GM foods: the solution to world hunger?

August 19, 2008

Proponents of genetically modified foods as the solution to the world food crisis have been busy. Dennis Avery of the Hudson Institute blames Prince Charles for the crisis because of the Prince’ distaste for GM foods. In a quotation dear to my heart, he asks: “How would the future king tell the cat and dog owners of Britain that, because of his anti-science elitism, pet food sales must be banned so people could eat?” So without GM foods, we won’t have by-products of human food production to feed to pets?   And then today’s Science Times interviews Dr. Nina Federoff, science advisor to Condoleeza Rice. She says all foods are GM anyway.  Without them, we will have to destroy the world’s forests.  And heaven help us if we rely on organics: “If everybody switched to organic farming, we couldn’t support the world’s population–maybe half.” Why do I think there are some logical pieces missing here? Maybe because the Hudson Institute is not exactly free of corporate influence? Or Dr. Federoff really is, as the interview suggests indirectly, the “ambassador from Monsanto?”


5 Comments

  1. What if there was a way to feed more people using the same amount of land; allow people to be healthier because of both what they eat and due to the decrease in pollution? These are just a few of the benefits that would result from eating less meat and consuming less eggs/dairy products.

    We don’t all have to become vegetarians–just consuming a diet that focuses on plant-based foods and reducing the portion size and the number of times we eat any animal products each week would be a super way to assist in solving many problems.

    Comment by Daniel Ithaca, NY — August 20, 2008 @ 12:23 pm

  2. […] out the global food crisis is all the fault of Prince Charles, because he spends all his time promoting organics and not those healthy, tasty, […]

    Pingback by Taste T.O. - Food & Drink In Toronto » Food For Thought - Thursday, August 21st — August 21, 2008 @ 7:35 pm

  3. poooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooop

    Comment by tim — December 10, 2008 @ 12:54 pm

  4. I have a document to send to you. About the possible solution of the world hunger. Please send me a email adresse, to transmit the document.
    Richard

    Comment by Richard Gauhtier — December 18, 2008 @ 9:51 pm

  5. Yikes, what did Nina Fedoroff (two o’s) do to be associated with the Hudson Institute? I would like to humbly suggest that her arguments be addressed directly rather than by poisoning the well. I would suggest reading Mendel in the Kitchen, which she co-authored with Nancy Marie Brown.

    Comment by Inoculated Mind — January 3, 2009 @ 1:56 am

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