Which seed varieties are best? There are groups, such as Renewing America’s Food Traditions (RAFT) (www.albc-usa.org/RAFT/), that say we should preserve the original biodiversity and the heirloom varieties that our ancestors grew. Other groups believe that selective breeding and hybridization create superior crops, the downside being that farmers must purchase new seeds every year. Bayer is a huge conglomerate that sells a variety of hybrid seeds and chemicals to enhance growth (www.bayercropscience.us). Another group, AgBioWorld (www.agbioworld.org), says that it is neutral and reports the news on agricultural practices. Look at each website to help analyze the organizations.
Evaluate the websites and work with the information to answer the following questions:
Evaluate the agendas of the three organizations as well as the accuracy of the science behind their positions on heirloom varieties versus hybrid crops.
Who runs each website? Do the person’s/organization’s credentials make the information presented on food and agriculture issues reliable or unreliable? Explain.
What is the mission of each website? What are the underlying values? How do you know this?
What claims does each website make about the current problems in food production and what the future of agriculture should be? Are their claims reasonable? Explain.
How do the websites compare in providing scientific evidence in support of their assessment of agriculture and their position on the role of heirloom varieties versus hybrid crops? Is the evidence accurate and reliable? Explain.
How do the three organizations compare in engaging you, as a citizen, in agricultural policy? Do you think that citizen involvement in policy issues is necessary and effective? Explain your responses.
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