollution. Moreover, the country wants to be above reproach by other countries for its environmental practices, if it aims to expand its international market.
But there's a downside to all of this. First, one harvesting machine can replace 300 workers, increasing efficiency dramatically, but at the same time putting hundreds of people out of work. And second, the pressures by small farmers to purchase the expensive farming equipment often prove to be too much. The initial investment farmers must make in purchasing a harvester is rather high, and though this is a boon to machine manufactures, many smaller farmers are unable to provide even sufficient collateral.These small farmers, unable to afford the pricey machinery, are forced to enter into partnerships with larger companies, or to search for a new line of work. Furthermore, the government is aiming to completely phase out cane cutting by hand by 2014, making urgent the switch to machinery.
Sucks, doesn't it?