A Discussion of the Social Effects of Biotechnology Essay examples --

A Discussion of the Social Effects of Biotechnology The world of work in agriculture is in a process of rapid change. While "change" is by no means alien to agriculture, something new has entered the arena which promises and/or threatens to fundamentally alter agricultural practices across the globe. Biotechnology has already begun to be implemented resulting in what may be important shifts in not only agricultural production, but indeed changes in the very makeup of agricultural products themselves. This promises to pose serious challenges and/or opportunities to farmers across the globe. However, this may of course depend where it is particular farmers stand in relation to the power and socio-economic relations surrounding biotechnology. Indeed, this new and rapidly expanding1 field of technology is by no means some "invisible hand" or politically neutral" futuristic vision" (such as that presented at Disney's EPCOT Center) that will shape the way we produce and consume food. Those who will control the manner in which biotechnology is applied to agriculture will, and indeed are, acutely shaping the social relations that are structured around it. Biotechnology and its accompanying industries, such as genetic engineering, have become the "buzz words" of the day much in the same way nuclear energy was discussed in the early days of nuclear power. It is held up, for example, as holding the promise of solving the world's food shortages. According to major corporations involved in biotechnology, such as Monsanto2 , genetic engineering heralds the wave of the future. They argue that this technology will not only be able to provide for the world's food sources, but will likewise help preserve the environment. Farming of th... ...en a dramatic turn. At the end of last year, Mr Shapiro announced that the company,...would spin off the core of the firm, a chemicals business with sales of around $3 billion in sales-half from agricultural products,....However, Mr Shapiro has made it clear where he wants Monsanto to go. The firm, he believes, should be the main provider of the "agricultural biotechnology " the world will need if it is to feed itself in the future without despoiling the environment." (ibid.) from many of the webpages which are linked to this page. Below are listed the prinicipal web-pages: (www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/endanger.html), (www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/safebiot.html), (www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/overseas.html), (www.ces.ncsu.edu/san/htdocs/docs/other.html), (www.soybean.com), (www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/concept.htm), (www.caff.org), (www.oilseeds.org), (www.fsu.usda.gov/pas/default.asp)