Tom Standage is an author, historian and the business editor of The Economist. As a writer, he has an unusual combination of interests. Much of his work has focused on technology and historical analogies to current technologies. For instance, his book "The Victorian Internet" compares the advent of the telegraph to today's information highway. His most recent book, "An Edible History of Humanity" looks at the 'invention' of farming, farm animals and staple crops.

I asked him why he thought people were so willing and even anxious to adopt all varieties of new technology but when it comes to agricultural technology there is great hesitance and even fear.