Lords of the Harvest Review

What if there were a way to cut the fertilizers that pollute our groundwater and the pesticides that taint our foods—while increasing crop yields? Surely all of us would applaud such a welcome environmental development. But when the way turned out to be the genetic modification of plants, the applause got drowned out by the boo's and hisses of great segments of the public.

Daniel Charles' book Lords of the Harvest traces the history of genetic modification (GM) in an effort to help us decide for ourselves whether foods resulting from such manipulation are safe or risky. Thanks to his upbringing on a family farm and years of experience as a science reporter for NPR, Charles managed to position himself as a neutral observer, gaining access to key players both in agri-business and the environmental movement. The result is an even-handed book that presents the subject in all its complexity—yet with a driving narrative that successfully carries the load of its many technical details.

Charles makes us feel the intellectual challenge of scientists frustrated in their search for ways to insert genes in plants—and their How-The-West-Was-Won triumph when a crude gun finally solved the problem. We see the outrage and eventual acquiescence of farmers asked to sign agreements forbidding them to plant seeds from their own GM crops. We ponder the inconsistencies in European regulations that allow small amounts of rat feces, insect parts, dirt and toxic pesticides in US grain shipments, but not the least trace of modified DNA. We laugh at the hubris of lab scientists who imagine they can rush the ripening of GM tomatoes in the fields, or control the whimsy of rain, sun and heat.

The stories themselves are by turn amusing, riveting and instructional. In the end, however, we are left (appropriately) with more questions than answers. The questions Daniel Charles raises—and urges us all to answer for ourselves—include:

1. How much risk are we, as a society, willing to take for any innovation? Can we develop a public policy that balances overall risks and rewards to society?
2. Where is the ethical boundary in the manipulation of living organisms? Charles says it's somewhere between "the domestication of wheat on one hand [and] the extermination of people deemed inferior on the other...and it's up to us to find it."
3. Should private companies be allowed to own things that have long been in the public domain, such as seeds, genes, and water?
4. Should GM foods be tested and regulated by the same standards as foods bred through other methods—or are tighter regulations needed?
5. In the face of natural cross-pollination and global trade is there any way to keep GM foods separate from non-GM foods? Are we kidding ourselves if we try?
6. Are there other issues in agriculture (fertilizer run-off, erosion, mono-crop cultures, etc.) that pose a greater environmental danger than GM foods? Why aren't these issues regulated?

(To the list above, I would personally add a few more, such as "How can we get consumers to worry as much about transfats or refined grains in our food supply, as they do about GM foods?" But that's another diatribe for another time...)

There are no definitive answers for any of the questions above, and Charles does not presume to offer them. It is up to all of us to make our own decisions based on the excellent range of background information Charles supplies and on new facts we encounter as the subject continues to unfold.

Overall, Lords of the Harvest is an excellent book. If you'd like a solid grounding in the topic of GM foods, this is the book to read. Be forewarned, however, that there are many strands to the story, and the cast of characters is large. You may have trouble keeping track of who's who if you don't pay attention (this is not a light summer beach read!). Yet the author's considerable narrative skills make this busy stage as accessible as humanly possible. We've taken off half a star, as it may have been possible for Charles to cut the complexity just a bit more without losing any points of view. But that's a small quibble. The book is excellent serious non-fiction, and highly recommended.

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Review © 2002 Cynthia Harriman.
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