The Omnivore’s Delusion?
Posted on August 4, 2009 by
J sent me a fascinating article from American.com yesterday refuting the claims against “corporate” farming in THE OMNIVORE’S DILEMMA and other recent books that criticize industrial farming.
According to the article, many of the corporate farms that are attacked are apparently a conglomeration of smaller, family owned farms. And many of the organic farms that revered are large corporate endeavors.
Furthermore, many organic processes, like crop rotation and tilling are less sustainable than tactics used by conventional farmers who aren’t forced to adhere to stringent organic practices.
“On the desk in front of me are a dozen books, all hugely critical of present-day farming. Farmers are often given a pass in these books, painted as either naïve tools of corporate greed, or economic nullities forced into their present circumstances by the unrelenting forces of the twin grindstones of corporate greed and unfeeling markets. To the farmer on the ground, though, a farmer blessed with free choice and hard won experience, the moral choices aren’t quite so easy. Biotech crops actually cut the use of chemicals, and increase food safety. Are people who refuse to use them my moral superiors? Herbicides cut the need for tillage, which decreases soil erosion by millions of tons. The biggest environmental harm I have done as a farmer is the topsoil (and nutrients) I used to send down the Missouri River to the Gulf of Mexico before we began to practice no-till farming, made possible only by the use of herbicides. The combination of herbicides and genetically modified seed has made my farm more sustainable, not less, and actually reduces the pollution I send down the river.”
I think, as usual, the answer lies somewhere in the middle. In organic farming, molds, bugs, etc., can cause crop failure on a large scale, and while there are many organic procedures that can help, often organic farmers have their hands tied by the regulations they have to follow to keep their organic certification. Food that could be saved is wasted. Think about all the resources and energy that goes into tending plants that do not ultimately produce edible food if something goes wrong. I wish it were possible for organic farmers to use non-organic procedures to save failing crops and label them accordingly, instead of losing their certification completely. Maybe there could be a different certification for farmers who do this. I would gladly purchase crops that were grown using the least amount of pesticides and chemicals possible, but were not 100% organic.
On the whole, it’s a very big, very complicated issue and I think it illustrates the importance of thinking critically and making sure we don’t haphazardly label things good and bad. There are benefits and pitfalls in organic farming the same way there are benefits and pitfalls in conventional farming. In my opinion, casting stones on one side and deifying processes on the other doesn’t serve us. Looking at things realistically and working for the best possible changes and solutions is the only way we are going to see real improvements in the way our food is produced.
What do you think?
I don’t care what the claims are- genetically modified food scares me. I don’t understand why the goal is to never, ever loose a crop. Isn’t that part of nature? Why are we so set on manipulating nature, and then wondering why our planet is so messed up- like we had nothing to do with it. Not to mention the fact that the corperations who own the GM food have patents that say that your CELLS the contain information from their food are owned by THEM. That if you are a farmer who DIDN’T buy seed from GM crops, and a bee happens to pollinate your crop from THEIRS- you owe them money. Its wrong on so many levels.
We’re manipulating nature by the very act of planting crops, organically grown or not. Tilling is more detrimental than many non-organic practices. Run off from tilling is a major cause of pollution and bacteria in our lakes and streams.
I haven’t read much on the patents regarding GM foods, but I highly doubt the are able to claim ownership of human cells in private citizens or sue over bees. This kind of information gets people enraged, but doesn’t encourage us to look at the facts rationally and make calm, careful decisions.
Very interesting. Another topic, along these lines, is the role GM crops may play in reducing famine in areas with less than ideal growing conditions. GM isn’t ALL based on corporate greed.
It isn’t that we don’t want never ever to lose a crop simply because we enjoy manipulating the Earth, Rachel. It’s that these farmers cannot afford to lose a crop. Literally, they cannot afford to. They have their own mortgage to pay, supplies to buy for the next year, a family to feed, perhaps extended family they are taking care of, perhaps children to send to college… all the same expenses that a city-family has to pay. If they lose a crop, that’s it. Chances are they have to sell their farm. It’s like you (or your parents) working your butt off for an entire year, then getting slapped with something beyond your control, and getting absolutely no pay for everything you did. Not only is it painful in the capacity of looking back on a year of work, but painful looking ahead at what you can’t afford to do or keep that will continue sending shockwaves in your entire family.
Great post Allie… I completely get the middle-ground aspect and agree, we are far too likely to look at things as good v. bad, black v. white. I’m not defending GM products in the slightest, but I also know organic does not guarantee sustainability… for the land or the people involved.
As far as GM crops go, I think we should at least be able to make the choice. Honest labeling is important.
Having lived in agricultural economies for a lot of years, I am always reticent to judge people who are trying to make an honest living growing food. I reserve my umbrage for CAFOS or factory farming of animals which are almost always cruel, unhealthy and environmentally disastrous.
http://www.mindfully.org/GE/2005/Monsanto-Prosecuting-Farmers12jan05.htm
I have to say – while it sounds like GM foods may help the environment some, I have to agree with commenters in that it scares me. Do we really know the effects these have on our body?
Sometimes I just feel like I can’t win when it comes to knowing what food is safe for me. It is all so confusing!
Very interesting discussion. First of all, I would like to point out that crop rotations are not exclusively an “organic” practice, but have been used in mainstream crop production for years. Mr. Hurst even mentions his own use of the popular corn-soybean rotation. Also, thank you Ashley Sue for explaining why crop failure is not an option. As for GM crops, they are a case study in ignorance as the primary source of fear. They have been grown for years, and not one shred of evidence shown any harmful effects has been found. They are the future of agriculture, allowing us to produce greater yields to feed a growing population, while simultaneously reducing the resources required to do it. Overall, they are the quintessential win-win solution.
Thank you for your calm and rational middle ground approach. I manage my family’s farm with my father and brother-in-law. We grow a cotton-corn-soybean rotation and have utilized no-till practices for 18 years now. The benefits of no-till are too numerous to address all of them here, but include using a third of the diesel fuel that we used to use when we plowed, sequestering carbon in the soil as organic matter rather than releasing it into the air (which is what happens every time you plow, in addition to the extra diesel fuel required), providing habitat for beneficial insects, etc. etc. Blake Hurst’s essay was a refreshing read for someone like myself who is trying to make our farm as sustainable as possible. Organic farming is a wonderful aspect of agriculture in our country, but it is not applicable to all situations. In regard to GM crops, we lost our entire crop (and very nearly our farm and livelihood) due to boll worms 15 years ago. Using GM crops now means that we spray very few pesticides and maintain our population of beneficial insects, and we don’t have to worry about losing our home. I just want to encourage everyone to see both sides of the issue and realize that there is a time and a place for both conventional and organic agriculture.
The biggest reason farmers switched to no-till methods or even just useing chemicals, was not because they were worried about there being enough crops to feed the world, it was because if they didnt, they would not be able to afford to farm due to high input costs. Can you imagine burning 100 gallons of diesel fuel a day and paying 3$ a gallon to do so. Thats 300$ a day in fuel alone, that dosent count the cost of equipment and repairs. So if farmers switched back these methods, were then forced to quit due to insufficent funds, then what would the world do with no one farming.