By Matt Sanders
Today's farms are much different from what they were just two decades
ago. Back then genetically modified crops were still in the research and
development phase. Now they're a reality, making up huge chunks of the row
crops planted in the United States.
At Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, zoologist Matt Whiles
is part of a team taking a hard look at one type of genetically modified
crop, Bt corn, and its effects on the environment, with a National Science
Foundation grant. Last week, the group -- including researchers from Indiana
University, the University of Notre Dame and Loyola Chicago University --
published a study that said,at least preliminarily, that Bt corn might be
harming freshwater ecosystems.

The paper was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences.

"What this paper shows is that there may be some effects that have not
been considered closely yet, so we don't know the extent of those effects,"
Whiles said. "This paper should not sound off a bunch of alarms. ... It is
somewhat preliminary in nature."

Few studies have looked at the effects of using genetically modified
crops on freshwater ecosystems in agricultural areas, Whiles said.

The Bt corn studied is genetically modified to be resistant to the
European corn borer, a destructive moth larva. When they attack crops, the
insects can do damage and decrease yield and grain quality. The study showed
evidence that, when the remnants of the Bt corn enter water supplies, it may
slow the growth of caddis flies, an insect important to freshwater
environments.

Bt corn is widely used. Gary Clark, director of market development
with the Missouri Corn Growers Association, estimates about 70 percent of
U.S. corn has some form of Bt in it, the toxin genetically engineered into
corn to kill pests like corn borers.

Yields improving

The modified corn has seen a dramatic increase in use in the past few
years, Clark said, and it works.

"Producers are seeing the average consistency of their yields getting
better," Clark said.

Clark recently went to China with the U.S. Grains Council to assess
corn yields there, and said the lack of Bt in the corn there was evident.

"It was like setting back the clock 10 to 15 years here," Clark said.

Bt corn has been approved for human consumption by health authorities,
but it also falls under EPA regulation because of its environmental
ramifications, since it kills corn borers.

"EPA will thoroughly review the study, and will determine whether the
information warrants further regulatory action. In registering Bt corn, EPA
required and reviewed numerous studies to ensure that Bt corn products meet
current health and environmental standards. EPA's evaluation process is
based on the best available science and data, and includes peer review. EPA
will publish a response to the study once the information has been fully
considered," the agency said in a prepared statement.

Whiles said more research needs to be done to either validate or
disprove the study's findings.

But if Bt corn does harm a fragile ecosystem and was taken off the
market -- both hypotheticals at this point -- Clark said it would have a
major economic impact.

But Clark said the ag industry isn't anti-environment, and more
studies need to be done to see if indeed genetically engineered crops are
harming the environment.

[www.semissourian.com]