The world has always veered toward disaster warnings rather than solutions (just ask the news media, which grabs the most eyeballs) and sometimes in the process, creates avoidable disasters. Intriguingly, there is so much opposition to this scientific miracle, when feeding the world was once the biggest cloud over humanity. There was a significant fear of mass starvation; even in the west, there was a scramble to head off this inevitable plague.

This fear was spread throughout Europe upon the publication of An Essay on the Principle of Population by Thomas Malthus in 1798.

Malthusian Catastrophe Famine seems to be the last, the most dreadful resource of nature. The power of population is so superior to the power of the earth to produce subsistence for man that premature death must in some shape or other visit the human race. The vices of mankind are active and able ministers of depopulation. They are the precursors in the great army of destruction, and often finish the dreadful work themselves. But should they fail in this war of extermination, sickly seasons, epidemics, pestilence, and plague advance in terrific array, and sweep off their thousands and tens of thousands. Should success be still incomplete, gigantic inevitable famine stalks in the rear and with one mighty blow levels the population with the food of the world. Thomas Malthus, 1798. An Essay on the Principle of Population

Over the years, such concerns about food and commodity shortages have shaped policies, mostly toward disastrous ends.  Instead of this nonsense, we should celebrate a growing population that’s living longer.

Life Expectancy	Change 2000 to 2015
Global	5 years
Africa	9.4 years

 

A Real Science Revolution

Theophrastus

Carl Linnaeus

Gregor Johann Mendel

George Washington Carver

Norman Borlaug

The history of botany has many famous names, beginning with the Father of Botany, to the man whose work is said to have saved one billion people. On that list, I would add the name of a company- Monsanto.

These days, I know it’s a lot cooler to hate on the creator of Frankenstein food that has been the scorn of elites since their unveiling. 

Even before the seeds that developed these magical foods could get into the food supply, we heard the horror stories and warnings about their negative impact on society.

Those stories never went away; in fact, it became lore among hipsters throughout the western world.

Green Revolution

Every time we push ourselves from the table after a hearty meal, we should say a quiet thanks to Norman Borlaug.  Born in Iowa in 1914, Borlaug lived through the Great Depression and the ‘Dust Bowl’ that choked off food production in wide swathes of the nation.  He later surmised that the ‘Dust Bowl’ was the result of an “insufficient application of technology,” essentially stating it was avoidable.

Borlaug came along just as a modern-day version of Malthusian thoughts was gaining traction with the publication of The Population Bomb by Paul Ehrlich in 1968. At the time, India was in the midst of two years of severe drought when Ehrlich proclaimed there was no program that could save the subcontinent from millions of starvation deaths.  Ultimately, he was saying that the country could never hope to feed 200 million citizens.

However, at that point, Borlaug was already working his magic in Mexico, where he developed a miracle breed of dwarf wheat resistant to a variety of pests and diseases, while also producing up to three times more grain.  India took note, charting a 707 to bring in thousands of metric tons of this miracle wheat.  Norman Borlaug worked with local farmers in India and Pakistan.

It is estimated that he saved a billion people with his modified wheat product.

Borlaug went on to win the Noble Peace Prize in Botany in 1970, and is known as the Father of the Green Revolution.

Food Security

If Monsanto is ever bought by Bayer or some other rival (BASF has been mentioned as a potential suitor as well), it would create a global food behemoth.   The company would compete against Syngenta, which is in the process of being acquired by ChemChina; a merged Dow, and DuPont. The $130 billion merger will result in three separate traded companies with the agriculture unit, a fraction of its global competitors. 

Think of population growth outside the western world, and there will be enormous demand for food.  Even in Europe, the public relations aspect that’s virtually barred these seeds and foods from the continent will eventually come down over the need to feed people.

Meanwhile, Monsanto has had lofty goals that will positively impact mankind.

