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How much of this is driven by Monsanto and how much is driven by individuals with worries of a Mathusian crisis, or who have concerns about nutrition deficits a

How much of this is driven by Monsanto and how much is driven by individuals with worries of a Mathusian crisis, or who have concerns about nutrition deficits among the global poor, or who see the effects of climate change on Syrian agriculture and want a tool to counteract that? The reality is that we’ve always tested agricultural technologies in production. Sometimes with tragic results. But imagine you could control early 1800s European ag policy. Knowing both the Would you introduce the potato? Knowing the history of famine in 1780s France and the history of famine in 1840s Ireland, what policy would you set?

freeflight 9y ago
Imho what makes people summon Monsanto isn't just the possible dangers to the biological ecosphere, it's also the fact that Monsanto has a history of suing farmers for patent infringements, due to the cross-pollination of the Monsanto plants. This sets a horrible precedent, I don't want to live in a world where corporate engineered, and patented, "super plants" contaminate the whole planet and people will end up being sued over patent infringement for trying to grow their own food.
- amyjess 9y ago
  If you're talking about Monsanto Canada Inc. v. Schmeiser, this happened because Schmeiser deliberately sewed Roundup Ready seed throughout his fields. This wasn't a case of the wind randomly depositing the seeds on his fields. He knew exactly what he had, and he planted it on purpose. But after that case, a number of activists with a political agenda decided to mischaracterize the facts of the case in order to smear Monsanto.
  - freeflight 9y ago
    I'm talking about this [0]: "In its report, called Seed Giants vs US Farmers, the CFS said it had tracked numerous law suits that Monsanto had brought against farmers and found some 142 patent infringement suits against 410 farmers and 56 small businesses in more than 27 states. In total the firm has won more than $23m from its targets, the report said." And that's just the situation in the US, I don't think Indian farmers fare that much better. Disney is already on its way of gobbling up all entertainment "intellectual property", we don't need a comparable situation with companies like Monsanto and essential plants like crops. [0] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/feb/12/monsanto-sues-farmers-seed-patents https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/feb/12/monsanto...
Manglano 9y ago
Too many variables. I would say, grow the most-energy dense, least land & water intensive crops possible. For the US my understanding is that that would probably entail GM corn, tepiary beans, and squash, on rotation or with companion planting, no till, dryland farming as much as possible. But then there are economies of luxury and scale, people like fruit, and meat, and spices, and stuff which can't be grown nearby. People cultivate the jackfruit instead of maize, Brazil's trying to extirpate a "jackfruit infestation," and olive trees are sometimes considered "weeds" in Australia. The Neolithic Revolution is bonkers, basically. I'm not an experienced farmer, everyone's land is different, and just today I learned that there are parts of the world where bushland edibles are so plentiful that the locals see no reason to farm at all. So perhaps I should shut up now :)

freeflight 9y ago

Imho what makes people summon Monsanto isn't just the possible dangers to the biological ecosphere, it's also the fact that Monsanto has a history of suing farmers for patent infringements, due to the cross-pollination of the Monsanto plants. This sets a horrible precedent, I don't want to live in a world where corporate engineered, and patented, "super plants" contaminate the whole planet and people will end up being sued over patent infringement for trying to grow their own food.

amyjess 9y ago
If you're talking about Monsanto Canada Inc. v. Schmeiser, this happened because Schmeiser deliberately sewed Roundup Ready seed throughout his fields. This wasn't a case of the wind randomly depositing the seeds on his fields. He knew exactly what he had, and he planted it on purpose. But after that case, a number of activists with a political agenda decided to mischaracterize the facts of the case in order to smear Monsanto.
- freeflight 9y ago
  I'm talking about this [0]: "In its report, called Seed Giants vs US Farmers, the CFS said it had tracked numerous law suits that Monsanto had brought against farmers and found some 142 patent infringement suits against 410 farmers and 56 small businesses in more than 27 states. In total the firm has won more than $23m from its targets, the report said." And that's just the situation in the US, I don't think Indian farmers fare that much better. Disney is already on its way of gobbling up all entertainment "intellectual property", we don't need a comparable situation with companies like Monsanto and essential plants like crops. [0] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/feb/12/monsanto-sues-farmers-seed-patents https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/feb/12/monsanto...

Manglano 9y ago

Too many variables. I would say, grow the most-energy dense, least land & water intensive crops possible. For the US my understanding is that that would probably entail GM corn, tepiary beans, and squash, on rotation or with companion planting, no till, dryland farming as much as possible. But then there are economies of luxury and scale, people like fruit, and meat, and spices, and stuff which can't be grown nearby. People cultivate the jackfruit instead of maize, Brazil's trying to extirpate a "jackfruit infestation," and olive trees are sometimes considered "weeds" in Australia. The Neolithic Revolution is bonkers, basically. I'm not an experienced farmer, everyone's land is different, and just today I learned that there are parts of the world where bushland edibles are so plentiful that the locals see no reason to farm at all. So perhaps I should shut up now :)