Health Impact News Editor Comments:

The Los Angeles Times has printed a very good op-ed article today by Doug Gurian-Sherman, a plant pathologist and senior scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists in Washington. He correctly points out how biotech companies can legally block independent research on the safety and efficacy of genetically modified seeds, due to patent laws. This leaves the public with only research coming from the biotech companies themselves, in the absence of any independent research. This lack of independent research on GMO crops has led many countries such as Japan, Mexico, and many more in Europe, to ban the importation of GMO crops from the US. The government here in the US, however, is on a fast-track to deregulate GMO seeds in 2011, with the current administration deregulating GMO alfalfa, GMO beets, and biotech corn just in the last few weeks. It is good to see this issue getting some mainstream media coverage from the LA Times. This is a very dangerous time in the history of agriculture and food security here in the USA, and consumers need to be informed of what is going on and NOT trust that their government is looking out for their best interests.

Read the article here: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-guriansherman-seeds-20110213,0,2052370.story