(Instead of less) More herbicide use reported on genetically modified crops

[Robbien]

A report released by the Organic Center found that the amount of herbicides used on genetically engineered crops has increased in the past 10 years, not decreased as might be expected. Since many genetically engineered crops were modified so that farmers could spray Roundup, or Glyphosate, to kill the weeds in their fields but not the crops themselves, the expectation was that less herbicide would be required. But the new report found that this is not what happened.

The authors of the report, entitled “Impacts of Genetically Engineered Crops on Pesticide Use,” used US Department of Agriculture data to look at America’s three largest genetically engineered crops – soybeans, corn, and cotton. They found that the amount of herbicides used on them has increased from 1996 to 2008 by approximately 7 or 8 percent, with a particularly sharp increase from 2005 on.

In particular, the amount of Roundup that is used on genetically engineered crops has multiplied several times during the time period, says the report’s main author, Charles Benbrook, who's the chief scientist at the Organic Center.

“This big increase in herbicide is driven largely by the emergence of Roundup-resistant weeds,” Dr. Benbrook says. But “industry is still saying to the public that genetic engineering reduced herbicide use.”

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2009/1221/More-herbicide-use-reported-on-genetically-modified-crops

[ixion]

1. Yeah, Monsanto is damn near (if not fully) a criminal enterprise

they really need a good smack down, in my opinion.

They've been riding rough shod over the US farmer for decades.

[dhpgetsit]

2. Not surprising to me.

Monsanto is patenting GMO crops that can withstand their herbicide Roundup. Farmers can use more of the herbicide without worrying about destroying their crops. Why would anyone expect farmers to use less?

[Exultant Democracy]

3. There is not money in reducing herbicide use. "This place is dead anyway"-Swingers

[oreo3leg]

4. This is bad news.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. What, you mean evolution still works? nt

[bertman]

6. MONSATAN.

Those fuckers are giving Satan a bad name.