Cancer deaths double in Argentina's GMO agribusiness areas

[Judi Lynn]

Cancer deaths double in Argentina's GMO agribusiness areas
Lawrence Woodward
24th August 2014

Sharply increased levels of crop spraying in Argentina's most intensively farmed areas have resulted in a public health disaster, writes Lawrence Woodward, with large increases in cancer incidence. And it's all the result of the widespread use of GMO crops engineered for herbicide resistance.


A report by the Ministry of Health in Córdoba, Argentina reveals that deaths from cancerous tumours are double the national average in areas where genetically engineered crops are grown and agro-chemicals are used.

This comprehensive report documented five years of information on cancer cases in the province.

It provides more evidence that, far from being the miracle it is claimed to be, industrial, GMO driven cropping is turning into a public health hell.

The highest rate of death occurs in the 'pampa gringa' area, where most GMO crops are grown and most agrochemicals are used.

The 'pampa gringa' makes up the whole of the east of Córdoba province and is its premier agricultural region.

The provincial average for cancer deaths is 158 per 100,000 inhabitants but in four of the 'pampa gringa' departments the death rates are much higher - ranging from 216 to nearly 230.

Other intensive agriculture regions in Córdoba also have cancer deaths well above the provincial and national average - ranging from 180-201 per 100,000 inhabitants.

More:
http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_round_up/2525411/cancer_deaths_double_in_argentinas_gmo_agribusiness_areas.html

[WCLinolVir]

1. Cue the GMO safety squad to tell us GMO are just fine.

"Sharply increased levels of crop spraying in Argentina's most intensively farmed areas have resulted in a public health disaster, writes Lawrence Woodward, with large increases in cancer incidence. And it's all the result of the widespread use of GMO crops engineered for herbicide resistance."
Can they not see it coming???? What is wrong with these people??

"the excessive reliance on glyphosate-based herbicides, such as Roundup, has resulted in the emergence and spread of many harmful weeds that can no longer be controlled by glyphosate. These weeds now infest millions of acres of farmland the U.S., resulting in greater herbicide use."
They will now use other more dangerous herbicides.

"The authors make several important points to support their thesis. First, because of widespread resistance of several important weeds to glyphosate, companies are now working to commercialize crops resistant to several other herbicides, including the old herbicides dicamba and 2, 4-D. Crops resistant to these two herbicides are likely to be widely used because the herbicides they are immune to are more effective than others. This is bad news, because these herbicides can cause a lot of collateral damage to other crops and nearby natural areas. And natural areas are important for fostering biodiversity, such as pollinators and organisms that control pests and reduce insecticide use.

http://blog.ucsusa.org/are-genetically-engineered-herbicide-resistant-crops-leading-to-the-demise-of-sustainable-weed-control

[newthinking]

2. Trouble is that the primary Genetic Modification is to encourage encreased herbicides.

This is one reason why the "debate" gets sidetracked.

There is some truth that careful genetic modification can be an aid and not a threat.

Trouble is that is not what the industry is doing with GMO. Their answer is narrow and almost always involves more cancer causing chemicals.