This house believes that biotechnology and sustainable agriculture are complementary, not contradictory.

The moderator's opening remarks
Nov 2nd 2010 | Tom Standage  

For many years advocates of agricultural biotechnology, notably genetically modified (GM) crops, have been at loggerheads with proponents of organic farming. GM and organic are widely regarded as being at opposite ends of the farming spectrum. The former is usually characterised as high-tech, dominated by large seed companies and favouring large-scale industrial farming; the latter is seen as more traditional, less dominated by corporate interests and favouring small farms.

But look beyond these crude stereotypes...