Monsanto's Resistant Super Bugs
Did you hear that crash? It’s the sound of corn stalks toppling over, their root systems ravaged by rootworms. But wait, didn’t Monsanto promise that their genetically-modified (GM) corn, bred to include Bt toxins, would resist pests? Turns out that after only a few years, insects have already evolved to resist Bt, and are now attacking corn fields in the Midwest. If we keep allowing monoculture fields of Monsanto’s Bt corn, soon there will be no way to fight these super bugs.
To promote crop rotation and to create “refuges” for non-resistant rootworms, the EPA mandates that farmers use non-Bt corn for at least 20% of their fields. But unfortunately, blinded by Monsanto’s promises of higher yields, not all farmers are complying with the regulations. In fact, data from the Center for Science in the Public Interest suggests that one out of every four farmers who plants Bt corn is not in compliance, and the number is growing. This drastically increases the likelihood that pesticide-resistant insects will attack future crops, including organic and non-GM corn.
Ask the EPA to enforce their rules requiring the planting of other types of corn, and require the use of non-GM seed on at least 20% of land.
Only a few years after Monsanto introduced Bt corn, cornfields in the Midwest are being attacked by resistant rootworms. These super insects are flourishing because farmers are not adhering to EPA regulations to plant at least 20% of their land with non-Bt corn. These insects pose a severe threat to all future corn crops. End the monoculture fields of Bt corn; require the planting on non-GM corn to safeguard our food supply.
Sincerely,
The FRESH Community, undersigned
| Number | Date | Name | Location | Submit your comments on ... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4386 | Mon Jul 30 03:49:20 EDT 2012 | kelsey hartley | idaho falls, ID | |
| 4385 | Sun Jul 29 14:42:26 EDT 2012 | Mouna Chamariq | ||
| 4384 | Sat Jul 21 15:00:04 EDT 2012 | Luke Young | Minneapolis, MN | |
| 4383 | Sat Jul 21 00:03:31 EDT 2012 | Debbie Haman | Staunton, VA | |
| 4382 | Wed Jul 18 10:50:08 EDT 2012 | Justin Sanchez | St. Peters, MO | |
| 4381 | Sun Jul 15 03:48:45 EDT 2012 | Ian Hoggarth | Sarnia, ON | |
| 4380 | Sat Jul 14 21:04:09 EDT 2012 | Janette Crimmins | Indianapolis, IN | I want a world worth living on for my son and his kids. |
| 4379 | Wed Jul 11 20:48:47 EDT 2012 | Seth Patterson | Oklahoma City, OK | Cut it out guys! |
| 4378 | Wed Jul 11 07:00:57 EDT 2012 | erika naegelin | san antonio, TX | Enforce this rule, so we have food into the future. Better yet, don't allow gmo anything on the market and go back to the natural way of growing for superb healthy food for our families. |
| 4377 | Mon Jul 09 16:49:20 EDT 2012 | David OBrien | Tonawanda, NY | The way forward is by going back to what is natural. It is not to late to make the change that will not only save what we grow but the supply of food for the world. We will be watching. |
| 4376 | Mon Jul 09 14:26:28 EDT 2012 | Lara Post | Ann Arbor, MI | Please enforce these important rules that are already in place. |
| 4375 | Sun Jul 08 17:01:49 EDT 2012 | Helen Huffington | Philadelphia, PA | Enforce your rules requiring the planting of other types of corn, and require the use of non-GM seed on at least 20%of land. |
| 4374 | Sun Jul 08 07:22:00 EDT 2012 | Phil Jones | Suwanee, GA | |
| 4373 | Sun Jul 08 07:21:56 EDT 2012 | Phil Jones | Suwanee, GA | |
| 4372 | Tue Jul 03 20:55:19 EDT 2012 | Mark Young | Crawfordville, FL | listen to us, and listen to common sense, PLEASE.. |
| 4371 | Sun Jul 01 23:35:21 EDT 2012 | Thomas Shepard | Indianapolis, IN | It's time we think about what we are putting into our food crops. It's about healthy food and not big Agriculture and money. |
| 4370 | Sat Jun 30 23:15:22 EDT 2012 | kim searl | lasalle, MI | |
| 4369 | Fri Jun 29 20:56:28 EDT 2012 | Cindy Williams | CA | We cannot ignore the dilemma that GM is producing. Cindy |
| 4368 | Wed Jun 27 13:59:01 EDT 2012 | Stone Chipper | Delevan, NY | This is way out of hand and if we just ignore it then futures will be in jeopordy,you are fooling no one you SCREWHEADS ! |
| 4367 | Tue Jun 26 23:19:20 EDT 2012 | Anonymous | Windham, VT | |
| 4366 | Tue Jun 26 19:53:22 EDT 2012 | Jerry Smith | Yardley, PA | |
| 4365 | Sat Jun 23 21:56:25 EDT 2012 | Brigitte Koehler | ||
| 4364 | Sat Jun 23 20:35:24 EDT 2012 | Per Erickson | Altadena, CA | I care about what I eat and how it's production impacts the environment. |
| 4363 | Fri Jun 22 18:44:48 EDT 2012 | Anonymous | Fishers, IN | |
| 4362 | Tue Jun 19 06:05:55 EDT 2012 | Brian Evans | Glen Allen, VA |
