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  • From: STEVE GILMAN <stevegilman AT verizon.net>
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Bt corn
  • Date: Tue, 4 Mar 2008 14:00:55 -0500

Hi Again,
Another delay because my post (including previous posts in the thread) was too long: "Message body is too big: 30839 bytes with a limit of 20 KB"

So now please see this post without the previous citations>>>>


On Mar 2, 2008, at 10:28 AM, STEVE GILMAN wrote:

Hi Brigette,
Thanks for your response -- I'm finally finding a time slot to get back to you. I hope I can clarify a few things you raised in your post:
Message: 5
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:13:31 -0500
From: Brigette Leach <avalonfarmshomegrown AT earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Bt Corn

Steve,
Just curious, but how do you figure Starlink as being "recent"? That was
years ago, and there is a lot of water under the bridge since then.

Starlink is not all that recent, but my point was that LIKE the Starlink case in 2000, the biotech contamination problems -- and knowledge of their impacts -- are accelerating. For instance, on January 25 this year a transgenic trial Mycogen strain, Event 32, unapproved for human consumption was finally reported by Dow, the manufacturer, after being grown on at least 53,000 acres in 2006 and 2007.

There have also been major recent problems with the widespread transgenic contamination of the U.S. rice supply. In an Oct 2007 report, USDA concluded -- after 14 months of investigation, consuming some 8,500 staff hours, with site visits to over 45 locations in the US and Puerto Rico-- that due to lost or destroyed documents it could find no clear evidence of how Bayer Crop Sciences' gene-altered products got into the food supply, controversially exonerating the corporation of any liability. For US rice farmers, however this ongoing case has caused trade losses of hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

Gene flow is part and parcel of field-released ag biotechnology, but the manufacturers take no responsibility, eaters have no labeled choice in the marketplace and farmers are often left holding the bag. And unlike chemical fertilizer or pesticide contamination, the transgenes can take on a life of their own, breeding willy-nilly in the wild, hence the danger of the pecological persistence of super weeds and super microbes. For a study on the persistence of transgenes in nature you might want to look at: www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-294X. 2007.03567.x

Although, because of farmer concerns, the release of GM wheat was stopped and GM alfalfa sidelined for the moment at least, GM sugarbeets have taken on new life and headed for wide-scale release, while pharmaceutical crops are still lurking in the background...

And is all this just water under the bridge? There's also considerable concern about transgenic runoff in that water -- see a recent Oct 2007 study "Genetically Engineered Corn Could Harm Aquatic Ecosystems"
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071008171030.htm



Kristen's point as to funding for research, especially at land grant
universities is valid, as is her view of USDA. If you haven't already
done so, perhaps you could spend some time visiting with the Dean of an
agricultural college to find out what they are up against as far as
funding, and also to discuss the wide variety of research projects being
undertaken at any given university. You could also discuss the
university's policy on intellectual property. As for me, I just don't
see the blueberry growers who funded research projects at Michigan State
as being bad guys, despite their being very interested in the results.
Sorry. Ten years ago, I didn't have any interest in research projects
pertaining to high tunnels, but today I do. Who knows what I will need
to have in the future? I just hope that someone, somewhere is interested
enough to do the research that will benefit me.

I am Very sympathetic to the funding constraints on land grant researchers, believe me. I had the wonderful opportunity of working as Managing Director of the North East Organic Network (NEON) www.neon.cornell.edu/ project a few years ago -- a collaborative USDA organic systems project administered through Cornell, covering on-farm research from Maryland to Maine (they wanted a farmer/ writer as managing director.) Despite the many talented researchers around the country and the world with expertise and interest in sustainable and organic farming initiatives, the problem is the bulk of the public research monies are being sucked into biotech, due to the clout of the agribusiness corporations. According to recent research by the Organic Farming Research Foundation, for example, 2007 USDA-REE direct spending on organic research, education and economics totaled around $25 Million, representing just barely over 1% of total REE spending of approximately $2.4 Billion.


I also must ask when your most recent face to face interaction with
anyone from USDA occurred, and how that experience generated such a
negative attitude. Which department within USDA was it with?

I've got lots of problems with the agribiz-agency revolving door at USDA which constantly puts special corporate interests way above those of farmers and eaters. Another example is NEON was only partially funded by USDA with the invitation to come back to complete the study -- but by then the program was not funded -- this lack of research continuity and follow-up happens all the time. And, as policy coordinator for the seven state Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) organizations dealing with USDA's National Organic Program is an ongoing nightmare.


We grow a few hundred acres of corn on our farm here in Michigan, and
for more than a decade grew seed corn for Pioneer, (we've also raised
certified seed wheat and seed soybeans), and I rather resent the
insinuation that corn growers are planting fence row to fence row for
the ethanol market at the detriment of the environment. Many, many of us
use crop rotation as part of our IPM practices, and not all corn growers
use Bt corn. Wheat, especially at current prices, competes with both
corn and soybeans for us.

I'm glad you're using responsible sustainable ag practices -- but in the bigtime world of corn growers it looks like you're part of the exception, not the rule. My point came from a Monsanto report showing a large decline in the requisite refugia plantings:
http://iatp.typepad.com/thinkforward/2008/02/more-corn-more.html

Further, regarding corn ethanol, there's considerable evidence that huge government energy and ag subsidies are making us vulnerable to major food shortages. See this article from today's LA Times about how we're replacing Mideast energy supply vulnerability with US weather vulnerability....
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-corn2mar02,0,2470929,full.story

Perhaps it is more obvious to those of us who farm for a living in
Michigan due to the wide diversity of crops produced here, the variety
of soil types and unique micro-climates, but blanket statements like you
made are unfair. I think we've learned to be appreciative of each other
and that different types of farms and crops have different needs. A wide
variety of information, perspectives and resources are vital for a
thriving agriculture.

I agree. Diversity is Hugely important. But as just the few materials I've cited above suggest, it is Not a blanket statement to say that Biotech is usurping agriculture -- and the widespread environmental release and ecological impacts of their proprietary genetics is actually Reducing diversity, making our food supply more vulnerable. You might also want to look into the corporate consolidation of the seed industry and who Owns all those wonderful varieties we'd like to plant...

Agriculture is an important and wide ranging segment of our economy,
requiring wide ranging and effective, productive research. Agriculture
is a system after all, a system that involves not only science, but
economics, and social science as well. Guess I'm just a big picture type.

I certainly agree with your statement, Brigette, but have to add, in the Big Picture -- Corporate Ag Biotech is is the 800 pound gorilla who's now in the driver's seat......

best,
Steve
Ruckytucks Farm


Brigette Leach
Avalon Farms
SW Michigan






  • Re: [Market-farming] Bt corn, STEVE GILMAN, 03/04/2008

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