>In Article <jtoth-0703971702530001@wash9.fairfield.com>, jtoth@fairfield.com
>(Joe Toth) wrote:
>>Organic Industry Leaders Warn Biotech Industry: Keep Out!
>>
>>Newly-Formed National Coalition Cites Deep Concerns In Letter to U.S.
>>Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman
>>
>>(MARCH 5) - A newly-formed national coalition of organic food industry
>>producers, scientists, and consumer activist groups this week will send a
>>strong message to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman and the biotech
>>industry: "Keep genetically engineered organisms (GEOs) out of the organic
>>market."
>^^^^^^^
>...and that really is the entire point of all this hubbub. It's all about
>protecting the market (which I have absolutely no problem with, as long as
>we're honest about it). This is strictly a political-economic issue. It's
>irresponsible and downright dishonest to try to make this into a health and
>safety issue. GE foods have no proper place in the organic market, but that
>is no reason to maintain that GE foods pose serious health risks. Please,
>let us not cloud the issues.
>
>Thomas T. Aquilla, Ph.D
.
Dear Dr. Aquila,
With respect, I beg to differ. Please recall the Nuclear debate. All
over the world similar theories to yours were posited, and
subsequently proven to be faulty, for which lack of foresight we now
are suffering.
The nuclear protest began as a health and safety issue, and the
irresponsible profit-seeking behaviour of governments in disregarding
this has now turned into a massive cost - and damage- limitation
exercise, with no forseeable conclusion.
It would be prudent to consider the *irreversible* consequences of any
R&D, before condoning it. I too have no problem with profit, but that
was not the major objection to Nuclear Power or any other
ramifications of the nuclear question. Here in UK, nuclear electric
is heavily subsidised, and will always be so, to provide for future
decommissioning. Will we be setting off on the same path with GEO's?
Of course it's a political-economic issue. We are all people, and we
consume. Purely on a cost basis, I would predict a similar outcome to
that of the domestic nuclear industry, with similar military
potential. Military profits will be necessary in order to pay for
the domestic "clean-up" operation.
Sound familiar?
May we enquire whether you are employed in some capacity by the
agrichemical/allied industries lobby?
Joan Bird
Two Birds in Coventry UK,
Canadian Stamps & Organic Gardening