12 DAYS to Stop DOW’s 2-4-D Corn

February 17, 2012 by B. Matherson

                   

12 days to stop Dow's 2-4-D corn! PHOTO: Panna

Dow and USDA hope to quietly approve a new genetically engineered seed line that basically swaps RoundUp (glyphosate) out for an even worse weedkiller (2,4-D).

As you may have heard, the pesticide treadmill is catching up with Monsanto, as glyphosate-resistent “superweeds” run rampant and their blockbuster RoundUp Ready product line nears the end of its life-cycle. Dow wants to drop in an even more toxic herbicide (2,4-D) to keep the treadmill running at high speed. We have 12 days to stop this.

Tell USDA we want off this ride» Urge the agency to reject Dow’s petition for approval of its 2,4-D resistant seed lines. Now, before the public comment period ends, is the time to speak up and say no.

Dow aims to get 2,4-D-resistant CORN to market this year, SOY next year and COTTON in 2015. These three crops dominate U.S. agriculture, covering over 100 million acres of mono-cropped countryside, driving the pesticide market. If they get their foot in the door with corn, there is little chance that soy and cotton will be a problem for approval. 

As with Monsanto’s RoundUp Ready lines, so too will it be with Dow’s 2,4-D-resistant lines. The herbicide that these seeds are engineered to be used with (then glyphosate, now 2,4-D) will surge in use. Only this time, the fallout will be even worse. Here’s why:

• This is a more toxic herbicide, and children are particularly susceptible to its effect. It is a reproductive toxicant, suspected endocrine disruptor and probable carcinogen.
• 2,4-D does and will drift off of target crops, both through spray drift and volatilization. Herbicide drift will devastate adjacent ecosystems and threaten rural economies and farmers growing non-2,4-D-resistant crops.
  2,4-D-resistant “superweeds” will arise and spread just as RoundUp-resistent “superweeds” have taken over farms and countryside in the Midwest and Southeast.
• Corn is wind-pollinated, which means that genetic material from 2,4-D corn will contaminate non-GE corn. You cannot put a GE genie back in the bottle.

The risks are far too great Tell USDA, this dangerous and antiquated herbicide shouldn’t be on the market. And we certainly should not be giving Dow license to profit from driving up use.

We’ll need to make a lot of noise on this one. Thanks so much for adding your voice!

GO TO:  http://action.panna.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=9109 to fill out your online petition

–OR–  file your objection at the Federal Register public comment page:

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/12/27/2011-33009/dow-agroscience-llc-availability-of-petition-plant-pest-risk-assessment-and-environmental-assessment

Source: PANNA Action Alert