|
Recent events
suggest that Americans and their government are
more willing to have genetically modified food
research continue and are willing to buy
genetically modified foods from their
grocers.
Nearly
three-quarters of American consumers surveyed will
support genetically modified crops if the
technology means farmers can reduce pesticide use,
according to a survey released by the American Farm
Bureau. This private survey was commissioned by
Philip Morris (which owns Kraft), Oscar Mayer, and
the Post and Miller food brands.
Approximately
1,000 consumers were interviewed for the survey in
July and August 1999. Most said they had heard more
about the drawbacks of biotechnology rather than
its potential benefits. In addition, more than half
said they would support gene-altered corn,
soybeans, squash and other crops if the technology
would improve their taste and nutritional
value.
In response
to preliminary data that pollen from some strains
of corn with built-in pesticides can kill the larva
of the monarch butterfly, the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced new
regulations to reduce the risks from corn
genetically engineered to produce its own
insecticide.
The New
York Times reported that the EPA views the
evidence of harm to monarch butterflies as
preliminary, but it is directing biotech seed
companies to ask farmers to voluntarily protect
butterflies by planting traditional corn around the
edges of fields planted with corn that carries a
gene derived from a bacterium, Bacillus
thuringiensis, which kills a caterpillar called
the European corn borer. This action would create a
buffer to prevent toxic pollen from blowing into
butterfly habitats, according to the
EPA.
Rebecca
Goldburg, a biologist and senior scientist at the
Environmental Defense Fund, a watchdog group based
in New York, expressed concern that biotech
companies had been given the responsibility for
encouraging farmers to protect monarchs. However,
John Losey, an author on the Cornell study, which
first exposed the risk to the monarch butterfly,
praised the agency's actions as a good interim
approach while more data is gathered.
David Andow,
an ecologist at the University of Minnesota who
studies the evolution of resistance to pesticides,
called the measures "a real step
forward."
John
Russo, Jr., PharmD,
is senior vice president of medical communications
at Vicus.com. He is a pharmacist and medical writer
with 20 years of experience in medical
education.
References:
E.P.A.
Announces New Rules on Genetically Altered Corn.
The New York Times, Monday, January 17,
2000.
U.S.
Consumers Favor GM Crops to Curb Pesticides --
Survey. Houston (Reuters), Tuesday, January 11,
2000
|
