Friday, February 18, 2011

Gardening Politics: GMOs and RRA











My garden is the place where I cleanse my mind from the mundane political issues of the day. But there is “politics” in gardening and agriculture. If you aren’t aware of that, you should be.


Historically a new veggie variety was discovered growing in a garden or field or developed through laborious cross-pollination and harvesting of seed and "proving" the new variety over a period of years. Now scientists graft desirable genes into traditional plants to create GMOs, Genetically Modified Organisms.


You probably have been eating foods made from grains that are GMOs. Most soybeans grown in this country are GMOs. Much of our corn is too. In Europe, food products containing GMOs must be so labeled, but not here.


Barbara Damrosch’s “A Cook’s Garden” column in Thursday’s Washington Post gives you a taste of the controversy. You’ll have no doubt that she doesn’t approve of GMOs.


To read Damrosch’s nine paragraphs about GMOs and RRA (Roundup Ready Alfalfa), CLICK HERE.

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