Mon. Feb. 10, 2014
Dear Editor,
According to an article in the Feb. 9th issue of the Amandala newspaper, “the Belize Grain Growers Association believes firmly in addressing farmers’ problems with technology and not sentimental ideology.” This association from Spanish Lookout is saying that Bt protein (Bacillus thuringienses) is safe to use because it has been used as a natural insecticide for over 50 years.
However – this safe use is as a natural insecticide – used on the outside of plants. The real danger, according to scientific studies, is that the Bt-toxin produced in GM (genetically modified) plants is thousands of times more concentrated than the natural Bt spray.
It can’t be washed off a plant because it is in the plant itself. When bugs bite into a GM plant, the poison splits open their stomachs and kills them. What happens when humans bite into a GM plant? (Studies have confirmed that even the less toxic spray is harmful. Flu-like symptoms and allergies have occurred in people in locations of the world where the spray has been dispersed by airplanes.)
The Bt toxin can affect the immune system. Dr. Arpad Pusztai, a GM food safety expert, said that changes in the immune status of GM animals (those animals eating Bt corn) are a consistent feature of all the studies.” And even research done by Monsanto (the giant multinational agro-chemical company that is at the head of developing genetically modified foods) has found significant immune system changes in rats fed Bt corn.
In Andhra Pradesh, a small village in India, buffalo had been eating cotton plants for 8 years and were in good health. On January 3, 2008, the buffalo grazed on Bt cotton plants for the first time, and ALL became sick the next day. ALL died within 3 days.
What is so very dangerous is that the Bt substance transfers into the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of bacteria living inside our intestines and continues to function. A well-known geneticist from Canada has said: “The experiments simply haven’t been done and we now have become the guinea pigs. Anyone that says, ‘Oh, we know that this is perfectly safe,’ I say is either unbelievably stupid or deliberately lying.”
As Dr. Schubert states: “If there are problems, we will probably never know because the cause will not be traceable and many diseases take a very long time to develop.”
This information came from the Institute for Responsible Technology, Your Consumer Safety Partner, May 20, 2009.
What our Creator has created is perfectly balanced. When man comes in and experiments, this wonderful balance is interfered with and disastrous results can occur.
Belizeans, please wake up!
Sincerely,
Elaine J. Pinkerton