Dow Corn, Resistant to a Weed Killer, Runs Into Opposition

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/26/business/energy-environment/dow-weed-killer-runs-into-opposition.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&ref=science

                To those who do not know 2,4-D is a powerful herbicide and was used in the notorious Agent Orange defoliant which was used in the Vietnam war to expose Vietnam guerrilla fighters. Years later it was discovered that Agent Orange lead to birth defects, cancer, and other health problems. Now 2,4-D is being used as a weed killer on corn that has been genetically mutated by the company DOW, to not be damaged by this herbicide by making a protein that is able to break down 2,4-D so that the chemical is not harmful to the plant. DOW and its allies have said that linking the 2,4-D chemical to the harmful medical side effects of Agent Orange because the harm done by Agent Orange was actually from a different ingredient (2,4,5-T) which has been of the market for many years. There is still argument today weather or not 2,4-D should be considered a human carcinogen. The dept. of Agriculture in D.C. has started leaning toward the approval of this genetically mutated corn and many farmers believe that there is an almost urgent need for this kind of corn like Mr. Hurst a farmer in Missouri who says "I think it's a crisis , and we need something to have a solution to get rid of resistant weeds". This corn is also not the only on of its kind Dow is working on soybeans and cotton also immune to 2,4-D along with other agricultural giants like Monsanto. The history of using genetically mutated plants that are immune to certain pesticides has been a success but not all good. Monsanto created a soybean that had been mutated to not be damaged by the chemical glyphosate commonly known as Roundup was so successful that about 90% of the soybeans grown in the states were from this genetically altered plant. Now years after farmers have used roundup so much that the weeds have also developed an immunity to the chemical and farmers are forced to weed their whole fields by hand. There is also the issue of the 2,4-D chemical drifting from one farm with plants immune to the chemical to another farm where the plants are still seseptable. The chemical can also vaporize and travel for miles in the air. DOW says that they are working on now formulations of 2,4-D that is far less prone to vaporization. DOW will also force those who purchase its genetically altered corn to also buy their new pesticide.

                We should pay close attention to this article for now in our modern time we are seeing more and more foods altered in labs to be more efficient for the companies and in a way making agriculture more like a factory with the exact same product every time. This article is also important because this is a growing ethical issue for the planet if it is wise to manipulate nature in a way for our own good and that we don't become too reliant on these mutated plants. This article is greatly important to our Biology class because we have just recently been learning about genetic mutation in plants and the pros and cons about them and I think it really relates to what we have been studying showing that what we learn in class can be directly relate to the real world.

                This article was a pretty easy read it was a little long but very interesting on the whole. I really enjoyed this article and the knowledge I gained from reading it. I think it was very interesting how we were just taking about genetic mutation in class. I would say anyone interested in this subject should read this article. 

Posted for M. Ribka