Not a long time ago there was some media coverage about the attack done by activists on a genetically modified crop: Correio da Manhã
When I saw this on the evening news I was really pissed about these so called green friends. This farmer, from the Algarve, invested in technology that would produce better products with less raw materials like water or petrol. Although he did everything by the law, these guys felt they should “save us” from the genetically modified food! This kind of thought is an illness that we have in our European society and economy. Here are some thoughts on this.
Organic food is the agriculture Louis Vuitton
I will never contest that organic food can be healthier. I prefer to see the pigs and cows “playing” around in the farm than packed in warehouses. Organic food sales are booming, but every time someone pays a premium for organic food it’s basically subsidising European old-fashioned and expensive agriculture in detriment of low cost African or Asian products.
European Union protects French farmers
This is not new (Times), but I had some hope that Europe would be ashamed about the CAP (Common Agriculture Policy) and cut the subsidies before 2013. NO! We keep pumping our tax money to a dying business. Not only are the subsidies a stupid economic action (promotes laziness) the agriculture quotas also impact the farmers. Check a recent article on The Economist
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) are your friends
It’s pretty basic and no brainer! If you can crop healthier tomatoes with half the water, drought proof and with a third of the costs, why would you choose something different? As technology advances GMOs will get better and, at the end, consumers can always decide what they buy. I advise reading this article on the subject.
Europe should move it’s money more to GMO and less to Organic! Don’t try to stop technology or economic self-regulation…