Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Ag Writer Says to Embrace GMO's | Tri States Public Radio

Ag Writer Says to Embrace GMO's | Tri States Public Radio

Genetically modified crops and growth hormones are nothing to be afraid of.  That’s what agricultural writer and radio host Trent Loos believes.
Loos grew up on a farm in Quincy, Illinois and now raises cattle, hogs, horses and goats on his ranch in central Nebraska. He was invited to speak by faculty form Western Illinois University's College of Agriculture.
  • Full Interview with Trent Loos
Loos said he thinks farmers and ranchers haven't done enough to get the public to understand the benefits of modern agriculture.

He considers the distrust and are opposition to these practices a matter of people lacking education and  understanding of the topics.

"I don't believe any of it is valid scientific concerns, I believe it is the emotion of the day," Loos said.
He adds that people are stuck in out-dated way of thinking about farming, in what he calls an "American Gothic" type of mindset.

Loos says that people who respond to concerns about modern agriculture by resorting to local and organic agriculture are free to make that choice and he celebrates their ability to do so. However he does not think it is viable on a large scale.

"Local food is a wonderful choice, it's terrible food policy," Loos said.

He cites the European union which Loos said now has to import a large amount of it's food and has seen food prices rise dramatically as an a result  of limiting modern agricultural technologies like GMO's.

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