Need Safeguards for Gene-Tinkered Foods

[Jim Wellehan]

In article <1993Jun25.112716.21142 at nstn.ns.ca>
dc_ags at ac.nsac.ns.ca (Don Christie) writes:

> At least some of the reason for antibiotic resistance comes from the
> methodology employed to introduce the desired genes into the host
> species. 
 
The antibiotic bit wasn't relevant to my point at all; I shouldn't have
included it in my post.

> As far as the statement `81% of the tests are for herbicide tolerance'
> goes, I'd like to know the source of this statistic... it sounds
> like fertilizer to me... 

Good point. _ If_ this stat is true, could someone please provide a
citation?
  
> `(promoting use of polluting chemicals)' ?? From what I've been able
> to gather, anything that doesn't *slam* agrichemical use is by default
> `promoting' them as far as some people are concerned.

It would seem herbicide resistance would be good for only one purpose; 
allowing higher levels of herbicides to be used.  That would definitely
promote use of polluting chemicals.  The biological alternatives to
pesticides, etc. that you mentioned are definitely a more rational
approach to modern farming.

Jim