Gains and Limitations of Agricultural Research?

Answer 1

Agricultural Research has been the leading force in productivity in this century. Agricultural Research encompasses everything from irrigation systems to bioengineering. The gains may be seen by the sheer numbers that one U.S. farmer can feed. In the 1920's one farmer could feed 25 people and today they can feed 144 people . We've the safest, cheapest, and most abundant food in the world, or fuel for your SUV's gas tank. The limitations of Agricultural Research are those of any area of research, money, ethics, and time. This is exemplified by the recent debate over genetically modified sugar beets. For almost a decade, farmers in Idaho and Washington state have been planting, harvesting, and selling sugar beets that have been genetically modified to withstand the herbicide, "Round Up" and similar products produced by Monsanto. These gm crops, as they are called, have been saving farmers time and money which, in return, saves the consumer and processor money. Despite this obvious advantage, various organic groups have been attacking the Round Up ready product which has received FDA approval. They say that not enough time and money has been invested in this crop to ensure that it is safe for the market place, also, they question whether or not it is ethical to modify orginizms, and that this will encourage an over use of the herbicide and therefor create "Super Weeds" that are also resistant to the herbicide. A court case has been called, and all Round Up ready sugar beet seeds quarantined with strict restrictions in place.