Koe KEFELAER, £.

THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY

1230 YORK AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10021

June 19, 1980

 

JOSHUA LEDERBERG

PRESIDENT

Ms. Eileen Rockefeller
Shelburne FParms Resources
Shelburne, Vermont 05482

Dear Eileen:

I was very pleased that you raised that very interest-
ing question about the narrowing of the gene pool of our
crop plants. By coincidence yesterday's Times had an in-
formative article on that and I am enclosing a copy for
your interest.

A committee of the National Academy of Sciences has
also been deeply engaged with these issues; and if you have
any interest in more detailed information on the extent of
the threat, and some of the recommended steps to respond
to it, I will be glad to look for a copy to send you.

As I said at the meeting I think that on balance the
patenting of plants may do more good than harm: although
it is very difficult to trace out the full net of conse-
quences. The basic issue is how to compensate farmers, and
indirectly the rest of the economy, for giving up short term
gains in order to avoid future catastrophés. It is hard for
me to see any mechanism by which we could impose specific
practices on the choice of seed grains; certainly what we
must do is to find ways to conserve the genetic variety that
still exists around the world. This was a rather important
element in the discussion between American botanists and
Chinese during a visit to the PRC. They have indicated some
concern and response; but the best I can translate their
position is, that they are ill equipped to afford the costs
that would be involved in systematic conservation of a wide
variety of plant materials: obviously we need some interna-
tional mechanism to provide for the necessary funding as well
as coordination of these efforts.

eye sincerely,

: JoShua Lederberg
Enel. “seer © fh f
"Beko ucts bonen y%¥ thon h Poweer 7  bfrtfta