[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Biotechnology, demons and sustainability



Jeff, I have great respect for you and your convictions. We certainly need 
persons of principle to remind us of the wisdom and the ways of Ghandi and 
native people. And even to remind us of our humanness and areas where we can 
improve quality of life. You are correct in your assessment and in your 
idealism.

In reality, we are in a situation not unlike war, however. A war for control 
of our culture; a war for control of our natural resources; a war for the 
control of our personhood.

The structure of agriculture is a war machine that creates winners and 
losers (victims) in the eternal conquests for corporate control in the name 
of world economy. Exploitation of people and markets is called global 
competitiveness, while the cost of production never includes an accounting 
line for air and water quality, soil loss, soil health, community 
degradation, etc. The public pays for those line items through healthcare 
payments, taxes, and special assessments for clean-ups and remediation. As 
resources are squandered, higher costs will face future generations. 

There was, at best a dubious peace dividend at the end of World War II. The 
munitions industry became the fertilizer industry, moving from mined 
resources into products manufactured using German chemistry developed around 
a war machine and cheap petroleum guaranteed by our military access to the 
Middle East.  U.S. policies ruined Mexican agriculture and made that country 
dependent upon our agricultural commodities for which they must trade petroleum.

The pesticide industry was born from the chemical warfare industry, 
utilizing the technologies of nerve and blister agents. The pharmaceutical 
industry is built upon costly development of powerful drugs that abate 
symptoms, but do not seek to cure illness.

When I was a youth, I succumbed to the lure of tobacco which saturated our 
culture. "More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette," now carries a 
conspiratorial tone that went unrecognized and without opposition in the 
fifties. Now those tobacco companies own Nabisco, General Foods, and Kraft, 
controlling hundreds of popular food items. More importantly, they contol 
shelf space in our nation's grocery stores.

The control of agricultural markets by usually four corporations is well 
documented. Their illegal and unethical acts are well documented. ConAgra 
agreed to repay Indiana farmers that they defrauded at their grain 
elevators. ADM and other conspirators agreed to a $45 million settlement in 
a price fixing case. These are only the tip of the iceburg.

This circle of control is a closed loop supported by government policy which 
is supported by the cash and influence of the monopolizers. Our public 
universities have bought into the deal, led by agricultural economics 
doctrine which dictates agribusiness consolidation and cheap raw materials 
(ag commodities) at any cost. 

Consumers need other options and education to vote differently with their 
dollars. How are the voices of reason to be heard above the clamor of 
agribusiness promotion? How are farm families going to survive the 
stranglehold of corporate control? How are we all to going to be the change 
we expect under these conditions.

There is an argument for cooperating with these large agribiz corporations 
in the search for solutions; but, how does one crawl into bed with these 
guys and get a wink of sleep?

Steve Bonney





Follow-Ups: