March 27, 2000 / The Kansas Star / Scott Canon, The Kansas City Star
The scientific sorcery that builds bug killer into a corn stalk and makes a
soybean plant impervious to herbicide looks, according to this story, to be
weathering even Greenpeace.
Across the country, some farmers are planting more genetically modified
seed this spring, especially if they expect their harvest to remain in the
country. At the same time, those interested in exporting to skittish foreign
consumers are backing off.
In all, the two trends appear to balance each other out as use of
biotechnology levels off.
But, the story says, the plateau comes only after gene-splicing rooted
itself deep into U.S. agriculture, ignoring environmentalists' howls and
export barriers. It has been adopted more quickly by farmers than the
tractor or the hybrid.
Larry Cunningham, vice president of corporate affairs for food giant Archer
Daniels Midland Co. was quoted as saying, "Biotechnology is here to stay in
agriculture."
Most of the soybeans to be planted this spring on Richard Prascher's farm
near Riverdale, Neb., come with designer genes crafted to withstand a
common herbicide, with Prascher quoted as saying, "It's simpler to grow. And
I don't expect to have any trouble selling it."
The beans could end up in animal feed, in cooking oil or myriad other
places along a food chain that only the most fastidiously organic of
Americans avoid.
Near Aberdeen, S.D., farmer Dennis Mitchell is cutting the amount of
genetically engineered corn he grows by about half.
Although the GMO corn is toxic to the ravenous European corn borer,
much of his crop will be exported to Asia, with Aberdeen quoted as saying,
"I'm just not sure what's going to happen to the market" for genetically
altered crops. "I don't think there's anything wrong with it.
But some people seem to have a problem with it, so I'm backing off a
little."
Farmers tend to like this new technology, although they grumble about
the cost and the way they feel fast-merging seed and chemical companies
seem to force it on them.
Environmentalists hate the stuff. They think it could loose a plague of
mutants into the countryside. They warn that we don't know enough
about what happens when we eat it.
Seed and chemical companies, backed by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and
Drug Administration, say there is more than enough science to certify the
crops safe for the field and in food.
(posted without permission)
