journalists and farmers archive 3253

[Rick Roush <rick.roush@adelaide.edu.au>]

>Sun, 23 Jul 2000

>Rick,  you have to understand that the print and electronic media cannot
>present the views of a "majority of scientists".  An experienced journalist
>may be able to accurately present the views of a scientist on a particular
>part of molecular biology or biotechnology.  No right thinking journalist
>would ever believe he knew what the "majority" or any group is thinking.

Maroc:  I beg to differ.  Some science journalists spend enough time on
stories, or in life long learning, to sort this out.


>
>For instance, you would have us accept your view that herbicicde tolerant
>biotech plants will result in the decreased use of chemical herbicides by
>farmers.  I'm not interested in the nit-picking arguments that using less
>of one brand of herbicide means the use of more of another brand.  But I
>know farmers as well as you and my acquaintanceship tells me if a guy has
>plants resistant to a herbicide like Roundup or Liberty or whatever, if he
>sees something green that he didn't plant poking its head up through the
>bare ground, he'll zap it with some killer chemical.

Maroc:  Perhaps I know farmers better than you, or just a different class
of farmers.  People, including organic growers with insecticides, often do
just what you suggest, because there is the opportunity and sometimes the
need for frequent spraying.  But not for weeds.  Most farmers shave
herbicide rates as much as they can, and can only apply early in the
season.  Over the innane objections of the New York State Dept of the
Environment, I supported a growers (finally successful) initiative for the
right to use herbicides at HALF the labeled rate.  Grain growers in
Australia, especially in Western Australia, are notorious for using as
little as 1/3 the labelled rate.


>
>One of the problems you have with being accurately reported by the media is
>that whether they write the news or read it they are usually into subjects
>they know absolutely nothing about.  That makes them easy game for the
>unscrupulous extremists on both sides.  The agbiotech industry has been
>hurt much more by their hired and unhired supporters than they have by
>their enemies.  One thing is they let their hired guns group all opposition
>under one tent and nothing can be farther from the truth.

Probably right. I guess that's part of my reply to Roberto.

>
>Most of us on this list have a better than average understanding of
>biotechnology and the chemical industry.  We should be learning from one
>another not bashing one another.  (rest clipped for brevity)

Fair comment.



Rick wrote to start with:
>>Maroc:
>>
>>I am very happy for anyone to comment on social-economic-political
>>ramifications of biotech foods, and completely agree that scientists have
>>no special expertise there. I do wish that the press would at least present
>>the views of the majority of scientists on the issues that are scientific.