Genetic engineering is here! -Reply
Bob MacGregor (RDMACGREGOR@gov.pe.ca)
Fri, 15 Nov 1996 12:41:27 -0400
I am not so frightened of genetically-engineered food products as
Greenpeace and many of the Sanet correspondents. I do not consider
the products of genetic engineering to be fundamentally different from
triticale or donkeys or any of a number of transpecific hybrids which
have been produced by more conventional techniques. I consider
genetic engineering techniques to be a valuable tool if we are to try to
keep up with demand for foodstuffs and reduce chemical inputs
dramatically. Pests evolve too fast to foresake this technique for
developing resistance (I call it breeding for the impatient). Still, I'm not
completely starry-eyed about the technology -- I'm just not terrified by it.
I'm not even terribly upset by the notion that the corporations involved in
this type of work are in it for profit. I do believe in consumer choice,
however. I find it amusing that these big corporations -- purportedly
bastions of the free enterprise system -- are fearful of allowing their
products to be exposed to the forces of the marketplace by allowing
labelling. I admit that there could be some expense associated with
establishing parallel marketing channels (as would be needed to keep
genetically-engineered products separate), but, given consumer
concerns, this likely should be done despite the cost.
BOB