Regarding the note by R. Chapin: >Reading article by Barnaby J. Feder in business section of NY Times 11 Feb >96, re. new products for farmers based on biotechnology. >He writes: "Farmers are expected to happily pay premium prices for corn I can't think that this development would be in any way negative in the near term to beekeepers and has many very positive aspects recommending it. The technology in question involves inserting genes into these plants for production of the toxic protein in the bacterial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Plants such altered purportedly will resist various caterpillar pests (notably European corn borer) that currently are treated with various spray/granular treatments of insecticides - some of which are very damaging to honeybees. Bacillus thuringiensis protein-based insecticides, either sprayed as an insecticide (e.g., Dipel, Thuricide...) or in these new plants will not affect honeybees. They have long been recognized as being about the most honeybee compatible insecticides that exist. That being said, I am extremely against the whole idea of using the Bt gene in these transgenic plants. Although the short term benefits may likely be real, the serious risk is that when large acreages of Bt-toxin containing plants are grown we will very quickly develop strains of insects that are resistant to Bt. Selective pressure will be extreme. And we will then lose forever this important and highly selective pest management tool. Whitney Cranshaw Department of Entomology Colorado State University [log in to unmask]