Biotech Company’s Hampering Research Into Crop Destruction

In Thursday’s New York Times, Andrew Pollack reported that research into the environmental effect, and the potential success of genetically modified crops, is being hampered by the companies involved in biotechnology, causing scientists from several universities to joint together to complain.

In a submission to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the scientists say that totally autonomous research cannot study many important questions.

The problem has long existed but dissatisfaction has forced their open statement, the scientists explained.

The 26 researchers remain anonymous lest the companies stop their work; however some have given attributable interviews.

Entomologist, Ken Ostlie, said that Syngenta prevented him from studying the effects of rootworms on corn.

The company can also stop publication of impending harmful news, he said.

The difficulty stems from the need for buyers of seeds to sign a document, protecting the companies’ patents and disallowing research.

Although scientists can buy seeds for their work, they are required to submit the finding to the seed company and occasionally permission to publish is not granted.

Many of the protesting scientists, working in universities which have land-grants and major agrarian difficulties, are not against genetic technology, but the companies’ attitude hinders them from providing data to farmers about growing the crops effectively, and to the regulators.

Professor Shields, a Cornell entomologist, pointed out that the companies can modify the data given to the EPA.

For the EPA, Dale Kemery said that they needed only control of seed insect resisting properties, other limits came from the companies.

Professor Boetel of North Dakota University said that he tried to test the reaction of crops to insecticides but could not agree intellectual property rights and publication with Syngenta and Monsanto.

Chris DiFonzo of Michigan State said that, during insect studies, she stayed away from fields cross genetically cropped to prevent the farmer breaking an agreement imposed on the growers.

Pioneer Hi-Bred asked the EPA to approve a reduction in the amount of set-aside in fields, for stopping modifying resistance in insects to corn designed to be resistant.

Professor Krupke of Purdue commented that the problems in this have not been exhaustively studied.

For Pioneer, Dr Niebur responded that they had cooperated with universities in the three worst pest affected states.

Agricultural research now is funded more by private companies, making scientists reliant on the major seed suppliers for technical collaboration and money.

If your job is research on insects and corn, you have a problem if the companies will not give the latest types of corn said Cornell’s Dr Shields.