Question
Hey there Chris...... as you're an expert in the gardening field involving organic vegetable and herb growing.... I wanted to ask you what you think of the idea of genetically enhancing tomatoes so that they don't bruise easily, enhancing cows so they produce more milk, and enhancing corn that will grow larger ears? I quite frankly think this is ridiculous.

Answer
I'm very uncomfortable with it quite frankly.  When Mom nature genetically engineers plants and foods there is a built in default.  If it doesn't work, it doesn't reproduce.  We're tampering with that possibility and were changing things in ways that will in time negatively impact us all.

Monsanto is already genetically engineering potatos to include bacillus thurengensis.  BT is the organic solution for potato beetles which can do significant damage to a crop.  The problem is that if the plants have the bacteria engineered into them, in time the caterpillars will become resistant to the bacteria.  What will us organic gardeners do then?

The same with crossing proteins into tomatos etc.  There is no way of knowing the impact on humans and the environment until it has happened.  They are not conducting their research in ecodomes that are completely self contained and prevented from escape.  They are conducting the research in open fields where pollens and impacted organisms can leave the area to impact other fields.......

Just my opinion.

Chris