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GMO Corn Linked to Organ Damage

by: Jill Richardson

Wed Jan 13, 2010 at 18:19:10 PM PST


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A new study links three varieties Monsanto GMO corn to organ damage in rats. I diaried this in a sampler platter nearly a month ago, but for some reason it's getting all kinds of press attention now.

The biggest question for me is: Are the American people a population of lab rats? Apparently so. These varieties are legal in the U.S. MON810 goes by the trade name YieldGard Corn Borer and MON863 goes by the trade name YieldGard Rootworm Corn in the U.S. and Canada. NK603 sells under the name Roundup Ready corn. If I understand things right, many farmers I met in Iowa used "triple stacked" corn, which means that all 3 of these traits were engineered into the same seeds.

As of 2009, according to the USDA, 17 percent of the corn grown in the U.S. is "Bt" corn, 22 percent is "RoundUp Ready," and 46 percent has more than one trait stacked into it. Altogether, GM corn makes up 85 percent of the corn we grow. Translation: Unless you eat organic (and probably even then because of genetic pollution), congratulations! You are a lab rat! Enjoy the organ damage.

(Of course, Monsanto's already claimed that this study isn't true and that their products do not cause organ damage. I'd like to see further study happen - ASAP! And, in the meantime, how about pulling Monsanto's GM corn off the market until the science is conclusive one way or the other? I, for one, do NOT want to be a lab rat, thankyouverymuch.)

Jill Richardson :: GMO Corn Linked to Organ Damage
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from the horse's mouth (4.00 / 2)
From the actual journal article,

We investigated three different GM corn namely NK 603, MON 810 and MON 863, which were fed to rats for 90 days. The raw data have been obtained by European governments and made publically available for scrutiny and counter-evaluation. These studies constitute a model to investigate possible subchronic toxicological effects of these GM cereals in mammals and humans. These are the longest in vivo tests performed with mammals consuming these GMOs.
...

The three animal feeding studies were conducted in two different laboratories and at two different dates; at Monsanto (Missouri, USA) for NK 603 and MON 810 (June 7, 2000) and at Covance Laboratories Inc. (Virginia, USA) for MON 863 (March 14, 2001) on behalf of Monsanto.

The article is a re-analysis of Monsanto's own data. We see a familiar story - the only data supporting product safety is from Monsanto's own short-term studies, designed to end before clear damage could be manifest, as interpreted by Monsanto's own number twiddlers.

The Monsanto studies were done in 2000-2001, and the data has been made available by European governments. These products have been in the U.S. and Canadian markets a long time, since before 2000. I assume the GRAS notifications were supported by different data submitted to the FDA - has that data been analyzed by anybody not under contract to Monsanto? And what were the durations of the trials for the U.S. notifications? 30 days? 60 days?


stacked rats (4.00 / 2)
I wonder if there is any requirement in the U.S., Canada, Europe, or elsewhere, for additional testing on stacked varieties once minimal testing has been done on the traits one at a time.

I'm thinking probably not (4.00 / 1)
I don't know how much testing USDA or FDA does on combinations of elements that have been deemed safe when tested individually, but I would hazard a guess that it's little or none.

Regarding locavores as elitists - explain to me how supporting local business is elitist....

[ Parent ]
hazard (0.00 / 0)
My thinking exactly. I also think it's a mistake, if true.

[ Parent ]
SmartStax (4.00 / 1)
Triple stacked corn? You ain't seen nuthin' yet!

Genuity(tm) SmartStax(tm) Corn

In the fourth-annual R&D pipeline update, Genuity(tm) SmartStax(tm) moved into Phase 4, the final step prior to the product's planned 2010 commercial launch.
...

It is designed to offer farmers eight different genes for herbicide tolerance and insect-protection in top-performing hybrids...
...

Genuity(tm) SmartStax(tm) is expected to be the platform on which future corn traits will be stacked and introduced to the market. Monsanto expects to reach 34 million to 35 million U.S. acres with a triple-stack corn offering in 2009, thus setting the stage for the broadest possible launch of Genuity(tm) SmartStax(tm) in 2010.

Even an eight-stack is only an incremental step on the stairway to ag heaven. Or hell, as the case may be.


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