ECOLOGICAL IMPACT
ECOLOGICAL IMPACT
Pesticide/Herbicide
Neonicotinoid usage is not only bad for bees and pollinating insects but also has harmful effects on birds, terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates; their propensity for runoff and for groundwater infiltration dangerous to humans and animals; A single corn kernel coated with a neonicotinoid can kill a songbird. Even a tiny grain of wheat or canola treated with the oldest neonicotinoid, imidacloprid, can poison a bird. As little as 1/10th of a corn seed per day during egg-laying season is all that is needed to affect reproduction with any of the neonicotinoids registered to date; they replaces organophosphates and carbonates and were rapidly approved without much oversight or inspection; http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/toxins/Neonic_FINAL.pdf BT infused crops can lead to higher yields in developing countries that have a large pest problem, as shown in India with BT cotton
Qaim, M., and D. Zilberman. "Yield Effects of Genetically Modified Crops in Developing Countries." Science (Washington)299.5608 (2003): 900-2. ProQuest. Web. 18 Oct. 2013.
Insect problem costs 2-5 billion in crop loss and insecticide usage; naturally occurring genes have been found to control pests (aphids) but haven’t been widely published
Gurian-Sherman, Doug. "Genetic Technology’s Answer to A Major Insect Pest." Web log post. Blog.ucsusa.org. Union of Concerned Scientists, 29 Jan. 2013. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
Pest Resistance
BT cotton has lead to BT resistant pests such as the budworm and diamondback moth (organic spray resistant) via Clemson researchers; reasoning for resistance is a strong BT cotton diet
Stokstad, Erik. "First Light on Genetic Roots of Bt Resistance." Science 293.5531 (2001): 857-64. ProQuest. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
Monsanto acknowledges this problem and recommends using a ‘plant refuge’ to fight it, or a strip on non-BT cotton, to allow for insects without resistance to mate with rare, resistant insects and weed them out (recessive
Pesticide/Herbicide
Neonicotinoid usage is not only bad for bees and pollinating insects but also has harmful effects on birds, terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates; their propensity for runoff and for groundwater infiltration dangerous to humans and animals; A single corn kernel coated with a neonicotinoid can kill a songbird. Even a tiny grain of wheat or canola treated with the oldest neonicotinoid, imidacloprid, can poison a bird. As little as 1/10th of a corn seed per day during egg-laying season is all that is needed to affect reproduction with any of the neonicotinoids registered to date; they replaces organophosphates and carbonates and were rapidly approved without much oversight or inspection; http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/policy/toxins/Neonic_FINAL.pdf BT infused crops can lead to higher yields in developing countries that have a large pest problem, as shown in India with BT cotton
Qaim, M., and D. Zilberman. "Yield Effects of Genetically Modified Crops in Developing Countries." Science (Washington)299.5608 (2003): 900-2. ProQuest. Web. 18 Oct. 2013.
Insect problem costs 2-5 billion in crop loss and insecticide usage; naturally occurring genes have been found to control pests (aphids) but haven’t been widely published
Gurian-Sherman, Doug. "Genetic Technology’s Answer to A Major Insect Pest." Web log post. Blog.ucsusa.org. Union of Concerned Scientists, 29 Jan. 2013. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
Pest Resistance
BT cotton has lead to BT resistant pests such as the budworm and diamondback moth (organic spray resistant) via Clemson researchers; reasoning for resistance is a strong BT cotton diet
Stokstad, Erik. "First Light on Genetic Roots of Bt Resistance." Science 293.5531 (2001): 857-64. ProQuest. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
Monsanto acknowledges this problem and recommends using a ‘plant refuge’ to fight it, or a strip on non-BT cotton, to allow for insects without resistance to mate with rare, resistant insects and weed them out (recessive