Chapter 4 of Botany of Desire ("The Potato")
On page 225, Pollan writes, “Monoculture is at the root of virtually every problem that bedevils the modern farmer, and from which virtually every agricultural product is designed to deliver him.” What, specifically, does he mean by that? How do the experiences of farmers Danny Forsyth and Mike Heath illustrate his argument?
When a monoculture is used it allows pests to thrive and thus increases the need for pesticides. When pesticides are used then pesticide resistant crops are needed. Mike Heath is an organic farmer who’s farm is the opposite of a monoculture which prevents any pests from becoming dominant. Danny Forsyth is a farmer who grows a monoculture and thus needs to spend a lot of money on pesticides and other such products. Pollan compares their soils, Heaths is deep brown and healthy; Forsyths is bone dry, clean, and white.
Bigger view: genetic engineering introduces diverse genes that can resist diseases, but we live in a world where wild plants are dwindling. When they are completely gone, even the best technology cannot create new gene or recreate one thats been lost.
