Tuesday September 2nd, 2008
In this issue:
Prince Charles: GM crops would be “biggest
ever environmental disaster”
The Times of London
August 13, 2008
The Prince of Wales has warned the development of genetically modified
crops risked creating "the biggest disaster environmentally of
all time".
In a passionate intervention on the issue of GM food, Prince Charles
accused multi-national corporations of conducting an experiment with
nature which had gone "seriously wrong".
"What we should be talking about is food security not food production
- that is what matters and that is what people will not understand,"
he said.
"And if they think also that somehow it's all going to work because
they are going to have one form of clever genetic engineering after
another then again count me out, because that will be guaranteed to
cause the biggest disaster environmentally of all time."
Charles told the Daily Telegraph that relying on huge corporations
for the mass production of food would threaten future food supplies.
He added that small farmers would be the victims.
"If they think this is the way to go we will end up with millions
of small farmers all over the world being driven off their land into
unsustainable, unmanageable, degraded and dysfunctional conurbations
of unmentionable awfulness then you count me out. I think it will
be an absolute disaster."
Charles's intervention comes at a time when soaring food costs and
shortages are putting more pressure on the GM debate.
The price of food has been pushed up worldwide by poor harvests, some
of which may be due to climate change, rising fuel prices, market
speculation and the diversion of land into biofuel production.
The biotech industry says GM technology can be used to tackle hunger
and poverty by delivering higher yields and reducing the use and therefore
cost of pesticides.
And earlier in the year, Environment Minister Phil Woolas suggested
that opposition to genetically modified crops may have to be rethought
in the light of the global food crisis.
However, green groups and aid agencies fear claims about the potential
benefits are not being borne out in practice. Critics say there is
no evidence to show GM crops boost yields.
And they warn that rather than tackling poverty in developing countries,
much of the GM crops grown - the vast majority of which are in North
and South America - are used for animal feed or biofuels.
Charles, who has an organic farm on his Highgrove estate, told the
newspaper he wanted to see more family run co-operative farms.
He denied this was trying to turn back the clock and said farmers
must work with nature and not against it.
At the end of last month, scientists told the Government field trials
of GM crops in the UK need better protection to allow researchers
to assess their benefits.
They said the location and details of small-scale trials could be
kept from the public to prevent them being vandalized by anti-GM protesters.
And they said the number of field trials had declined in recent years
because of sabotage, damaging the UK's ability to inspire innovation
and commercial investment.
A Defra spokeswoman said: "As we have said many times, there
is an important debate to be had on the potential role of GM crops
in the future, and we welcome all voices in that debate.
"Safety will always be our top priority on this issue."
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Upcoming Events
At the New York Botanical Garden:
The Heirloom Tomato: An Exhibition of Photographs by Victor
Schrager
Portraits of Historic Tomato Varieties from
the Gardens of Amy Goldman
August 12, 2008–August 30, 2009
In the Arthur and Janet Ross Gallery
The 34 glorious color portraits of heirloom tomatoes on exhibition--a
sampling of the amazing 5,000 varieties grown every year in the garden
of acclaimed food writer Amy Goldman--pay homage to the heirloom tomato
and the talents of photographer Victor Schrager.
Foraging in Central Park with naturalist “Wildman”
Steve Brill
Thanks to its varied habitats and combination of native and introduced
species, this world-famous park overflows with wild food.
If the summer has been rainy, the mushrooming should be excellent.
In years where there was exceptionally rainy weather, we found hundreds
of dollars worth of prized prince mushrooms (Agaricus augustus) on
a path across from the Museum of Natural History, and they'll be back
again if it rains a lot beforehand.
The 4-hour walking tour begins at 11:45 AM, Saturday, September 6,
at 72nd St. & Central Park West.
Call (914) 835-2153 at least 24 hours ahead to reserve a place.
http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/
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Recipes
Beet Risotto with Horseradish
1 small onion
1 pound red beets with greens (about 3 medium)
4 cups water
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter/or soy substitute like earth balance
1 cup Arborio or long-grain rice
1/2 cup freshly grated (vegan) Parmesan (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1 tablespoon bottled horseradish
Finely chop onion and trim stems close to tops of beets. Cut greens
into 1/4-inch-wide slices and chop stems. Peel beets and cut into
fine dice. In a small saucepan bring water to a simmer and keep at
a bare simmer.
In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook onion in butter over moderate heat
until softened. Add beets and stems and cook, stirring occasionally,
5 minutes. Stir in rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Stir
in 1 cup simmering water and cook, stirring constantly and keeping
at a strong simmer, until absorbed.
Continue cooking at a strong simmer and adding water, about 1/2 cup
at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed
before adding next.
After 10 minutes, stir in greens and continue cooking and adding water,
about 1/2 cup at a time, in same manner until rice is tender and creamy-looking
but still al dente, about 8 minutes more. (There may be water left
over.)
Remove pan from heat and stir in Parmesan.
Serve risotto topped with horseradish.
