Now from Gary's actual paper at http://www.scisoc.org/feature/BtCorn/Top.html
"Fusarium ear rot is the most common ear rot disease in the Corn Belt; it
can be found in nearly every cornfield at harvest (Smith and White, 1988).
The severity of this disease is usually low, but it can reduce yield and
quality. The primary importance of this disease is its association with
mycotoxins, particularly the fumonisins.
Fumonisins are a group of mycotoxins that can be fatal to horses and pigs,
and are probable human carcinogens (Munkvold and Desjardins, 1997). The
importance of fumonisins in human health is still a subject of debate, but
there is evidence that they have some impact on cancer incidence in some
parts of the world (Marasas, 1995)."
Note the line "The importance of fumonisins in human health is still a
subject of debate..." so this issue is not settled yet either. Looks like
somebody is grasping at straws hoping no one will look beyond the headlines.
Some Questions.
How much of the corn crop is actually used for direct human food
consumption anyway?
How many seasons will this BT hybrid corn be effective before evolution
develops resistant pests?
It just might be the real question is which toxins you want to eat with
your corn. Mycotoxins or mycotoxins and the BT toxin?
Spin, Spin, Spin are you dizzy yet? Mike Miller
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