Food Democracy Now – 2012-04-22 17:16:54

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/585?akid=531.342880.iKqVgA&t=12

“Agent Orange” 2,4-D Corn is Coming to a Field Near You!

The first generation of biotech crops has failed. And failed badly.

In the last year alone, new studies have shown that Monsanto’s genetically-engineered Bt insecticide corn has not only created a new breed superbugs tolerant of the plant’s genetically engineered insecticide, but that those Bt toxins have also been found in the blood of 93 percent of woman and 80 percent of fetal blood samples in a Canadian study, despite Monsanto’s claims that this was not be possible.[1][2]

At the same time, Monsanto’s Roundup Ready corn and soybeans and their flagship herbicide have been linked to an increase in crop disease and livestock infertility.[3] If that weren’t enough, the excessive use of Roundup has led to the rampant rise of superweeds, which have grown tolerant to the herbicide and have infested millions of acres of farmland, threatening the livelihoods of America’s farmers.[4]

Now, Dow Chemical is petitioning the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the approval of a new genetically engineered “Agent Orange” corn that tolerates the extremely toxic chemical herbicide 2,4-D, a major component of the Vietnam War era defoliant Agent Orange.[5]

Numerous studies have linked exposure to 2,4-D to major health problems that include cancer (particularly non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma), lowered sperm counts, liver disease and Parkinson’s disease.[6] In addition, dozens of peer-reviewed studies have found the use of 2,4-D to contribute to hormone-disrupting activity linked to reproductive problems and thyroid dysfunction.[7]

Now they want to spray this chemical on our crops and fields!

Along with these major health impacts, the approval of Dow’s “Agent Orange” 2,4-D corn will likely lead to a massive explosion in the use of 2,4-D across the U.S. once the herbicide is approved for corn crops, a fact that has greatly alarmed scientists, environmentalists and farmers alike.

If the potential health problems and the escalating chemical arms race weren’t bad enough, 2,4-D is widely known among farmers for the problems with drift and volatilization, which means it’s difficult to control when applying and frequently leads to serious damage to neighboring farmer’s fields.

This concern over toxic chemical drift and damage to neighboring fields is so severe that it has led to the creation of a new farmer led organization, Save Our Crops Coalition, made up of more than 2,000 farmers and food companies who are petitioning the USDA to stop the approval of Dow’s 2,4-D corn.[8]

In a recent article by Reuters, John Bode, an attorney representing the group called 2,4-D one of “the most dangerous chemicals out there.” It should be noted that Bode was also a former assistant Secretary of Agriculture under President Ronald Reagan.

Considering the serious human health concerns, the threat to the environment and family farmers themselves, the USDA should move quickly to reject approval for Dow Chemical’s 2,4-D corn. Not only does it not serve the public interest, but it will lead to an ever increasing reliance on deadlier and more toxic chemicals to grow our food.

Click here to tell the USDA to Dump Dow’s “Agent Orange” corn to keep it off our fields — and your plates.

Thanks for participating in food democracy,
Dave, Lisa and the Food Democracy Now! team

Sources:

1. “Monsanto Corn May Be Failing to Kill Bugs in 4 States, EPA Says”, Bloomberg Businessweek, December 6, 2011
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/577?akid=531.342880.iKqVgA&t=14

2. “Study Found Toxin from GM Crops is Showing up in Human Blood”,
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/578?akid=531.342880.iKqVgA&t=16

3. “Mystery Science” More Details on the Strange Organism That Could Destroy Monsanto”, CBS News, May 5, 2011
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/579?akid=531.342880.iKqVgA&t=18

4. “Farmers Must Spend More on Herbicides as Effectiveness Fades” USA Today, April 16, 2012 http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/580?akid=531.342880.iKqVgA&t=20

5. “Agent Orange”, Wikipedia http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/581?akid=531.342880.iKqVgA&t=22

6. “Opposition grows to “Agent Orange” GM corn” The Organic and Non-GMO Report, February 1, 2012
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/582?akid=531.342880.iKqVgA&t=24

7. “Smarter Living: Chemical Index 2,4-D”, National Resource Defense Council,
www.nrdc.org/living/chemicalindex/2-4-d.asp

8. “Farm group seeks U.S. halt on “dangerous” crop chemicals”, Reuters, April 18, 2012 http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/583?akid=531.342880.iKqVgA&t=26