Monarchs and the Bt Transgenic Corn Pollen Scare

[Mike Griggs]

I do not think the intent of the authors was to demonstrate that the Bt
pollen would decimate the monarchs, that was the spin the popular media
placed on the article coming out in nature so the general public would
understand, rather they wanted to show that there are as yet undocumented
adverse impacts of transgenic manipulation of crops and perhaps the
transgenic community at large should become concerned of off target
nonselectivity of this technology.

It is a wake up call much the way Rachel Carsen made.  There are always
adverse side affects to these new technologies that need further testing
and analysis prior to large scale damage to an important nontarget
species.

Mike Griggs
Entomologist/ Support Scientist
Plant Protection Research Unit
USDA ARS, U.S. Plant, Soil & Nutrition Lab.
Tower Road, Ithaca, NY  14853
http://www.ppru.cornell.edu/

email:    mhg3 at cornell.edu