Organic, schmorganic

I feel as though I've been deliberately avoiding a confrontation with the hot topic of GMOs (genetically modified organisms -- for our purposes, GM food crops) for some time now. The truth is that I'm still trying to work out where I stand. There are compelling arguments on both sides, frankly, but I read something earlier today that got me all hot and bothered enough to try and gather my thoughts on the matter.

Some GMO proponents argue for the potential to develop food crops that have a higher nutritional value. This is key in areas where malnutrition can be deadly (the humanitarian argument). There is also the possibility of developing hardier varieties that are resistant to, say, frost or pests or drought; maybe they will require less chemical fertilizers or pesticides (the productivity argument). There are some good points, and thoughtful crop scientists and farmers and researchers working toward these very goals.

On the other hand, anti-GMO folks argue against the use of untested products (the unknown long-term repercussions argument), or harbor an inherent distrust of the big companies running the show (the corporate greed argument), or believe that scientists shouldn't be meddling with nature (the frankenstein argument, or what I heard someone at the Community Food Security Conference I went to back in Des Moines refer to as the "God Move Over" argument -- this last one's a bit too anti-science for my taste).

I'm sure I've inadvertently missed arguments on both sides, and for that I look to you, readers, to help me out here. I'm not anti-GMO, categorically: consider the humanitarian and productivity arguments. There's a lot of possibility for good. But at present, the way things seem to be heading, I can't help but find myself anxious about GM food crops. They've been out on the market for years now, often in the form of the ubiquitous (and popularly maligned yet still consumed in mass quantities) high fructose corn syrup. And yet the long-term effects of GM foods have not been tested nearly as long or thoroughly as, say, vaccines or many prescription drugs before flooding the U.S. market. (Ever wonder why the European Union refuses to produce or purchase GM foods? Are they all just overly paranoid?)

Also, I just don't trust the folks running things: groups like Monsanto, Pioneer, and Syngenta are *profit-driven* above all else. Making money is not inherently a bad thing so long as it does not obliterate any sense of ethics. From what I can discern, Monsanto sells GM seeds at home and abroad that are comparatively inexpensive so as to undersell most other seed producers, their GM seeds are sterile (so farmers can't save seed to plant the following year) and are designed to only to respond to specific pesticides (that, guess what, are only sold by Monsanto), and there are hundreds of cases where the company has tried to strong arm farmers who refuse to buy their seed or who speak out against them. (Shoot, am I on their watch list now? Nah, probably not. My guess is they're not interested in a food-loving cyclist and her raw milk yoghurt recipe.) Don't believe me? Put "The Future of Food" on your Netflix list -- the presentation might be a bit tedious in places, but many of the points raised are good ones.

Regardless of which side of the issue I might some day find myself, one thing is certain: GM crops should not qualify as "organic." And yet, I learned from my friends over at Food Democracy Now, this is exactly what will happen if Monsanto (boo, hiss) pushes a pending piece of legislation through the USDA to certify their genetically modified alfalfa as organic. What's next, organically certified GM tomatoes? It's a slippery slope in a system where the qualifications for "organic" products continue to lose credibility. (Seriously, you should see all of the "natural" ingredients, preservatives, and products are considered "organic" these days. At least the "no lab-manufactured chemical applications" and "no genetic modification" criteria retain some integrity thus far.)

I can hear you asking, "What can I do?" Well, here's a start: add your voice to the group protesting Monsanto's push to certify its GM alfalfa as organic. Here's where to find more info:
http://fdn.actionkit.com/go/111?akid=88.84907.E3xKTt&t=6. The deadline for comments is later today: March 3.

Sorry for the late notice on this one. I've been biking all day -- 70 miles! -- and just had a chance to read through the material and become indignant. Now, time for sleep....

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Appetite for distraction

I am, admittedly, a bit zealous about food. I am also pretty excitable when it comes to books and movies, especially those about food (go figure). While I haven't yet seen "Julie & Julia" -- what looks to be quite a fun adaptation of the book (which I'd enjoyed a few years back when my best friend Felicity gave me a copy) of the travails of a young would-be foodie stumbling through "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in her cramped NY apartment interspersed with anecdotes about the fascinating life of Julia Child -- I hope to catch it, maybe when I manage to get myself and Ollie to Chicago. The upcoming release of the film provided an excuse for my man Michael Pollan to take a hard look at the disconnect between people's fascination with cooking shows in our country and the decline of actual cooking in their kitchens. I do have a bit of an inexplicable soft spot for Iron Chef, but otherwise I agree pretty heartily with his arguments. I mean, how is it that people claim to have no time to cook but can plunk down and watch TV for some 2 1/2 hours each day? Psh. It takes me less time than that to put together a full curry dinner for 6 people from scratch (provided I've already done the shopping)!

If you're looking to learn more about food, get yourself to the nearest farmers market (if you don't know where that is, you can find it here: http://www.localharvest.org/) and get yourself into the kitchen. Bring a friend (or, as I like to call them, a sous chef). Should you want to sit and watch a worthwhile film about food afterwards, I'd recommend any of the following:

Food, Inc.
This is a documentary out in theatres now and, should you not have the attention span to read The Omnivore's Dilemma or Fast Food Nation, the movie covers many of the key points from both books. You'll not look at the supermarket the same way again. Guaranteed.

King Corn
This is another documentary, albeit a more fun one. Or rather, it brings up a lot of serious issues in an openly curious and entertaining way. It's the story of two best friends who, knowing little about corn or farming, decide to grow an acre of corn in Iowa. While waiting for their corn to grow, the guys explore everything from government subsidies to the history of corn cultivation to where their harvest is likely to end up. We had a screening of this and a local food potluck at Evolution Yoga in Burlington while I was there and folks agreed that the film, in spite of its playful tone, really makes you think. (The guys, men after my own heart, became food activists: www.kingcorn.net.)

The Future of Food
Mark and I watched this anti-GM (genetically modified) food documentary one cloudy afternoon in Burlington. While parts of it felt like viewing an educational video in high school health class, it did propose some pretty shocking ideas on the lack of testing or dispersal of information on GM foods. There are elements of some interesting conspiracy theories as well, ranging from GM crop and chemical supply companies planting (haha) evidence and suing small farmers to surprising ties between these companies (mostly Monsanto) and fairly high level positions in the Dept of Agriculture and regulatory organizations. Not fun, but worth a watch.

[Rant interlude: Very likely most of these genetically-modified foods aren't dangerous, but they should at least be labeled so people can choose whether or not they want to consume, say, GM corn. Then again, if you've seen King Corn you know how ubiquitous GM high fructose corn syrup is, and you might agree that perhaps it would be cheaper and easier to label anything that does *not* contain any GM ingredients. Oh, wait, I think that's what "organic" is supposed to denote. So then is everything not strictly certified "organic" in the supermarket pretty much steeped in GM corn products? Pretty much, unless you count the perhaps equally scary, chemical-laden low fat and fat free aisle. Get yourself to a farmers market. At least you know what's in the food there! This concludes my rant...for now.]

Finally, if you're looking for a few fun, non-documentary flicks about food, I highly recommend "Eat, Drink, Man, Woman" (the original in Chinese with subtitles is far superior to the later knock-off "Tortilla Soup"), "Like Water for Chocolate" (in Spanish with subtitles), "Mostly Martha" (in German with subtitles), Ratitoille (thanks for recommending this Pixar gem set in Paris, Julius!), and "Chocolat" (in English and starring my boy Johnny Depp). Funny how many of my favorite food films are from other countries where they haven't abandoned the kitchen for the couch....


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