Agricultural Biotechnology and the Environment: Science, Policy, and Social Issues

Modern agriculture is being transformed by the genetic alteration of seeds, animals, and microorganisms, a process that has produced such products as Flavr Savr tomatoes and crops resistant to specific insects or herbicides. Agricultural Biotechnology and the Environment is the first comprehensive overview of the ongoing transformation of agriculture, exploring the impact of genetic engineering from scientific, social, ethical, and ecological perspectives. Sheldon Krimsky and Roger Wrubel detail the impact the new generation of products is expected to have on agricultural practice and the environment and assess the degree to which current trends in biotechnology match earlier expectations. They also analyze the social and political response to innovations resulting from genetic technology.