Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.
Professor: East coast broccoli might not actually be as successful or beneficial as its creators claim.
First, it’s true that growing and selling crops locally saves money on transportation costs, but that will not necessarily make the new broccoli cheaper for consumers. Yes, the new breed of broccoli will be able to survive the hot summers on the east coast, but unfortunately it will also have lower yields than the broccoli grown on the west coast. This means that farmers on the east coast will harvest less broccoli per hectare, and so they’ll have to sell their produce at a higher price. This price increase will cancel out the savings on transportation, so the east coast consumers will probably not save any money buying the locally grown broccoli.
Second, even though researchers are using traditional breeding techniques in creating the new broccoli, the public might still be suspicious. You see, financial support for this research comes from the same companies that created genetically modified crops in the past. Because those companies used genetic modification techniques with other crops, many American consumers distrust those companies and might distrust any project that those companies are involved in. This might lead the consumers to reject the new broccoli as well.
Third, it’s true that fresh broccoli has the greatest amount of health-promoting nutrients and vitamins, but is that a good argument for creating a new breed of broccoli that can be grown on the east coast? Not necessarily. Other vegetables that are already grown on the east coast contain similar nutrients that broccoli contains. For example, kale, a leafy green vegetable, provides comparable health benefits. And kale is in some respects better. It’s grown on the east coast not only during the summer, but also during the fall and winter. Instead of wasting money and resources on creating new vegetables, we should educate people about eating fresh healthy vegetables that are already available locally.
