[cmrdporcupine]

GMO -- separated from the pure research angle -- is a tool, a method of production. And like any tool in an industrial capitalist society, the primary purpose of it is to increase profits. Industrial capitalism increases profits through mechanization. This isn't a recipe for diversity. In fact, given the fact that the primary use of GMO at this point is to allow for large monocrop farms via wide application of herbicides to resistant plants, it is having the opposite effect.

I know personally what happens when the farmer next door to my hobby farm (and forest) sprays his field of GMO soy. And is the opposite of an increase in plant (or animal) diversity, let me tell you that. The effects of spray drift is visually obvious immediately, god knows what it does in the long term.

The science behind genetic engineering has the possibility of increasing diversity. Market forces do not. At least not for now. Perhaps some competitive pressure will eventually get us there. But primarily this is just about making lots of soy, maize, and sorghum. Mostly to put into animal feed.