The Agroecological Opium of the Masses

Abstract:     
A specter is haunting agriculture, the specter of agroecological ideology. Extreme agroecological rhetoric transparently disguises a willingness to sacrifice environmental objectives whenever they conflict with the pecuniary interests of incumbent farmers. Agroecological ideology conceals an ugly truth about agriculture: farming is not an environmentally benign activity. In particular, the legal controversy over recombinant bovine somatotropin demonstrates how an agroecological response to new biotechnology can favor producer incomes over consumer welfare and environmental integrity. O brave moo world, that has such creatures in it!

Number of Pages in PDF File: 7

Keywords: farming, agriculture, agricultural law, recombinant bovine somatotropin, rbST, milk, dairy, biotechnology

JEL Classification: K00

Accepted Paper Series