re: #536 Alouette

Watched a PBS show about the potato, most potatoes are GMO and especially bred to produce the extra long shoestring fries that are McD’s signature. As a result botanic scientists have warned that monoculturing of potatoes could lead to another potato disaster like they had in the 1840’s in Ireland.

Monsanto also does some supervillain stuff with potatoes, splicing in genes from other, non-potato species so that the leaves will produce poison that kills the Colorado Potato Beetle.

Poulan’s _The Botany of Desire_ had a section on potatoes. He covered the monoculture thing, the heavy pesticide use, and also that the initial attempt to use GMO (Round-up gene) potatoes a number of years back failed due to marketing concerns; e.g. the fast-food franchise that was going to make fries from them backed out.