Agent Orange Ingredient in Your Corn?

USDA is set to allow the cultivation of genetically engineered (GE) 2,4-D corn and soybean despite the inevitable dangers increased use of the herbicide 2,4-D will inflict on farmworkers, public health and the environment. As one half of the deadly defoliant Agent Orange, which decimated Vietnam’s forest ecosystems, and forever scarred  Vietnam war veterans, 2,4-D is associated with increased cancer risks, especially for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It is also a potent neurotoxin and hormone-disruptor. Studies report that exposure to 2,4-D is associated with an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, reduced sperm counts, and birth defects

Despite objections from consumer, farmworker and environmental groups, as well as medical professionals, USDA, as with other GE decisions, is gearing up to deregulate 2,4-D crops. 

This would allow these herbicide-ready crops to be planted in communities across the United States without taking into account several scientifically-validated environmental concerns, such as: 

• Indiscriminate GE gene contamination, especially of organic crops; 
• Damaging 2,4-D drift; 
• Impacts on endangered species and non-target crops; 
• Dioxin contamination; 
• Heavy reliance on faulty data with high degree of uncertainties regarding human health and environmental impacts.

For more information, visit Beyond Pesticides at:

http://action.beyondpesticides.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=16467