Title: The main reason GMO’s are being developed is to sell more herbicides
${imageDescription}[The Weed’s Network, 13th August 2012] – A report produced by Greenpeace together with GM Freeze examines the environmental and health consequences of the widespread and intensive use of the herbicide glyphosate in association with GM Roundup Ready crops. Glyphosate is the Roundup herbicide’s active ingredient. The report explains how Monsanto’s patent on glyphosate was due to run out in 2000. Monsanto had to find another way to maintain their grip on their multi-billion dollar industry. A marketing strategy was developed that not only provided sales from a new technology (genetic engineering) but also more than doubled Roundup sales. It was an ingenious idea – develop herbicide resistance in a major crop to allow farmers to spray not only before planting, but also during the growth cycle of the crop. Who would buy such a crazy idea? A smoke screen was needed. Monsanto’s sales pitch promised that their new technology would lead to a reduced number of toxic sprays. The reality that emerged after the smoke had cleared was quite different. Data regarding glyphosate usage detailed in the Greenpeace report shows that glyphosate usage has gone up anywhere from 39% to nearly 200% since the introduction of GM RR crops in the US. ${imageDescription} Comment
Not only did Monsanto promise farmers reduced herbicide usage, they also promised that weed control would be cheaper and simpler. Using more Roundup obviously isn’t cheaper, so how about simpler? Controlling glyphosate-resistant weeds in GM RR crops is now a major problem for farmers all around the world. Monsanto’s solution to the evolution of herbicide resistance in weeds is for farmers to buy more of the product that caused the problem in the first place. But this time around, a stronger product is recommended, such as the addition of 2,4-D which found fame as an active ingredient of Agent Orange. This new and improved product has led to the emergence of even stronger ‘superweeds’. But why stop there? Monsanto can sell you yet another problem for your solution – gene stacked GM crop seeds that will tolerate several herbicides, so that farmers can really pour on some heavy duty toxic cocktails to kill the superweeds. What next? And all the while, all that Monsanto hears is ‘cha-ching’ as another billion dollars drops into their already environmentally resistant bank accounts.
This is barely the tip of the devastation that GM RR crops and herbicides are causing. For the really committed environmentalist, or just your average concerned citizen of the world, this report will be helpful in highlighting the many fallout issues resulting from the use of GM RR crops and enhanced toxicity herbicides – issues such as ‘dead soil’, increases in plant vulnerability to diseases and the pollution of our drinking water. The report is focusing on glyphosate, but recent studies suggest the presence of Roundup adjuvants add even more to the toxicity of the final product.
Greenpeace’s conclusion: all herbicide resistant GM crops should be banned.
