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Monsanto and the Roundup Ready Controversy

No change in size, 14:13, 9 August 2009
SW: move comment up
"From 1994 to 2006, the amount of glyphosate applied per acre of soya [in the USA] rose by more than 150%, from just 0.52 to 1.33 lbs./acre/year" says [http://www.foei.org/en/publications/pdfs/gmcrops2008full.pdf this] Friends of the Earth report. And as Benbrook stated the report also concludes that "While farmers growing Roundup Ready crops initially used lesser amounts of herbicides other than glyphosate, that trend has changed in recent years. Increasingly, farmers find it necessary to apply both increased rates of glyphosate and large quantities of other herbicides to kill resistant weeds." This upward spiral in resistance/usage can be expected to continue.
 
Self described agricultural nerd, Tom Philpott, happened upon ag periodicals wherein flummoxed food weed managers and farmers discuss what to do about growing weed and resistance problems on GM and conventional fields, "And that is causing farmers to think hard about the pesticide-treadmill problem—the situation wherein weeds and other pests develop resistance to poisons, demanding ever higher doses of old poisons and constant development of novel ones". Philpott reveals "herbicide names being dropped like those of starlets in a gossip column". [http://www.grist.org/article/2009-07-20-farmers-battle-weeds-chemical-treadmill-speeds/]. It would be humorous if not so serious.
"As RR corn acreage roughly tripled in the four years from 2002 to 2005, glyphosate use on corn has increased by more than seven-fold... Clearly, if present trends continue, glyphosate use on America’s most widely planted crop could easily increase by five- to ten-fold by the end of the decade" [http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/pubs/RR%20Soy%20MON%2089788%20Dereg%20-%20CFS%20comments-FINAL.pdf].
In another report by the Center ''[http://www.organic-center.org/reportfiles/Pesticide_SSR_2008.pdf Simplifying the Pesticide Risk Equation: The Organic Option]'', which quantifies and compares the exposures to hazardous pesticide residues on conventional vs organic produce, Dr. Charles Benbrook states that "recent USDA pesticide residue and food consumption surveys show that most people consume three to four residues daily just through [conventionally grown] fruits and vegetables. 'Accounting for residues in conventional milk, tap water and other foods, the average American exposes him or herself to ten to 13 pesticide residues daily'" [http://www.organic-center.org/reportfiles/Pesticide_SSR_Press_Release_FINAL.pdf].
 
Self described agricultural nerd, Tom Philpott, happened upon ag periodicals wherein flummoxed food weed managers and farmers discuss what to do about growing weed and resistance problems on GM and conventional fields, "And that is causing farmers to think hard about the pesticide-treadmill problem—the situation wherein weeds and other pests develop resistance to poisons, demanding ever higher doses of old poisons and constant development of novel ones". Philpott reveals "herbicide names being dropped like those of starlets in a gossip column". [http://www.grist.org/article/2009-07-20-farmers-battle-weeds-chemical-treadmill-speeds/]. It would be humorous if not so serious.
Pesticide Action Network has created a searchable database, [http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/index.jsp What's on my food], that one can use to easily find out which pesticides and pesticide residues are used on and remain on everyday fruits, vegetables, milk and meat.
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