Here is an article that was sent to me I would like to touch on. One of Monsanto's claims is that there GMO crops reduce the amount of pesticides needed. In fact the amount of pesticide use has increased 404 million pounds and the amount of herbicide used increased 527 million pounds since GMO crop introduction.
So how can this be if Monsanto claims there crops require less herbicides and pesticides why is it then that the numbers are in fact increasing and increasing the health risks associated right along with it. Well here is what is happening.
Scientists have been warning the use of these roundup ready crops and crops that produce there own insecticides do only one thing force weeds to adapt quickly and that is what we are seeing happen. Super weeds that simply can't be killed off by modern herbicides and insects that don't die from insecticide.
So far the impact has been huge not only do the statistics in the increase of herbicides and pesticides shatter the claims of Monsanto that their crops require less spraying it's forced farmers to use even more roundup and outdated herbicides and pesticides that are more toxic including 2,4-D an ingredient in agent orange.
On an interesting side note does it make sense for a company to develop a product (Roundup Ready Seed) that will reduce the amount of the use of the product (Roundup) owned by the same company? No not really but it does make sense to sell a (Roundup Ready Seed ) that requires and simply tolerates larger quantities of (Roundup). That is exactly what we are seeing and here is a link to the full study that shows the impact and acceleration of herbicide and pesticide use since the introduction of these GMO crops.
Research
Impacts of genetically engineered crops on pesticide use in the U.S. -- the first sixteen years
Charles M Benbrook
Abstract (provisional)
Background
Genetically engineered, herbicide-resistant and insect-resistant crops have been remarkable commercial successes in the United States. Few independent studies have calculated their impacts on pesticide use per hectare or overall pesticide use, or taken into account the impact of rapidly spreading glyphosate-resistant weeds. A model was developed to quantify by crop and year the impacts of six major transgenic pest-management traits on pesticide use in the U.S. over the 16-year period, 1996--2011: herbicide-resistant corn, soybeans, and cotton; Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn targeting the European corn borer; Bt corn for corn rootworms; and Bt cotton for Lepidopteron insects.
Results
Herbicide-resistant crop technology has led to a 239 million kilogram (527 million pound) increase in herbicide use in the United States between 1996 and 2011, while Bt crops have reduced insecticide applications by 56 million kilograms (123 million pounds). Overall, pesticide use increased by an estimated 183 million kgs (404 million pounds), or about 7%.
Conclusions
Contrary to often-repeated claims that today's genetically-engineered crops have, and are reducing pesticide use, the spread of glyphosate-resistant weeds in herbicide-resistant weed management systems has brought about substantial increases in the number and volume of herbicides applied. If new genetically engineered forms of corn and soybeans tolerant of 2,4-D are approved, the volume of 2,4-D sprayed could drive herbicide usage upward by another approximate 50%. The magnitude of increases in herbicide use on herbicide-resistant hectares has dwarfed the reduction in insecticide use on Bt crops over the past 16 years, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Full study text available here!
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