Re: Fw: BC organic fruit victory

["John Abdon" <jabdon@hotmail.com>]

A good primer on the microbiotic viewpoint on this critically urgent 
discussion focused on the genetic landscape. I will be somewhat eased the 
next time I'm eating the flesh of the fruit. But what about the portion I 
reject? Due diligence requires a complete examination of the macrobiotic 
issues surrounding the mineral/plant/animal communities that are interlocked 
in this evolutionary dance.

Which community members uptake the genetic material contained in the seeds? 
One need go no farther than the nearest unfenced orchard on the harvest moon 
to gain a sense of the complexity required to answer that question properly. 
Especially true for the orchard to which I have access. Being in the San 
Juan Islands, this genetic web includes sea otters, salmon, salamanders, red 
deer, a bogling array of fungus, ancient juniper, douglas fir, official 
Audabon bird counts consistently above 150, and it goes on and on and on...

It is this myriad of nonlinear genetic pathways which is a great concern to 
the people of the earth. The thought of the transference of newly engineered 
genetic information in unknown ways through unknown species is the driving 
force of the current worldwide concern being expressed so well in 
discussions such as this.

So, I won't eat the apple seeds any more (I promise)... but what should I do 
with them instead? Burn them?

From: "H. Allen Sylvester" <asylvest@eatel.net>
Reply-To: "permaculture" <permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
To: "permaculture" <permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Subject: Re: Fw: BC organic fruit victory
Date: Thu, 04 May 2000 21:47:17 -0500

Dear PC listers,
     Having grown up on an apple orchard in the Okanogan valley (USA-side
spelling!) Washington a few miles south of where the Similkameen enters
the Okanogan River, I think a few comments are in order.  I received a
B.S. in Botany from U. WA. and a Ph. D. in Genetics (Plant Breeding)
from UC Davis (classical genetics, before genetic engineering).  Plus, I
have worked with honey bees and subscribed to Organic Gardening (&
Farming) for 30 some years.
     Comparing apples and canola is much worse than comparing apples and
oranges.  The fruit of apples, etc.  comes strictly from the female
parent tree.  The seeds carry genetic material from whatever pollen
fertilized the bloom, but this does not affect the fruit, other than to
stimulate it to develop, unless they have changed the rules of plant
morphology and development.  Since no one in my family eats apple seeds,
we would be totally unaffected by eating an organic apple containing
seeds fertilized by genetically modified pollen.  Therefore, removing
organic certification from organic orchards near genetically modified
trees is totally uncalled for.
     In contrast, the fertilized canola seed, which could be expressing
GMO characteristics, is the part that is processed to yield canola oil.
Therefore, those who object to GMOs do have a valid objection in that
case.

Allen
H. Allen Sylvester


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