Diplomats and scientists gather to talk biogenetics

Eight hundred diplomats and scientists from around the globe are in Des Moines for the World Food Prize symposium on genetically altered crops. Klaus Ammann of Switzerland says Europeans have some good reasons for being skeptical about the food supply. He says there is a lot of distrust over some policy failures and attempts to cover up mad cow disease.Ammann is director of a university botanical garden where “trans-genic” research is being conducted. He’s compared U-S food laws with Switzerland’s, although he says in many respects the U-S regulations are stricter.Amman says the World Food Prize Foundation’s made a mistake in focusing the entire conference on genetic modification of crops as the answer for feeding a growing world population. He thinks it is part of the solution, but not the total solution. He says organic farmers are just as important.Ammann’s great-great-great grandfather, Jacob Ammann, founded the Amish society.