Gmo Salmon

Source: http://www.aquabounty.com

This weekend's New York Times brought the interesting even of AquaBounty's genetically modified salmon, which are genetically engineered to grow twice equally fast equally normal Salmon. H5N1 few alternative bits:

"In 1993, the fellowship approached the Food too Drug Administration virtually selling a genetically modified salmon that grew faster than normal fish. In 1995, AquaBounty formally applied for approval. Last month, to a greater extent than than 17 years later, the world comment period...was lastly supposed to conclude. But the F.D.A. has extended the deadline...

Appropriately, it has been subjected to rigorous reviews... scientists, including the F.D.A.’s experts, choose concluded that the fish is simply equally rubber to swallow equally conventional salmon too that, raised inwards isolated tanks, it poses petty adventure to wild populations.

Why the delay?

... around suspect that political considerations choose played a purpose inwards drawing the approving procedure out to tortuous lengths. Many of the members of Congress who oppose the modified fish correspond states alongside strong salmon industries. And around nonprofit groups look to live opposing the modified salmon reflexively, equally business office of an agenda to oppose all animate beingness biotechnology, regardless of its security or potential benefits.

Even the White House mightiness live playing politics alongside the salmon. “The delay, sources inside the regime say, came after meetings alongside the White House, which was debating the political implications of approving the GM salmon, a movement probable to infuriate a subdivision of its base.”

namely,

anti-biotech groups, which traffic inwards scare tactics rather than science...

This even brings 3 thoughts to mind.

1. So who is "anti-science?" I can't resist. There were a lot of potshots at Republicans for beingness anti-science, around well-deserved. But "science" is abundantly clear here. "Science" is indeed incorrect at times, but if nosotros desire policy based on "science," the security of GMO foods is virtually equally goodness equally it gets. There's enough of magical thinking on both left too right, it turns out.

2.  $10,000 dollars invested inwards the stock marketplace inwards 1993 is worth $50,000 today ($31,477 after inflation)  yes, fifty-fifty after the crash. It was already worth $37,600 ($32,700 after inflation) inwards 1999.  Remember, AcquaBounty hasn't sold a unmarried fish. The damage of xx years delay is enormous, amounting to a huge revenue enhancement disincentive.

3. We involve growth. Where does increase come upward from? Modern increase theory is abundantly clear. New ideas, novel processes, novel businesses that heighten productivity. Like a novel thought that lets us double the increase charge per unit of measurement of farmed salmon. And, yes, lower profits of electrical flow salmon fishermen, much to the relief of wild salmon.

GMO foods are, potentially, a huge game changer. Once every 50 years or so, nosotros bump upward against a Malthusian limit, too a novel thought frees us again. Fixing airborne nitrogen. Green revolution. Now, GMO foods. GMO plants are beingness bred to usage less fertilizer too insecticide, i.e. to live amend for the environment, equally good equally to cure vitamin H5N1 deficiency, hit less waste, too then on. No, honey Greenpeace, organic farming is non the answer, unless nosotros usage a lot to a greater extent than Earth for agriculture, starve out one-half the people, or believe inwards magic.  (It's equally good bad organizations similar this endure such mission creep. I would happily back upward their efforts on behalf of endangered species.)

Or mayhap not. The lesson of industrial policy is that academic bloggers are simply equally bad equally regime bureaucrats inwards finding the side past times side game changer. But in that location are hundreds of similar game-changers underway. Read whatever pop scientific discipline magazine. Will nosotros allow the winners demeanor fruit?

Why hit countries too civilizations fail? When interests vested inwards the condition quo or magical thinking halt that process.  A long decay precedes the crises. I am reminded of the famous failures, such equally the Chinese Emperor's ban on long-range shipping, at a fourth dimension when Chinese ships were means amend than Portugese.

Update: A real overnice article past times Henry Miller on GM foods, titled "Anti-Genetic Engineering Activism: Why the Bastards Never Quit." Henry is manifestly much to a greater extent than knowledgeable than I am.