Dow Chemicals seeks approval for new genetically modified seeds that present worse threat than Monsanto's Roundup

Friday, September 14, 2012 by: Sarka-Jonae Miller
Tags: Dow Chemical, GM seeds, GMO

(NaturalNews) Dow Chemicals releases new genetically modified seeds in an ongoing effort to maximize profits while putting people at risk for serious diseases. Dow's genetically modified corn has been dubbed "Agent Orange corn" because of the link to the chemical agent made by Dow and Monsanto to defoliate jungles during the Vietnam War, which left hundreds of thousands of people ill. Genetically modified plants and animals are rapidly gaining popularity despite research that shows risks to humans health and the environment. For genetically modified foods to be used in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency must approve the product. Dow is currently seeking approval for its product while advocacy groups beseech U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to reject the application.

Genetically modified corn

Dow is calling their new GMO seeds "Enlist." The genetically modified corn is immune to 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), an ingredient found in Agent Orange. It is also resistant to glfosinate and glyphosate, which is the active ingredient in Monsanto's Roundup herbicide.

The plan is to plant the genetically modified seeds and then spray fields with the harmful chemical agent. If approved, Dow's GMO seeds could replace Monsanto's Roundup-resistant crops and make way for a release of Agent Orange chemicals that have not been seen since the Vietnam War.

2,4-D is already a widely used herbicide. Allowing farmers to grow Dow's genetically modified corn would mean they could effectively carpet bomb their crops with 2,4-D. That's the reason for genetically modified foods, to allow farmers to drop huge amounts of chemicals to kill pests and weeds instead of putting in the time and effort to grow crops organically.

Genetically modified plants and animals

Companies like Dow and Monsanto are for genetically modified foods because they can increase profits. Dow expects to make $1.5 billion in 2013?from selling their selling GMO seeds. Advocacy groups, the general public and even some farmers are against genetically modified plants and animals because of the health risks for humans and the environment.

2,4-D has already been found in groundwater of five states in the U.S. and parts of Canada, and surface water in the U.S. Health experts warn that 2,4-D may increase risk of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and neurotoxicity. Studies show that 2,4-D causes male reproductive problems, cancer, liver toxicity, immunosuppression, endocrine disruption and Parkinson's disease.

But 2,4-D is not the only chemical that Dow's GMO seeds promote. The genetically modified seeds are also resistant to glyphosate, another toxic herbicide. Research links glyphosate to birth defects, infertility and DNA damage.

Glyphosate is the most popular herbicide used in the world. It is the main ingredient that Monsanto's Roundup herbicide, a product that not only causes untold damage but is also failing to even do its job. One of the main goals of herbicides is to kill weeds so that weeds do not in turn kill crops. Mother Nature is proving herself more powerful than Monsanto as glyphosate-resistant weeds are starting to pop up everywhere and threaten crops grown from genetically modified seeds engineered to resist glyphosate.

GMO seeds

Dow made their GMO seeds resistant to three herbicides to combat the problem with glyphosate-resistant weeds, but what is going to stop weeds from developing a resistance to the other two herbicides? Nothing. The next step would be to use more dangerous chemical herbicides and continue to engineer more genetically modified plants and animals in a never-ending cycle.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com

http://planetsave.com

About the author:
Sarka-Jonae Miller is a former personal trainer and massage therapist. She has a journalism degree from Syracuse University. Sarka-Jonae currently writes romantic comedy novels and romantic erotica under the same SJ Miller.
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