Comments on: The economic, asethetic and landscape case for the UK adopting a sustainable GM-free organic agricultural policy https://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/the-economic-asethetic-and-landscape-case-for-the-uk-adopting-a-sustainable-gm-free-organic-agricultural-policy/ Gardenvisit.com Thu, 17 Jun 2010 06:18:58 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.8 By: Christine https://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/the-economic-asethetic-and-landscape-case-for-the-uk-adopting-a-sustainable-gm-free-organic-agricultural-policy/#comment-2195 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 06:18:58 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=4635#comment-2195 The junction between medicine,food and genetic engineering is one I am not very informed about.[ http://foodfreedom.wordpress.com/2010/06/11/mutant-cows-die-in-gm-trial/ ]

Perhaps having ‘medicine’ in your genes assists with disentangling the important aspects of these bio-ethical controversies?

]]> By: Christine https://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/the-economic-asethetic-and-landscape-case-for-the-uk-adopting-a-sustainable-gm-free-organic-agricultural-policy/#comment-2194 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 06:11:33 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=4635#comment-2194 I agree – there is something wonderful to be said for looking at cows – as opposed to eating them!

]]> By: Tom Turner https://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/the-economic-asethetic-and-landscape-case-for-the-uk-adopting-a-sustainable-gm-free-organic-agricultural-policy/#comment-2193 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 06:17:12 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=4635#comment-2193 There is an old medical joke that if you do x, y and z (eg to avoid heart disease) then ‘You may not actually live longer but it will certainly feel longer’. My worry about a discussion of sustainable farming, rather than a sustainable environment for humans, it opens the door to ‘satisfying human food and fibre needs’ without giving due importance to the other objectives – so that our species may not survive longer but it will ‘certainly feel longer’.

]]> By: Christine https://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/the-economic-asethetic-and-landscape-case-for-the-uk-adopting-a-sustainable-gm-free-organic-agricultural-policy/#comment-2192 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 04:48:25 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=4635#comment-2192 Sustainable farming has been defined as:

* satisfying human food and fibre needs
* enhancing environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which agricultural economies depend
* make the most efficient use of non-renewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate where appropriate natural biological cycles and controls
* sustain the economic viability of farm operations and
* enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole

This seems like a fair definition, however the notion of competing and ecologically sound land-uses is not captured in the definition.

1)How does a nation define the level at which it has achieved food security?
2)What level and types of agricultural production for export markets are appropriate for the nation?

For example, is agricultural uses the optimal ecological use of the land? Is the land also important habitat? If so, how compatible are the existing or contemplated agricultural uses? Is cultural heritage or urban development a competing land use? If so, to what extent might they be compatible land uses if at all?

]]> By: Tom Turner https://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/the-economic-asethetic-and-landscape-case-for-the-uk-adopting-a-sustainable-gm-free-organic-agricultural-policy/#comment-2191 Tue, 15 Jun 2010 06:05:48 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=4635#comment-2191 Thank you for pointing to my now-corrected mistake! I also forgot say that the post was prompted by listening to the current Reith lecturer, Martin Rees, as I made my way home from Laxton.

]]> By: Adam Hodge https://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/the-economic-asethetic-and-landscape-case-for-the-uk-adopting-a-sustainable-gm-free-organic-agricultural-policy/#comment-2190 Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:57:40 +0000 http://www.gardenvisit.com/blog/?p=4635#comment-2190 Tom Your opening statement cracks me up !! Many scientists argue that ‘we’ should accept genitally modified (GM) foods… what.. have re-shaped todgers perhaps !

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