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Subject: Re: UKNM: Off-topic - an apple a day keeps the dentist away
From: Lois Grayson
Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 10:59:03 +0100

Mendel was way before his time and disregarded by the 'intelligent world'
(Darwin left a copy of his seminal lecture Experiments on Plant Hybrids,
contained within Transactions of the Brno Society for the Study of Natural
Science 1865, untouched - although it elucidated and substantiated his
Origin of Species) - that Ray I agree with

The point is that it was the scientist who gave the need for 'added value'
(his words ;I quote verbatim) as the driving force directing his genetic
modification experiments

Mendel didn't fuck about with nature, he observed and interpreted NATURAL
phenomena and used his interpretation as a platform for increased scientific
understanding (and the local farmers an understanding of how to grow normal
peas better). Careful cross pollination didn't fuck up the food chains
around Heinzendorf.

THis geneticist however just wants to play with his new toy and uses a
perceived market opportunity as the rationale

You could argue (I wouldn't) that gm is a valid tool to help feed the
world - an altruistic reason to screw up fine ecological balances if one
chooses to believe Monsanto. But the Lepidoptera are dropping like flies
('scuse the pun).

You can just feel the greed; from scientists who hunger for research grants,
to the corporates behind them, to the likes of you and me who can't wait to
brand and promote the 'products' derived

Like I won't work with cigarette companies I'll have no truck with this;
just a personal decision. And I certainly won't feed the people I love with
this stuff.

Coming back to your comments on good food directly supplied via eCommerce,
Ray, there are a few services out there that are great - I recommend
FreshFood.co.uk. Organic food is obviously going to decay faster 'cos it
isn't blasted all over with carcinogens and hasn't been grown I agree for
size and colour - so it's a real challenge for eFulfilment and I reckon this
company gets it right.

Any other recommendations?

Lois

----- Original Message -----
From: Ray Taylor <rayateyeconomy [dot] com>
To: <uk-netmarketingatchinwag [dot] com>
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2000 8:47 AM
Subject: Re: UKNM: Off-topic - an apple a day keeps the dentist away


> Lois Grayson <loisgatdialstart [dot] net> said:
>
>
> >I've just heard a scientist say that the solution to the ailing British
> fruit industry is
> >to >'add value' (quote) to our apples by genetically modifying them so
that
> they
> >synthesise a peptide which helps prevent tooth decay, thereby creating
> >competitive advantage in the global market.
>
> I seem to remember a primary school genetic selection experiment where you
> cross breed two types of pea. The one being small, shrivelled and sweet,
the
> other being big, shiny and tasteless - but infinitely more marketable of
> course.
>
> The problem the "British fruit industry" has in marketing their produce is
> not looking for added value, but in meeting customer requirements.
Remember,
> the biggest customers of the fruit industry in any country are ultimately
> supermarkets, not consumers. Supermarkets want produce that is bright,
> shiny, has a long shelf life, uniform size and shape, and costs the least.
> But fruit is best when it is sweet, ripe, all sorts of odd shapes and
sizes.
>
> Understand it from the supermarket's point of view. People buy fruit on
the
> way it looks, not the way it tastes. Housewives choose most staple
products
> in supermarkets on price. Most consumers have forgotten what fruit ought
to
> taste like, but this is in itself a market opportunity to sell
> "flavour-enhanced" and "organically-grown" produce at premium prices.
>
> But surely the "new economy" has a solution to this problem? Surely there
is
> room for premium organic brands to be marketed direct from producer to
> consumer, with the assistance of a direct distribution mechanism? That
way,
> those of us who can remember when English apples, eg, were worth eating,
can
> choose from the dozens of varieties that used to be grown in these islands
> and which are availably on a seasonal basis, rather than be forced to take
> the tasteless crap currently on all shelves, all year round.

[Sam says: msg chopped]


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  Re: UKNM: Off-topic - an apple a day kee, Ray Taylor

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