4 ms·

I don't think the big vision of production needs to be novel, but I could envision, if not GMO, then genetic analysis / breeding to start re-localizing what kin

by awongh 10y ago

I don't think the big vision of production needs to be novel, but I could envision, if not GMO, then genetic analysis / breeding to start re-localizing what kinds of crops are being grown. I think there are plenty of ways you can take old-fashioned seeming systems and practices and modernize them, maybe with more careful data collection to help it along. I do think that if this system will ever really work on a larger scale then a big vision will be needed to reimagine the kind of distribution system you would need to efficiently bring the product to the customer; Getting rid of the cold chain and reducing the amount of food waste on the way. A lot of the assumed ways people buy and eat food are shifting with gen x/y/z. The supermarket is a dead zone of product placement kickbacks and corn. What comes after that?

rojobuffalo 10y ago
You're spot-on about bringing genetic analysis into breeding and re-localizing. [Steve Jones][1] is an awesome breeder who is doing this in Washington's Skagit Valley. I see there being a higher participation in local food production. There are already people who want to do it but can't afford the upfront cost. As really good food becomes more available, I think it will drive more interest in growing. It was only 8 generations ago that participation in farming in the U.S. was 90%, and now it's down to 1%. For the people who don't grow or collaborate directly with growers to get food, I see the responsibility falling to chefs to insist on working with local ingredients. Maybe self-driving cars will also usher in a new system of delivery for getting ingredients from local farms to households. [1]: http://css.wsu.edu/people/faculty/stephen-s-jones/ http://css.wsu.edu/people/faculty/stephen-s-jones/
- awongh 10y ago
  Hm this is interesting. One question would be if any of these approaches is scalable outside a single climate / area- exportable into a repeatable system that will help breed crops given the inputs of a specific local ecosystem. I hear some good stuff coming out of academic style research but nothing that goes beyond small studies for a given local climate, nothing disruptive/commercial. Maybe it's just unsexy and doesn't have that 100x potential, but it's sometimes hard to understand why monsanto et.al have such a monopoly going.
  - drakonandor 10y ago
    Why assume that Monsanto etc isn't also capable of using data to figure out what works best?
    - awongh 10y ago
      I'm sure they do, but their mo seems to be vendor lock in / price fixing vs. open ecosystem. Nothing wrong with making a profit, but I feel that plenty of their practices are criminal / actively harmful. One of the powerful things about the Elon narrative is that some of the underlying motivations are humanitarian. Monsanto may claim to be interested in feeding the world but it's clear that they don't really have any real interest in doing this beyond making good PR. I believe it's totally possible to be profitable in some of the areas monsanto works in and not be so... evil
      - drakonandor 10y ago
        Which practices of theirs do you find distasteful?
        awongh 10y ago
        Here's one summary that's rather bland: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto_legal_cases https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto_legal_cases And here's one that's more... opinionated: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0101-02.htm http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0101-02.htm

by awongh 10y ago

rojobuffalo 10y ago

You're spot-on about bringing genetic analysis into breeding and re-localizing. [Steve Jones][1] is an awesome breeder who is doing this in Washington's Skagit Valley. I see there being a higher participation in local food production. There are already people who want to do it but can't afford the upfront cost. As really good food becomes more available, I think it will drive more interest in growing. It was only 8 generations ago that participation in farming in the U.S. was 90%, and now it's down to 1%. For the people who don't grow or collaborate directly with growers to get food, I see the responsibility falling to chefs to insist on working with local ingredients. Maybe self-driving cars will also usher in a new system of delivery for getting ingredients from local farms to households. [1]: http://css.wsu.edu/people/faculty/stephen-s-jones/ http://css.wsu.edu/people/faculty/stephen-s-jones/

awongh 10y ago
Hm this is interesting. One question would be if any of these approaches is scalable outside a single climate / area- exportable into a repeatable system that will help breed crops given the inputs of a specific local ecosystem. I hear some good stuff coming out of academic style research but nothing that goes beyond small studies for a given local climate, nothing disruptive/commercial. Maybe it's just unsexy and doesn't have that 100x potential, but it's sometimes hard to understand why monsanto et.al have such a monopoly going.
- drakonandor 10y ago
  Why assume that Monsanto etc isn't also capable of using data to figure out what works best?
  - awongh 10y ago
    I'm sure they do, but their mo seems to be vendor lock in / price fixing vs. open ecosystem. Nothing wrong with making a profit, but I feel that plenty of their practices are criminal / actively harmful. One of the powerful things about the Elon narrative is that some of the underlying motivations are humanitarian. Monsanto may claim to be interested in feeding the world but it's clear that they don't really have any real interest in doing this beyond making good PR. I believe it's totally possible to be profitable in some of the areas monsanto works in and not be so... evil
    - drakonandor 10y ago
      Which practices of theirs do you find distasteful?
      - awongh 10y ago
        Here's one summary that's rather bland: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto_legal_cases https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto_legal_cases And here's one that's more... opinionated: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0101-02.htm http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0101-02.htm