31 Mar 2006
Biotech for Your Backyard

If you wonder why us "natural" or "organic" farmer types are generally terrified by bio-engineered crops, read this article. If this grass were to get loose in our pastures it would be an unmitigated disaster. My carefully mixed and cultivated forages would be obliterated by this alien invader - and the article doesn't say if it's palatable to ruminants or no. But I can certainly assure you that it isn't as tasty to a cow as alfalfa. Let's hope that reason prevails. But the fact that we're even discussing implementing something to make golf courses easier to maintain that also has the potential to destroy the livestock industry means I'm not holding my breath.

Jim Hagedorn wants to sell you the pest-proof, no-mow, genetically engineered lawn of the future. But first he has to head off a grass-roots rebellion. By David Wolman from Wired magazine.

(link) [Wired News: Top Stories]

00:00 /Agriculture | 5 comments | permanent link