Genetic Engineering May Be a Boon to Biodiversity

What should we do with genetically modified foods in the twenty-first century? A more appropriate question perhaps would be what will the twenty-first century be without genetically modified foods? Before we consider either question, let us examine a future scenario. By its very nature, agriculture disrupts the natural ecosystem. Combine this very significant disruption of the land, water, and air with the unceasing march of mankind via urban sprawl and population growth and the future may indeed be bleak.

Increasingly, the media are focusing on individuals who tell us that the future should be one of vast green spaces interlaced with a sustainable agriculture. With minimal use of pesticides, fertilizers, and energy, an incredible variety of bountiful and healthful foods will be produced. Under their scenario, the future will be free of food irradiation, agribusiness conglomerates, and genetically modified organisms. Don’t misunderstand me, I would love a world free of pollution, as green as Ireland and with a balanced global ecosystem abounding with species diversity. But I am a realist. The answer to mankind’s unchecked population growth and need for habitable land and water is science and technology, not pretty words and empty phrases.

In an era of great regulatory uncertainty and government oversight, farmers are in a very risky business. Vocal environmentalists frequently demand food that is grown with organic fertilizers rather than pesticides or hormones, “free-ranging,” and nurtured with the purity of bottled water. Yet, they demand all this at a price that allows them to commit less than 15 percent of their income for food. Having spent so little to support the real cost to the farmer, they then sponsor “Farm Aid” concerts and sing of the loss of the family farm. But do they really recognize the challenges facing the agricultural producing community"

Farmers know that to stay in business, feed their families, and plan for their future, they must maximize their profits. That means keeping the cost of inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, and tillage low to produce the largest yields that meet the highest standards of food quality for marketing. Farmers also know that to compete successfully, they need every opportunity and advantage that science and technology can offer. It’s a historical fact that the first farmer to adopt a technology profits most from its adoption. Increasingly, farmers are being forced to raise crops on marginal lands. They must compete for water rights with large cities and find more efficient ways to harvest, process, and transport produce and livestock to global markets