A decade ago, GMOs were hailed as technological miracles that would save farmers money, lower food prices, and reduce the environmental damage unintentionally caused by the Green Revolution - a movement that increased yields but fostered reliance on chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and wanton irrigation.... But while producers have embraced GMOs, consumers have had a tougher time understanding the benefits.... Opponents have found an ally in crop scientists who condemn the conglomerates behind transgenics, especially Monsanto.... Which brings us back to smart breeding. Researchers are beginning to understand plants so precisely that they no longer need transgenics to achieve traits like drought resistance, durability, or increased nutritional value. Over the past decade, scientists have discovered that our crops are chock-full of dormant characteristics. Rather than inserting, say, a bacteria gene to ward off pests, it's often possible to simply turn on a plant's innate ability. The result: Smart breeding holds the promise of remaking agriculture through methods that are largely uncontroversial and unpatentable.
Has anybody heard anything lately about superorganics? I can't find much to suggest that this is a notion that is "catching on" particularly (most references Google brings up seem to be to the Manning article itself).
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