Monsanto’s Ambitious Goals 2000 – 2030	Improve Harvest 100%	Use 1/3 Fewer Resources
Cotton	30%	67%
Soybean	13%	45%
Corn	21%	18%
Canola	30%	NA

 

Comments

I have a couple of random responses to fairly random points made here. The first is on global warming, which is clearly a brilliantly concocted tax and fee scheme. If anyone is sincerely worried about CO2 in the air, they should plant trees. When it comes to GMOs, I less at ease. I find splicing genes of foreign substances onto food disquieting. Which I am not advocating stopping it,since the possibility of long term health problems may be a lot better than immediate starvation, I don't understand the vicious resistance to labeling GMOs so people can make a personal choice. My immense dislike of Monsanto stems from their practice of contaminating their neighboring farms crops with their modified seeds then suing the unwilling recipients of their seeds (usually due to wind) to financial destruction. Patricia Hampton on 5/24/2016 10:26:30 AM

Just about time the market reaches its top, now nearing,a real disaster world wide will show its face! Japan, China, Korea and South America are in dire straights joe hubbard on 5/24/2016 10:26:41 AM

The problem is the eaters. We have too many eaters who are not producers. Unless we reduce the population of non-productive eaters, they will bring the whole economic system down around our ears. z on 5/24/2016 10:34:29 AM

Wow, another eye catching piece! The WSJ has been covering this for years and has detailed how the primary initial objection to modified foods was based on the need to discredit them due to Europe's loss of trade as a hidden form of economic protection. How sad that they put business over starvation and peoples health! By the way, saw you on Saturday evening and was wowed by your four panelists covering the Trump phenomenon, it was outstanding as always. What a class act you are Charles. ray weldon on 5/24/2016 10:41:46 AM

The incredible ability of human beings to innovate is the one factor that anti-people fear-mongers like Malthus and Ehrlich totally forgot. Borlaug deserves global recognition for his great work. Plaudits to Monsanto as well. Dennis Howard on 5/24/2016 10:45:21 AM

Joe Hubbard, the modern day Jonathan Swift with "A Modest Proposal". I like it! kev on 5/24/2016 11:07:27 AM

There is nothing new in gene splicing. It is yet another natural process that we have simply made use of to focus on our needs. Contrary to the old notion of the Lockbox genome, nature has been slathering DNA around the world with about as much care as a lousy painter. In our case we at least target the genes we want to move leaving the rest in place. Scott Manhart on 5/24/2016 11:24:15 AM

And where do a huge chunk of the non-productive eaters reside? Try: .gov z on 5/24/2016 11:48:43 AM

Farmers used to keep part of their crop for seed the following year. I have had farmers tell me that Monsanto (and other seed companies) have removed the reproductive genes from their seed, resulting in a requirement to purchase seed every year. It all adds up to more expense at the grocery store. But food and energy are not part of inflation??? Jack on 5/24/2016 12:10:20 PM

Ditto to Ray Welden. Doris H on 5/24/2016 3:11:16 PM

Scary thought, seeds that have reproductive genes removed owned by foreign entities...hmmm regular guy on 5/24/2016 5:45:48 PM

Patricia hit the nail on the head. Global warming is public manipulation, not science. There are a lot of much larger contributors to climate change than what the alarmists are screaming about, and there are multiple ways to push in the other direction. She is right on GMO's also. They are something to worry about. It is not the modified genes that are the problem, but the side effects of WHY they are modifying the genes. Monsanto is only interested in selling more Roundup, and they modify genes to make the plants tolerant to it. What they hide is what Roundup does to the soil microbes. They may be producing cheaper corn and soybeans, but they are also affecting the microbes in the soil (and in the resultant foods) so that breeder lots for cattle and pigs are seeing MASSIVE increases in sterility and spontaneous abortions. The GMO grains are great for feeding vegetarians who want no kids, but I like beef which costs more due to GMO foods making calves more expensive; and I would be very concerned if I were wanting to produce progeny. If the soil microbes cause sterility and abortions in cattle, there is no reason to think they are not doing the same in humans. But, Monsanto spends a fortune every year making sure nobody in the government will investigate. Bob G on 5/24/2016 11:52:10 PM

Free people and Capitalistic systems will always innovate and find better ways to do everything! Except form a government that is not parasitic and hellbent on taxing and regulating the markets that the free people of a capitalistic society invent. Garro on 5/25/2016 9:22:19 AM

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