>But what's the big deal?<
It's potentially a very big deal, Yeti. Not so much because of the organics, but because of the message it sends.
For 60 years we've been steadily moving towards controlled agriculture. Hybrids were the opening salvo (who controls the seed controls the feed, doncha see), and, so far, the culmination has been the agricultural imperialism of GMOs. To the point whereby Monsanto could actually realize its goal of dominating world agriculture.
No effort has been too large or too small for Monsanto to take a hand in self-protection. Did you know, for instance, that it is virtually illegal for an heirloom seed collector to import a packet of seed from other countries?
All of this has been with both the tacit and active support of virtually every government agency, ranging from USDA and the EPA, to Commerce and even Immigration.
Now comes the First Lady who tells the world the official White House garden is going to throw that support away. That organics, and open pollinated varieites, and sustainability are actually the way to go. That message is 180 degrees from the one that the government has been sending until now.
If the White House garden was, indeed, a major personal issue for Mrs. Obama, it would have grave repurcussions for the agri-chemical industry. And it's very aware of it. Which is why it reacted the way it did. And will always react that way over any perceived threat to its control of what we eat.  |