Biotech...what's the point?

[cowman]

Reading an article on the biotech conference in Toronto one comes away with the idea this is the way to go and a great boon to mankind. But when you really think about it what is the point of producing more food? We already produce so much that we have no markets. Now if we double or triple our production in whatever food you want to choose, what will we do with it? Lower the price? How low can we go?
Now someone obviously gets rich selling this technology but I suspect it won't be average Joe farmer?
But these GMOs will be bulled through no matter what and if you don't grow them you will not be able to compete. But will they really improve the bottom line?

[pandiana]

I have some of the same concerns. If there is money to be made, it will gravitate to the Corporations. If there are loses, or risks, the farmer will absorb them.

[cakadu]

Out of curiosity, where can one find this article? I'd like to read it if at all possible.

[cowman]

Linda: I'm not real sure. It was either in the National Post or the Calgary Herald. I read it in a coffee shop out in the boonies one morning. Sorry I can't be more specific.

[cakadu]

I was at the biotech conference and it was HUGE to say the least. There is so much more to the biotechnology picture than meets the eye and it certainly is much more than growing more food. The pharmaceutical end of things has had much more acceptance than the food/agriculture side of the equation.

The ag side of things encompasses using less inputs like fertilizer etc., is safer for the environment because less spraying is required, grows foods that have some health benefit i.e. nutraceuticals or functional foods, being able to grow crops in areas that are currently unable to sustain crops and the list goes on. It's not solely about growing more food.

It can be about growing a crop that leaves you with more money in your pocket because it has some property or attribute that people are willing to pay for. One example is licopene that has been found to be successful in fighting certain cancers. Right now licopene is found in fruits and vegetables that are red - what if you could produce something that had higher levels and amounts of licopene that would be useful in fighting/treating cancers? I don't think it is meant to grow more of the same old same old.