Aaron Morris wrote:
>
 
> When you come down to brass tacks, it's a personal choice whether or
> not one will use the herbicide.  Unfortunately, those who will use
> the herbicide have a de facto veto over those who will not.  It's like
> smoking.  The smoke from ones' cigarette does not respect the
> boundaries imposed by a smoker or nonsmoker, smoke just diffuses.
> Those who smoke impact everyone in the closed system, whether it's a
> train or an office or a restaurant or even outdoors.  No judgment, no
> evaluation, just fact.  It's the universal gas law, it's physics,
> it's nature.
>
> And it's the same with Roundup.  Whether ingredients in Roundup, are
> inert and harmless, active and hazardous, safe today or deadly fifty
> years from now, they will diffuse in our environment following the
> laws of nature impacting both target organism and passive bystanders.
> Is it safe?  Monsanto and others say yes, "greenies" say no.
> Who's right and who's wrong?  I doubt we'll know in our lifetime, but
> if one asks if it's ok, and can be assured enough that they decide it's
> "all right" to use the product, then they have exercised their right to
> make a choice against their better judgment when they know deep in
> their soul that they are fooling with mother nature.  Some day, maybe
> not today, and maybe not tomorrow, perhaps not in my lifetime, but
> SOMEDAY, there will be a price to pay.  Perhaps that price will only be
> $16.95 for a pint of Roundup concentrate or perhaps that price will be
> the lives of many in our global village.  Who knows, it's a matter of
> conscience.
>
 
For a farmer producing grain the choice of using or not using herbicides
on crops such as corn or soybeans is not really a choice if he wishes to
remain in the business of farming.  He can protect everybody from all
effects of herbicides and go broke.  Not using herbicides is not being
a good farmer.  I don't know any farmers that do not follow label
instructions.  These chemicals are quite expensive and anyone in the
business to make money is going to get the desired results without
wasting money.  Chemical fertilizers and herbicides are here to stay as
long as there is a demand for food.  Safer herbicides in conjunction
with
genetic engineering of seed may be the best we can hope for.
 
Vic Kroenke
Kansas  USA