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Lars77

(3,032 posts) Sun Jul 8, 2012, 02:37 AM Jul 2012

Corn crisis: Crops suffer severe worm damage

BT corn was created by scientists by splicing a gene into the corn that kills root worms that can destroy entire crops.

The idea worked for nearly a decade but now crops in North America are suffering severe damage where BT-resistant worms have grown more common.

More than half of the corn grown in North America and much of the world is BT corn.

Critics of genetically modified foods say that people are now left with the worst of both worlds: GM food that has unknown effects on humans that don't work.

The growing resistance of bugs to GM foods leads to the possibility of major crop losses and an uncertain future for GM foods.

12 replies

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Corn crisis: Crops suffer severe worm damage (Original Post) Lars77 Jul 2012 OP

Exactly as predicted PaulaFarrell Jul 2012 #1

No, the idea did not work for nearly a decade TownDrunk2 Jul 2012 #2

At what point do farmers throw up their collective hands and return to organic farming? no_hypocrisy Jul 2012 #3

If a corporation mucks up the food supply, can they not be sued by someone somewhere? 2on2u Jul 2012 #4

Yup. Class action tort. no_hypocrisy Jul 2012 #5

Under the bus of his own driving.... n/t 2on2u Jul 2012 #7

The irony being that Monsnoto is destroying Bt as an effective organic pesticide Agony Jul 2012 #12

Let's hear it for Monsanto! LiberalEsto Jul 2012 #6

source of the al jazeera--why do they keep finding these stories while our home growns miss them dembotoz Jul 2012 #8

Because we don't have any major independent media LiberalEsto Jul 2012 #9

Call Monsanto and get some better pesticides underpants Jul 2012 #10

Yeah, we'd probably be better off eating the worms. girl gone mad Jul 2012 #11

PaulaFarrell

(1,236 posts)

1. Exactly as predicted

Reply to Lars77 (Original post)

Sun Jul 8, 2012, 04:41 AM

Jul 2012

only probably a bit quicker

TownDrunk2

(63 posts)

2. No, the idea did not work for nearly a decade

Reply to Lars77 (Original post)

Sun Jul 8, 2012, 07:21 AM

Jul 2012

Could those writing articles at least have a little idea of the issues involved?

There is cross species gene transfer (something Monsanto doesn't want you to know or doesn't care fi you do, because congress is bought and paid for)

And please refrain from referring to those opposed to this abomination and yet another example of the totally ignorant hubris native to the species referred to as "human" as "opponents". They are, rather, the only sane voice trying to save this planet and incidental to that, the morons harping in favor of monsanto et al.

no_hypocrisy

(46,122 posts)

3. At what point do farmers throw up their collective hands and return to organic farming?

Reply to Lars77 (Original post)

Sun Jul 8, 2012, 07:42 AM

Jul 2012

They aren't making the profits promised by Monsanto.

2on2u

(1,843 posts)

4. If a corporation mucks up the food supply, can they not be sued by someone somewhere?

Reply to no_hypocrisy (Reply #3)

Sun Jul 8, 2012, 08:30 AM

Jul 2012

Consider the optigrab and what it did to peoples' vision of the future.

no_hypocrisy

(46,122 posts)

5. Yup. Class action tort.

Reply to 2on2u (Reply #4)

Sun Jul 8, 2012, 09:58 AM

Jul 2012

Where's John Edwards when you need him???

2on2u

(1,843 posts)

7. Under the bus of his own driving.... n/t

Reply to no_hypocrisy (Reply #5)

Sun Jul 8, 2012, 12:24 PM

Jul 2012

Agony

(2,605 posts)

12. The irony being that Monsnoto is destroying Bt as an effective organic pesticide

Reply to no_hypocrisy (Reply #3)

Sun Jul 8, 2012, 09:11 PM

Jul 2012

by allowing resistant insect population to develop. Farmers using GMOBt corn are supposed to plant 5-50% non-Bt corn as refugia to slow down the development of resistance...

I'm sure they make sure GMO using farmers follow those guidelines!