In “The Botany of Desire,” Michael Pollan
discusses the era’s relatively new genetically modified crops from an
intriguing perspective. While the potato seedlings he plants from Monsanto
looks the same as his non-GMO seedlings, they feel completely different. By
feeling he means that it is jaw dropping to know that an essential part of
being a farmer by cross-breeding different species of plants and animals is
taken away. The role of the farmer to find the best yields, bacteria
repellants, and more has been replaced after industries have taken that
information and placed it within the genome of any crop. This has thus given
plants the humanistic quality of knowledge and culture that farmers have been
completing through hands on work for centuries. Pollan does a good job of
stating a claim and quickly bullet pointing his supporting reasons for why he
believes in it. For example, when discussing the new complications famers endure
in the face of Monsanto and other GMO crops he provides concrete details noting
the new debt farmers accumulate, soil erosion, loss of soil fertility, water
pollutants, and food safety risks.
In regards to his other article
“Omnivore’s Dilemma,” Pollan addresses a series of questions such as what
should people eat and where their food is coming from. He observes the history
of maize and its path into genetic modification and cattle feeding grounds.
Pollan’s approach on what to eat for dinner considers striking personal
experience while including environmental facts and history.
As people are continuously deceived
into believing their super markets hold a plethora of biodiversity in the fresh
food aisles, why or is there already local small scale farmers focusing on the
biodiversity of one crop the same way the Incas did?
I really enjoyed Pollan's Botany of Desire too. It was very eye opening into the facets of GM crops. Not only to how they're made but also how they affect the soil, farmers and the entire global food system. I like how he makes it personal when he actually starts growing NewLeaf potatoes. Sure, they looked great but he never wanted to cook them, even to make a potato salad for a potluck because he knew if he told people they were GMO no one would touch it. And why would they when he had a garden full of other, natural potatoes? Yet, millions of us have eaten bt potatoes without any of us even knowing.
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