>The data available so far provide no scientific evidence that the cultivation of the presently commercialized GM crops has caused environmental harm. Regarding environmental benefits, the advantage of GMO crops is their ability to thrive with reduced sprayings of toxic chemicals, and in some cases reduced soil tillage. Country studies of insect-resistant GMO cotton production in Australia, China, South Africa and the United States have shown reductions in insecticide spraying of 40% to 60% for GMO cotton compared to conventional cotton crops. 

> Reduced spraying of insecticide means less pollution of ground water and surface water and also less damage to non-target species such as the *beneficial insects* that live in and around the farm field. According to one 2005 calculation by Brookes and Barfoot, the planting of GMO crops up to that point had made possible a global reduction of 15% in the total volume of insecticides applied to cotton since 1996, and a reduction of 4% in the total volume of herbicides used on soybeans.

> In prosperous modern societies, where few people know farming first hand, citizen misunderstandings regarding the science and economics of agriculture tend to proliferate.

from "The Ethics of Modern Agriculture"
Robert Paarlberg in Soc (2009) 46:4–8 5

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned 
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html