Re: European caution

E. Ann Clark, Associate Professor (ACLARK@crop.uoguelph.ca)
Thu, 8 May 1997 11:17:29 EDT

Teige: you raise an interesting question, and one that I have often
pondered myself. Why is it that Europeans appear to be so much more
sensitive/aware/pro-active in GE issues (and food safety/quality
issues in general) than we in North America or elsewhere in the
world? I should think that some clever anthro/psycho/socio
person(s) has thought about/published on this issue, and I'd be
interested in getting some guidance on where to look.

In my simple mind, I have wondered if it might be related to the % of
disposable income spent on food. We in the US and Canada spend the
lowest % of DI on food of anyone in the world. Food is cheap,
readily available, and (perhaps?) devalued in our collective minds?
If you are going to spend what, 25-35% of DI on food (vs. 10-12%
here), perhaps you take greater care in what you purchase and eat?
Perhaps you demand a higher standard?

Alternatively, we in NAme have never had the experience of wartime
famine (apart from the Civil War), so we take food very much more for
granted than do the Europeans. This may contribute to their greater
awareness of the intrinsic value (potential scarcity) of food.

Just a few thoughts to add to the collective. Ann

ACLARK@crop.uoguelph.ca
Dr. E. Ann Clark
Associate Professor
Crop Science
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON N1G 2W1
Phone: 519-824-4120 Ext. 2508
FAX: 519 763-8933