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New generation of GMO crops to increase use of carcinogenic pesticides by 400%

Posted: September 5, 2013 |   Comments



(http://ecowatch.com) A new generation of genetically modified (GM) crops that are even more resistant to toxic herbicides has been approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The first of these crops to pass the low regulatory bar was a Bayer soybean variety genetically engineered to withstand direct application of the herbicide isoxaflutole (IFT), which the Environmental Protection Agency classifies as a "probable human carcinogen."

According to the Center for Food Safety, the national use of this toxic herbicide is expected to increase by 400% due to the new GE soybeans.

Tests have shown that IFT induces liver and thyroid tumors in rats. The chemical and its breakdown products persist in surface waters and are already frequently detected in tests. It is also toxic to aquatic organisms, wild plants and many important crops. In fact, Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota all rejected the Bayer-EPA label for this herbicide because of its insufficiency to protect human health, the environment and neighboring crops.

The first generation of GM crops is resistant to the herbicide glyphosate. This unnatural resistance skyrocketed the use of glyphosate, destroying biodiversity, threatening Monarch butterfly populations and the rest of the environment and triggering an epidemic of glyphosate-resistant weeds.

We should expect no less from the second generation of GM crops, designed to be used in even more toxic conditions.

Other similar second generation GMOs waiting for approval include Dow AgroSciences' 2,4-D-resistant corn and soybeans. 2,4-D was introduced in the 1940s, was used in Agent Orange and has been linked to fatal immune system cancers in farmers, among other adverse effects.

Although scientists continue to genetically modify plants to be more resistant to pesticides, humans have undergone no such alteration. As a result, the massive amounts of poison that leave crops unaffected causes a plethora of health problems following human consumption. Studies show that prenatal exposure to pesticides is linked to ADHD-like behaviors, slowed mental development and lower IQ scores in children. Many pesticides are also known to cause cancer and hormonal disruptions in humans.

GM crops designed to be more resistant to pesticides are inherently more toxic to consumers and unsustainable. As more pesticides are used, weeds and pests will continue to develop natural resistance, necessitating - in the eyes of the agricultural industry - the need for GM crops with greater resistance to more toxic poisons.

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