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Pesticide use may have increased with new seed models, experts say

A new study by the expert Charles Benbrook, from the University of Washington, contradicts the main argument of the defenders of the use of genetically modified seeds. They claim that the practice reduces the use of pesticides in crops, but the study found that the use of pesticides has grown 7% since genetically manipulated seeds began to be used.

In the beginning, when the first modified seed varieties were developed, there was in fact a reduction in the use of pesticides. The so-called Bt cotton, and the Bt corn that produced the herbicide itself, soon became no longer the only genetically modified seed varieties available on the market.

Monsanto and Round Up

With the arrival of the Monsanto company and its line of modified seeds, the effect was the opposite. Producers started to use only one type of pesticide, RoundUp (which is manufactured by Monsanto), and in greater quantities. Benbrook decided to find out exactly how much.

The US Department of Agriculture had ended its pesticide use mapping program years earlier, which forced Benbrook to estimate total use using incomplete data associated with other sources. The conclusion was that about 185 million kilograms more pesticides have been used since the introduction of modified seeds in 1996 than would have been used with conventional seeds.

For Graham Brookes of PG Economics, a consulting group specializing in biotechnology that has produced its own studies on the topic, Benbrook's conclusions are imprecise and biased. Keith Kloor also accused Benbrook of being biased by being affiliated with the Organic Center.

However, Kloor did not mention that Benbrook is also a former "Executive Director of the Subcommittee of the House Committee on Agriculture with jurisdiction over pesticide regulation, research, trade and foreign agricultural issues", as well as a former executive director of the National Council on Agriculture Academy of Sciences.

Harmless?

Another criticism of the studies is that, although the use of RoundUp has increased significantly, it is much safer than other pesticide alternatives. But there is evidence today, including scientists at the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) that RoundUp is not as harmless as it used to be. Benbrook cites evidence of the increase in pesticide residues present in retail products. He believes this is because growers are using higher dosages to prevent the emergence of RoundUp resistant weeds.

According to Tom Lascawy, founder of the Food & environment Reporting Network, that wouldn't even be the biggest problem, as many farmers today are turning to older, more toxic pesticides to control weeds. Also according to Tom, 2,4-D, a commonly used substitute, is related to cancer, neurotoxicity, kidney and liver problems, reproductive effects and endocrine dysfunction.

Benbrook says that farmers run out of options and end up buying modified seeds that are resistant to several active ingredients and treating the Bt corn with insecticides that were not used before. The situation would only be good for the seed and pesticide industry, which accumulates record profits, and benefits from the spread of resistant weeds and insects.

Remember that Benbrook is not totally against modified seeds. He said "deep changes in weed management systems in the three largest genetically modified crops will be needed to first stabilize and then reduce the use of herbicides."

Link between industry and research

There are studies showing that there is no evidence that transgenics harm human health. For Benbrook, it is necessary to be aware of the fact that these researches are carried out based on safety data provided by the industry that develops and commercializes transgenic seeds.

A 2009 article, published in The New York Times, recorded a protest made by some scientists to the EPA (US environmental protection agency) criticizing the lack of independence in research on transgenics. The protesters claim that while common seeds can be easily obtained for research development, transgenic seeds are only released with the manufacturer's authorization. Authorization is sometimes denied or the manufacturer requires a review of any results obtained before it is published.

Many scientists in the US question the independence of research that indicates positive results for the use of GMOs, however, many others claim that research that found evidence of damage to health is unscientific and biased. Who loses with all this is the consumer, who cannot know whether or not they are consuming a safe product.