Forget the free market: U.S. government endorses genetically modified corn

Farmers can save on crop insurance with GMO corn
by Dan Gunderson, Minnesota Public Radio

For the first time, the federal government is endorsing a specific genetically modified crop. Minnesota is one of four states taking part in the pilot program. Farmers who plant a Monsanto corn variety can get a price break on their crop insurance premiums. But many farmers are skeptical.

Moorhead, MN — Corn gets a lot of attention from biotechnology companies and as a result, has had a number of genetic modifications which make corn plants resistant to insects, disease and specific herbicides.

Monsanto put all the genetic modifications in a single plant, a process that's called stacking genetic traits.

The federal government says the triple stack genetic technology is less risky to grow so farmers should pay less to insure that specific variety.

Federal Risk Management Agency Administrator Eldon Gould says the goal is to save farmers and taxpayers money.

"The premium that the farmer is going to pay is subsidized by the taxpayer so by the fact the farmer is paying less on his portion of the premium, the taxpayer is paying less on the taxpayer portion of the premium so there is in fact a savings to the taxpayer," says Gould.

More at MPR. What is left out here is the potential downside — and societal costs — of GM crops. For example, monoculture, which GM-based agriculture promotes, requires more fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides, all of which can have severe environmentally negative impacts. These become indirect costs to the nation's taxpayers, both financially and in terms of human health impact.

A second downside is that the GM corn seed of just one producer, Monsanto, is currently approved for the insurance discount. Free market advocates should be screaming bloody murder.

More on the effects of the GM corn monoculture:

• "Corn-based ethanol could worsen 'dead zone'" (Reuters)
• "Do higher corn prices mean less adherence to ecological principles?" (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
• "GE [genetic engineering] and Pesticide Use" (Cornell University Cooperative Extension)
• "Genetically Engineered Crops Use More Pesticide" (Union of Concerned Scientists)
• "Genetically Engineered Crops May Produce Herbicide Inside Our Intestines" (Organic Consumers Association"