Comments on: Pushback on alternative agriculture

By: Inoculated Mind

Inoculated Mind — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:51:57 +0000

Marion, I wanted to disagree with your statement that “sustainable agriculture” is a social intervention, not a technological one. It most certainly is technological. You may not think of technology when you first think of it, just like you may not think of technology when you think of Organic. But a method of growing crops that can be sustained indefinitely into the future is an expression of technology, an application of knowledge. Crop rotations are technological just as much as genetic engineering is technological. Buffer zones, more precise watering and fertilization, are technologies. Maybe you might be thinking about sustainable agriculture from a societal standpoint, but to speak of it in opposition to technology is to obscure what a ‘technology’ is. By all definitions, “Sustainable Agriculture” is a “Techno-Fix.”
(psst… how do you clean water and make food safe socially?)

By: Sabri

Sabri — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:02:18 +0000

Hi Marian-
Is there any chance you have a video of the presentation or that FAO might be able to share a recording?
thanks

By: Another Blasted Weblog » Blog Archive » Food News (new series) 11: A “nuanced view” on GMOs

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:20:25 +0000

[...] The best part, for me, was the opportunity to see Marion Nestle give the 6th annual George McGovern lecture on Friday afternoon.1 It was refreshing to hear someone — anyone — speak clearly and directly in FAO’s plenary hall. I was most fascinated by the very clear explanation of how the calories per person in the US food supply, the cost of food, the size of portions and the prevalence of obesity have marched in lockstep across the US landscape since the late 1970s. Dr Nestle has written briefly about what she said (nothing all that new) and some of the responses to it at her blog. [...]

By: Bobby

Bobby — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:07:06 +0000

People are surprised that government works principally for industry and commercial companies? Hello? American political system can be summed up in two words: Money Talks. Any other notion of the US government is pure delusion.

By: James

James — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:47:39 +0000

If the Powerpoint slides are too long, try printing them as a pdf. That might make for a smaller file. I’d love to see your slides!

By: DennisP

DennisP — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:21:19 +0000

I’m reading several books, some of which cite similar instances of pushback from corporate interests in countries other than the United States as well. Corporate interests appear to take the attitude that questions about social structure that involve them, about the efficacy of their techno-interventions, about increasing gaps between the rich and the poor, are not permissible forms of speech and should be outright forbidden. Hence the actions of David Wood and of Washington State. Scientists in South America who questioned the use of Roundup and in Canada who questioned the disappearance of rural society from the pressures of CAFOs have likewise been severely punished or lost their jobs or prevented from speaking. These things severely chill free speech.

The lessons of democracy were apparently not learned by corporate leaders and hacks in their school days (for what is the fundamental characteristic of democracy if not free speech?) or are overshelmed by the lure of millions and billions of dollars of profits and wealth. I think we are moving rapidly into a fascistic state – one ruled by corporations in the interests of corporate profits and the super-rich people. The only lever we, the average people, have is the ballot box. I can only hope more people get sufficiently outraged to demand that our “representatives” do the right thing.

By: Anthro

Anthro — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:17:45 +0000

I am saddened to hear this report of your adventures in Rome. I would not expect this from the Obama Administration and am deeply disappointed in the Ambassador’s reactions.

The policies of universities are equally alarming. This is the result of ever-creeping commercialism/corporatism into every aspect of our lives. These are the things that are causing the inertia we see in governance and the inability to get anything but microscopic change.

On the bright side, you seem to feel that the food movement is making progress, so I take heart in that.