#bt crops

[elkurebe]

Let's recognize Roundup Ready, Bt crops as major contributions to sustainable farming

Let’s recognize Roundup Ready, Bt crops as major contributions to sustainable farming

This is the first in a three-part series making the case that the development of biotech traits for insect resistance and herbicide tolerance are the most substantial innovations in sustainable agriculture in the last three decades. Here, I lay out the context in which I believe they should be assessed relative to other innovations competing for the crown. In part two, I lay out the data and…

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[ibhomeremedies-blog]

BOMBSHELL: Genetic modification proven ineffective — pests have become immune to the poison of modified crops in less than five years, but we still have to eat it

BOMBSHELL: Genetic modification proven ineffective — pests have become immune to the poison of modified crops in less than five years, but we still have to eat it

(General News) Last year, farmers around the world planted genetically modified crops like soybeans, corn and cotton across 240 million acres of land that create proteins from the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) bacterium. Capable of killing pests like beetles and caterpillars, their effects on the environment and human health have long been the subject of much debate.

Those in favor of GMO crops –…

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[biotecnika]

Is BT really failing OUR FARMERS?

Is BT really failing OUR FARMERS?

Interviewing David Green, International Biotech Communication Expert & Shivendra Bajaj, Executive Director, ABLE-AG

With the introduction of Bt cotton in India in 2002 there has been a rise and shine in cotton production till date. Thirteen years down the line and it still caters to meeting the expenses of thousands of farmers in the country. But due to unfortunate turn of events of…

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[marthaq]

But just as we do not blame a murder on, say, a knife, Bt technology is not to blame for the ills of industrial agriculture. After all, knives are pretty handy in the kitchen when we use them properly. Even critics will acknowledge that Bt crops have led to a sharp decrease in insecticide use, which is a huge net positive for the environment. Broad spectrum chemical insecticides kill often and kill widely, wiping out "natural enemies" that are helpful pest-eating critters like spiders. A massive 20-year study just published in the journal Nature found that using Bt cotton in China to control cotton bollworms closely tracked with a rebound in natural enemy populations, which in turn keep out secondary pests like aphids that usually proliferate when chemical insecticides kill the bollworms.

In Defense of Genetically Modified Crops By Sarah Zhang at Mother Jones

As the daughter of a left-leaning molecular biologist, I cannot tell you how long I have waited to see something as thoughtful and well-researched to appear in a progressive publication.

Please, please do read the whole thing.  And tell your friends.