Cow Genome to Transform Farming?

Is the mapping of the cow genome about to transform farming? I certainly hope not. On a scientific level I think mapping the genome is interesting, and there is probably some responsible way to harness the knowledge gained. As shown in the Monsanto movie I just posted though, there is also a likely scenario where the genome information is used to be more useful for companies and less useful for people.

The biggest gripe I have with the attitude behind this project is shown here: " ‘We chose to study the cow genome because these animals are of such immense importance to humans,’ explained Richard Gibbs from Baylor College of Medicine’s Human Genome Sequencing Center, a leading contributor to the project."

Immense importance to humans? Excuse me? Many of the healthiest people I know do not eat beef. One of the biggest populations in the world, India, does not eat meat. Cattle production causes 20% of the greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere. Many people hypothesize that the rise of heart disease in North America is directly linked to the increased consumption of meat (see “In the Defense of Food” by Michael Pollan for a viewpoint on this). If anything, the world could use a moderation in the consumption of beef.