By Karen Stephenson

To many people, a genetically modified seed does not seem right. After all, seeds are natural, and for centuries, people have been well-off with what nature has provided. Like it or fear it, genetically-altered foods have conquered most of the North American market due to a corporation named Monsanto that has a long history of manufacturing dangerous products. Opponents of genetically modified foods call it a modern plague that's infecting the country's food supply and is running rampant. This "plague" as they call it has now expanded. Officials from Monsanto and Dow AgroSciences have created SmartStax, a genetically-altered corn seed with "built-in" herbicides, which received the green light to be sold to farmers in time for the 2010 planting season.

What exactly is SmartStax?

SmartStax is a Monsanto/Dow creation that has (for the first time ever) stacked eight genes to make seeds that resists multiple insects and some herbicides. (Previously, only three genes have been stacked.) This seed was designed for above- and below-ground protection against several pests and offers a broad-spectrum of weed and grass control.

The broad-spectrum weed and grass control portion of the genetic modification brings together Monsanto's Roundup Ready® 2 herbicide technology, containing glyphosate (an herbicide used to kill weeds) and surfactant (an herbicide known for its toxicity in wildlife and its ability to increase herbicide penetration in plants) with Bayer CropScience's Liberty Link®, a gene used in plants to give resistance to the herbicide glufosinate. Together, this means that when insecticides, such as Roundup, glufosinate and insecticidal proteins from Bacillius thuringiensis (Bt) combine, Roundup will no longer risk killing parts of the corn plant and together they will repel weeds and grass.

Testing and Legislation

Each of the eight traits (genes) was individually approved by the CFIA (The Canadian Food Inspection Agency) but there has been no testing on the possible consequences with all eight traits combined. This has farmers and environmentalists worried in Canada.

In the United States, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency conducted a rushed review and approved this genetically modified corn. This alarmed SmartStax opponents and the EPA's decision is being questioned due to a court ruling that took place in late September.

On September 21, 2009, in a California court, Federal Judge Jeffrey White ruled that the government illegally approved the Roundup Ready® genetically modified, herbicide-resistant strain of sugar beets without adequately considering the possibility that they can contaminate other beet crops. It was noted that wind can take pollen from genetically altered sugar beets long distances to related crops such as chard and other beets. The judge ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to produce an environmental impact statement examining the issue.

Judge Jeffrey White wrote in a statement, "The potential elimination of farmers' choice to grow nongenetically engineered crops or consumers' choice to eat nongenetically engineered food ... has a significant effect on the human environment."

Possible Health Effects

There is no possible way to determine if this corn will be safe for human consumption. Many times in the past, it's been proven that many negative health-effects occur over time. In the case of toxins, chemicals and heavy metals, a cumulative effect in the body can make some people very ill.

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) state that "GM foods pose a serious health risk" and they are calling for a moratorium on genetically modified foods. The AAEM was founded in 1965 and is based in the U.S. They are an international association of physicians and other professionals interested in the clinical aspects of people and their environment.

The AAEM cites several animal studies and they conclude, "there is more than a casual association between genetically modified foods and adverse health effects" and that "GM foods pose a serious health risk in the areas of toxicology, allergy and immune function, reproductive health, and metabolic, physiologic and genetic health."

Numerous studies on animals have shown that genetically altered foods cause damage to several organ systems in the body. Dr. Amy Dean, PR Chair and Board Member of AAEM states on their website, "With this mounting evidence, it is imperative to have a moratorium on GM foods for the safety of our patients' and the public's health."

Dr. Mercola, on his website mercola.com, wrote that a report by the British-based news source "The Independent" revealed a secret research conducted by Monsanto that compared biological effects of eating genetically modified corn versus naturally grown corn on rats. According to the report:

• Rats fed genetically modified corn had smaller kidneys and composition of their blood varied. This raises concerns that human health can also be adversely affected.
• There were no health problems seen in rats that were fed non-genetically modified food.

Based on the findings, doctors speculated that changes in the rodent's blood could imply that their immune systems had been damaged, or that a disorder such as a tumor grew and their systems were trying to fight it.

The World Health Organization says that different genetically modified organisms include different genes inserted in different ways. They state that it's not possible to make a general statement of the safety of all genetically modified foods because they need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. SmartStax has not been assessed by an independent agency or group.

Given all the information that's made available to the general public, following some old advice seems to be in order, consumers beware. Monsanto's track record in manufacturing dangerous products, along with a rushed EPA review, combined with information disclosed in the recent court case ruling in California should raise alarm bells, and infer caution. Supporting the AAEM's call for a moratorium sounds like the best way to go.