USA: Monsanto projects two-thirds of corn acreage planted with GE-Corn varieties

In a conference call with investment analysts, Monsanto's Chief Technology Officer predicted that "SmartStax" corn would eventually be planted on 50 to 65 million acres of corn annually.  These varieties combine eight GE-traits covering resistance to two herbicides and expression of several different forms of Bacillus thuriengensis (Bt) for protection against the European corn borer and corn rootworms, the Organic Center reports.  "SmartStax" corn is expensive because of the eight GE-trait "technology fees" embedded in each seed.  Yet no farmer needs nor will benefit from more than a few of these traits. 

In addition, corn varieties genetically engineered to express multiple novel traits pose new sorts of risks, yet there has been no change in the science reviews undertaken by the government prior to approval.  Regulators in USDA and EPA have essentially accepted the industry argument that each individual trait should be evaluated separately in terms of food safety or environmental risks, and that there is no reasons to expect any new or unanticipated risks from the combination of the genetic material and that promoters needed to activate eight unique traits in a single variety. 

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