An excerpt.
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"Weeks later, De Jong tells me the panel opened
his eyes. He was shocked at how people who
don’t live near farms feel entitled to advise
farmers, especially on environmental matters.
“There is a romantic notion of environmentalism,
and then there is actual environmentalism,” De
Jong says. “Farmers are very conscious of the
environment. They want to hand off their
operation to their kids and their kids’ kids, so they
maintain the land the best they can while doing
what they need to do in order to sell their harvest,”
he says. “My guess is that the majority of people
who are anti-GM live in cities and have no idea
what stewardship of the land entails.”
“I find it so tragic that, by and large, crop
biotechnologists and farmers want to reduce their
pesticide use, and yet the method we think is
most sustainable and environmentally friendly has
been dismissed out of hand.” He pauses as he
recalls the event and says, “There is no scientific
justification for it—it is just as if there is a high
priest who decided, ‘Thou shalt not be GMO.’ ”
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/nature/fewer-
pesticides-farming-with-gmos/
.
"Weeks later, De Jong tells me the panel opened
his eyes. He was shocked at how people who
don’t live near farms feel entitled to advise
farmers, especially on environmental matters.
“There is a romantic notion of environmentalism,
and then there is actual environmentalism,” De
Jong says. “Farmers are very conscious of the
environment. They want to hand off their
operation to their kids and their kids’ kids, so they
maintain the land the best they can while doing
what they need to do in order to sell their harvest,”
he says. “My guess is that the majority of people
who are anti-GM live in cities and have no idea
what stewardship of the land entails.”
“I find it so tragic that, by and large, crop
biotechnologists and farmers want to reduce their
pesticide use, and yet the method we think is
most sustainable and environmentally friendly has
been dismissed out of hand.” He pauses as he
recalls the event and says, “There is no scientific
justification for it—it is just as if there is a high
priest who decided, ‘Thou shalt not be GMO.’ ”
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/nature/fewer-
pesticides-farming-with-gmos/