Seeds: The Future of Our Food
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Transcript of Seeds: The Future of Our Food
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Seeds: The Future of Our Food
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The Potato Famine
• ~1845-1850• Potato disease—late blight• Wide-spread hunger and disease• Potato monocultures
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Corn Blight
• 1970• Fungus: Southern Corn Leaf
Blight• Attacked the cytoplasm of
the hybrid corn: T-cytoplasm• 80% of U.S. corn in 1970 was
this hybrid variety = 46 million acres
• Monocultures
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Heirloom vs. Hybrid
HYBRID (F1)• The result of artificially
crossing two plants together
• Seeds do not produce “true to type” plants like the parents
• Bred for industrial traits.• Reduce genetic diversity
HEIRLOOM• Open pollination• Adapted to particular
places• Saved for their adaptive
benefits• Greater genetic
diversity
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Values of Heirloom Crops
DIVERSITY
TASTE
ADAPTATION
CULTURE
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Seed Saving
• One of the oldest traditions of civilization• Keeps alive traditional agricultural and
culinary practices, essential for the stability of cultures
• Must be open pollinated• Enhances biodiversity
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GMOs
• Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)• Biotechnologies• Genetic engineering / Gene transfer• 1992: FlavrSavr Tomato• Terminator genes• Bt: New Leaf Potatoes
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Values
• Efficiency
• Industrialization
• Output
• Uniformity
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GMOs around US and the World
• GMOs are now grown in 42 countries on 6 continents
• Currently, over 1 billion acres of land contain GMO crops. 2/3 of this acreage is in USA.
• 70% of products on grocery shelves in USA contain GMO ingredients
http://www.siskiyoucoop.com/class/15GMO.pdf
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GMO Crops• Soybeans• Corn• Cotton• Tomatoes• Potatoes• Rapeseed
(Canola Oil) • Sugar cane• Sweet Corn• Rice
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The Potential Risks of GMOs toPeople and Environment
PROS• Reduced pesticide use
initially• Convenient • Short term resistance
initially• Initial higher yield
CONS• Unknown risks to human
health and environment• Long term resistance• Cross pollination with non-
GMOs• Loss of biodiversity• Ethical considerations• Loss of ability to save seed
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Alternatives to GMOs
• Seeds of Trust• Native Seed/SEARCH• Community Seed Banks
• Seed Exchanges• CSAs and Farmers Markets• Community Gardens• GMO labeling