Most American farmers have embraced science as a way to produce heavier cattle and bigger crops. The United States and the European Union are engaged in a high-priced food fight involving genetically altered food and two dramatically different ways of thinking about it. Last year, about 26 million cows in the United States received hormones to produce more meat and less fat, and nearly 60 million acres of crops in North America are genetically altered to make them resistant to disease and pests. Horrified by 'Frankenfood' In Europe, high technology and food just do not mix. Many Europeans believe these foods are not safe, and European governments have banned some of them.
American producers say they are losing hundreds of millions of dollars as a result.
In the United States, where many people don't think twice about eating genetically altered foods, the secretary of agriculture says a war over food could ruin America's relationship with Europe. Europe is still a continent where people take their food very seriously. Here, many families still shop daily for the freshest food. Millions of Europeans think nothing of raw beef and eggs as long as the food is fresh and natural. But if you ask about scientifically modified food, they react with horror.