Cornell Report - Industry Response

Chris J. Durden drdn at mail.utexas.edu
Tue May 25 09:51:04 EDT 1999


Paul,
  If you want this scenario so badly, hire someone to cook it up for you.
The rest of us have more interesting things to do with our time. Do not
make basic scientists waste their time doing legwork for applied science!
Applied science can well afford to do it's own homework.
...........Chris Durden


At 06:02  25/05/99 -0800, you wrote:
>Neil Jones wrote:
> 
>> The question isn't just whether there is a toxic effect, it is also whether
>> there is an ecological effect.
>> It is clear that distributing Bacillus thurigiensis "toxin" into the
>> environment will have effects on the predator prey system.
>
>Neil, the Cornell researchers said this:
>
> ``It's certainly a serious potential problem,''[for the monarch
>butterfly] John Losey, of Cornell University, said in a telephone
>interview.
>
> ``If it's really having an impact on a large proportion of the
>population
>(of monarch butterflies) I think it is a very serious problem.'' [Losey
>said]
>
> ``Monarchs are considered to be a flagship species for conservation.
>This
>is a warning bell,'' said Linda Rayor, a co-author of the study.
>
>This is the news [about grave potential impacts specifically on the
>Monarch butterfly] that sent Monsanto's stock tumbling and prompted
>environmental groups around the world to call for a ban on Genetically
>Modified Crops. 
>
>Do you agree with the Cornell researchers and Professor Chip Taylor who
>insist it's conceivable that Bt corn pollen could have "an impact on a
>large proportion of the population of monarch butterflies"? (or as Chip
>Taylor said, reduce the size of the monarch fall migratory population
>"up to 100,000,000 butterflies" which is equivalent to approximately 50%
>of that population being wiped out)?
>
>If so, will you provide us with a scenario in which Bt. corn pollen
>could have such a dramatic impact on the summer monarch breeding or fall
>migratory population and what assumptions would have to be made? I have
>yet to encounter a concerned scientist or individual willing to publicly
>provide a scenario in which the monarch could be so seriously impacted.
>
>Paul Cherubini, Placerville, California
>
>


More information about the Leps-l mailing list