Biodynamic agriculture, the very tough Cattaneo: "It's witchcraft"

The choice of the Politecnico di Milano to host, next 16-17 November (on the 15th instead the appointment is at the Triennale di Milano), continues to be debated conference on biodynamics. A discipline that does not convince the exponents of the scientific world and against which life senator Elena Cattaneo, professor at the Milan State University, has also taken sides. The professor wrote a harsh letter to the rector of the Polytechnic Ferruccio Resta, taken from FIRSTonline. Here is the full text:

“Dear Rector,
I have received reports from many colleagues regarding the "International conference on biodynamic agriculture" - of which I am attaching the poster - organized within the Milan Polytechnic on 16 and 17 November and in whose opening event appears the his name. As a scholar and teacher, I know and appreciate the scientific authority of the Polytechnic, consolidated in Italy and in the rest of the world, and I have great esteem for those who study there every day and carry out their research rigorously applying the scientific method to increase the heritage of knowledge of Italian citizens and of all humanity. Therefore, it seems to me surprising and alarming that it is precisely in such a prestigious scientific venue that people choose to host, appearing there as "in collaboration", a "conference on biodynamics", that is to say one of the most anti-scientific practices that exist.

For the sake of brevity, I recall that one of the main preparations used in this type of agriculture is preparation 500, also known as "horn manure", whose effectiveness Rudolf Steiner, founder of biodynamics, explained thus: "The cow has horns in order to send the etheric-astral formative forces into itself, which, pressing inward, are intended to penetrate directly into the digestive organ. It is precisely through the radiation that comes from the horns and hooves that a lot of work develops inside the digestive organ itself”. I can't help wondering the reasons why a serious and rigorous scientific institution like the Polytechnic has chosen to endorse with its own name and headquarters, to the consternation of a large part of the scholarly community, a practice that borders on esotericism and witchcraft.

This decision appears even more singular given that Italian agriculture is in dramatic conditions, having lost competitiveness, biodiversity and yield, also due to political decisions contrary to innovation which have fueled narratives far from the reality of our agriculture, with consequences for consumers and the agri-food trade balance, as well as for project development in the agricultural biotechnological field. The "comparison" between science and antiscience only serves to legitimize the latter at the expense of the former. On the other hand, there would be a great need to restore a clear, firm, indelible line of demarcation between the two, avoiding, for example, hosting for two days the "highest representatives" of the lobbies promoting horn manure to explain (I quote from the program of the conference) "The scientific foundations of organic and biodynamic" in the same places where excellent students and researchers choose to investing passion, effort and rigor to carry forward scientific knowledge, fighting every day to snatch centimeters from the unknown, often against a thousand economic, bureaucratic and cultural difficulties.

Italy is the place where, with Galileo, the scientific method was born, but it is also, unfortunately, the country where a hospital, which is supposed to administer treatments of proven efficacy, has agreed to "administer" the Stamina mush despite the fact that it was that there was absolutely nothing scientific or effective about it; in which the Senate of the Republic was about to allow (this was avoided) the projection inside of a documentary that exposed the scientifically disavowed and factually false theories of Andrew Wakefield, guest of honor of the initiative, on vaccines and autism. And, I find myself forced to add today, it could be the country where one of the most accredited scientific institutions, such as the Politecnico di Milano, chooses to host, act as an opening and collaborate in the promotion of a practice that represents the very negation of science, instead of firmly refuting it, effectively contributing to its legitimacy in the eyes of public opinion.

The intent of the "Association for biodynamic agriculture" promoter of the conference is, clearly, to give credit and authority to ideas and activities that lack it. In the present case, the idea of ​​urgently requesting "investments in research and training for organic and biodynamic agriculture" and "the enhancement of biodynamic agrobiology" is being cultivated. Do the university and its researchers know this? Do they agree? These modalities, as I have already publicly observed, are nothing more than the tip of the iceberg of a galaxy of people and associations which, using official places and logos – for example hospitals, universities, etc. – carry out a daily work of "institutional parasitism" to the "malefice" of unsuspecting citizens. All so that the professed esotericism can rise to science. This is why the participation in this "conference" of Mayor Sala and the president of the Triennale Boeri, whom I am considering contacting to inform them on the issue, appears equally risky in terms of credibility.

On the other hand, if the Polytechnic "collaborates", and therefore lends itself effectively to giving scientific and institutional legitimacy, to an event on biodynamics, then both the politician and citizens may mistakenly believe that biodynamics has some scientific basis, rather than (as indeed it is) relying on astrology and esotericism. The technical-scientific institutions are the "white blood cells" of the country. In an immunosuppressed system, where those who have the duty to supervise fail in their function, charlatans and narratives that influence free choices and distance citizens and politicians from reality find easy space. A mechanism, this, which can easily lend itself to many forms of conditioning on many aspects of our common life. The country's institutions are responsible for defending reality and the public spaces in which it is promoted and protected. In the hope that these words of mine can contribute to a reflection on the opportunity to prevent the danger of similar derailments, I send you my greetings”.

Elena Cattaneo
Professor at the State University of Milan and Senator for life