New Topic Whats so wrong with GMOs?

15 September 1998

New Topic — What’s so wrong with GMOs?

IM a farmer in Iowa, USA who grows BT seedcorn for Novartis. Can you tell me what the concerns are about GMO crops?

We use much less pesticide with BT corn since we dont have to spray for cornbores (which can be a big yield robber). From what I understand the “BT” gene comes from a natrually occuring soil bacteria, that produces an amino acid that turns into a sharp crystal in an alkaline gut such as a cornbores. In an acidic gut, such as a mammals, there is no effect.

Does the fear stem more from the possibilty of foriegn competition than from the GMO itself? I dont like low prices myself (local prices are US$1.50/bu), but here in the USA we are stuck with politicians who believe in open trade.

JAY CRONE, Iowa, USA
Email: cronewil@se-iowa.net