permaculture

["Jeff Hall" <JRHALL@gwgate.lib.iastate.edu>]

A couple responses on my incomplete understanding of the BT issue. Bt corn 
has only been widely planted the last 2-3 years, and I believe it is 
long-lasting in terms of generations of affected soil organisms, but not like 
a chemical fungicide.
Also, I've heard that Bt that has been GE'ed is much more widely biologically 
active than its original ecological function (caterpillars only). It'll be 
many years before the effects are understood, we have an experiment going on 
across millions of acres. We can stop planting Bt corn next year and the 
monarch will probably survive, given the worst possible case of pollen 
impact. But the long term impact on soil communities is possibly a huge 
question.
If anyone knows more about this, I'd appreciate your input! I'm just an 
interested former economics major:)
-Jeff