Customer Reviews

The Last Harvest: The Genetic Gamble That Threatens to Destroy American Agriculture

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Mr Raeburn's book is a wake up call to all those who think our scientists have all the answers. He exposes Big Agriculture's propoganda that we (they ?) are in control of our food supply. The immense diversity of edible foods is the true secret of nature's success, while reliance on a few varieties of grains, fruits and vegetables could spell disaster for the world's food supply.

In my opinion he doesn't get into the argument enough about the control exercized over Governments and Agricultural Depts by huge multi-national agricultural corporations, whose sole purpose is to increase shareholder earnings (its the "nature" of the beast).

For example Mad Cow disease is most likely one of the side effects of incomplete science used by those Ag Corps who used bovine hormone treatments to artificially increase yields ! The thought of the future side effects of genetic engineering, when most scientists say it is as much an art as a science, really scares me.

Despite the relatively neutral stance Raeburn takes, his work is still a good wake up call. His questioning the "playing at God" scientists, many funded by Big Industry Agriculture, has drawn critics to say his book is scientifically unfounded. This is a simplistic argument often used by self-serving interests and ego-sensitive scientists.

A good follow up to reading this book is Edward O Wilson's, "The Diversity of Life".

I suggest you to find something better to read. Even if the auctor is an award winner, that doesn't mean that all what he writes is reliable. A last suggestion: even if you'll read this book, don't be panicked: real possibilities of genetic engeneering are far better than what he suggests to be in his book.