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Wendell Berry and Genetically Modified Crops. E-120 Fall 2005-2006 Presentation by Joe Orzali. Source: Joe Orzali. Wendell Berry. Farmer, Professor and Author of more than 40 books of essays, fiction, and poetry Citizenship Papers The Unsettling of America
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Wendell Berry and Genetically Modified Crops E-120 Fall 2005-2006 Presentation by Joe Orzali Source: Joe Orzali
Wendell Berry Farmer, Professor and Author of more than 40 books of essays, fiction, and poetry • Citizenship Papers • The Unsettling of America • WHAT ARE People FOR? • The Way of Ignorance Source:http://training.fws.gov/History/publiclecturesarchive.html
BENEFITS Improved yields Less chemical use Increased farm incomes Reduced soil erosion Reduced fuel use Human Health* RISKS Reduced biodiversity Creation of invasive species Non-target effects Bacterial resistance New allergens Secondary effects on ecosystems Human Health* Potential for GM Crops
Worldviews on Agriculture Industrial vs. Agrarian Commodity or Global Commons “…biotechnology as an agribusiness completes the long-established program of industry in agriculture… to remove… natural fertility, solar energy… and now the entire genetic commonwealth.” -Wendell Berry
Who stands to benefit from GM crops? Biotechnology Companies • Intellectual property rights • No substantial difference • Terminator gene • Political power “Biotech crops have been adopted at a faster pace than any previous agricultural innovation in history.” Source: www.monsanto.com
Viable Alternatives Resistance of International Community • European Union • 20 Countries in Africa Agro-ecological approach Organic farming Integrated pest management