Let Them Eat Precaution How Politics is Undermining the Genetic Revolution in Agriculture

by Entine, Jon

• ISBN13: 9780844742007
• ISBN10: 0844742007
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-12-07
• Publisher: Aei Press

Summary

This book brings together experts from a variety of perspectives on bioengineered food, which holds the promise of radically reducing hunger in the third world but which is mired in political controversy.

Table of Contents

Editor's Note	p. ix
Introduction: Beyond Precaution	p. 1
Agricultural Biotechnology on Hold	p. 4
The Alice-in-Wonderland World of the "Precautionary Principle"	p. 6
Enviromanticism	p. 9
References	p. 12
Ideological Gridlock	p. 15
Global Views on Agricultural Biotechnology	p. 19
Leaders' Views on Biotechnology: Results of a Survey	p. 21
Conclusions	p. 29
Reference	p. 34
Agricultural Biotechnology Caught in a War of Giants	p. 35
The Challenge of Food Security in Developing Countries	p. 36
Modern Biotechnology Joins Crop Development	p. 37
Biotechnology Has Begun to Affect the Developing World	p. 41
Improved Health through Better Nutrition	p. 44
High Anxiety-Public Unease over Bioengineered Crops?	p. 46
Do Bioengineered Crops Harm the Environment?	p. 47
Unnecessary Speed Bumps and Roadblocks	p. 49
The Road Ahead: Toward Improved Food Security for All	p. 50
References	p. 52
Trade War or Culture War? The GM Debate in Britain and the European Union	p. 56
Europe and the Precautionary Principle	p. 57
The British Experience	p. 58
Food Scares and the Significance of the BSE and CJD Episode	p. 63
The UK Government's Response to GM Fears	p. 65
European Regulation and Labeling Requirements	p. 70
The Price of the Precautionary Principle	p. 72
Note	p. 74
References	p. 75
Consequences	p. 77
Hunger, Famine, and the Promise of Biotechnology	p. 81
The Debate over Biotechnology	p. 83
Placing Biotechnology Concerns into Context	p. 88
References	p. 91
Let Them Eat Precaution: Why GM Crops Are Being Overregulated in the Developing World	p. 92
Reasons for the Restricted Planting of GM Crops	p. 94
Trying to Make a Case against the Regulations	p. 102
Who Will Lose If the EU Wins?	p. 105
Options for the United States	p. 107
Notes	p. 110
References	p. 111
Can Public Support for the Use of Biotechnology in Food Be Salvaged?	p. 113
Food and Feelings	p. 114
Current Public Views of Biotechnology	p. 115
Why the Skepticism about GM Foods?	p. 122
New Generation of Products May Exacerbate Consumer Discomfort	p. 125
The Current Regulatory System Undermines Support for Food Biotechnology	p. 127
Practical Steps to Improve Prospects for Public Acceptance of Food Biotechnology	p. 134
Notes	p. 137
References	p. 138
Solutions	p. 141
Deconstructing the Agricultural Biotechnology Protest Industry	p. 144
Money	p. 145
Marketing	p. 151
The Internet	p. 154
Charting a Course for Change	p. 159
Notes	p. 161
References	p. 162
"Functional Foods" and Biopharmaceuticals: The Next Generation of the GM Revolution	p. 163
Functional Foods	p. 164
Plant Molecular Farming	p. 166
References	p. 175
Challenging the Misinformation Campaign of Antibiotechnology Environmentalists	p. 179
Campaign of Fear and Fantasy	p. 181
GM Crop Technology vs. Greenpeace in the Developing World	p. 185
Breaking Greenpeace's Grip on the Media	p. 186
References	p. 188
Postscript	p. 189
About the Authors	p. 191
Index	p. 195
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