In short, the story has a lot to do with power. Monsanto profited more than was agreed to in the contract, and assumed none of the risk shouldered by cotton companies and farmers. In September 2017, Rathmore submitted the cotton to both USDA and FDA for approval. In recent years, feed producers have experimented with the likes of soy, canola, and even wood. Monsanto provided funding for the evaluation studies in a contract with the Burkina Faso Institute for Environment and Agricultural Research. Monsanto also received this inflated payment irrespective of the actual performance of the technology, since it was paid according to the number of hectares planted. Researchers believe that a modified species of the plant can create a new, cheap protein source for both people and animals. Soon after, Cotton Inc., the nonprofit arm of the cotton industry’s checkoff program, began funding part of Rathore’s research. The changes also will appear in this document, which you can access at any time. However, academics studying the issue made clear that Indian farmers had no […] In the years since, Rathore and a select group of farmers have conducted greenhouse and field studies of the genetically engineered seed to ensure consistency in cotton yield, seed yield, and gossypol content. ©2020 The Counter. But Rathore envisions that cottonseeds may one day be used in a wide range of snacks, such as baked goods, granola bars, or by themselves, roasted like peanuts. Instead, its potential lies in the way that it alters cottonseeds, a byproduct of the plant. In recent years, feed producers have experimented with the likes of soy, canola, and even wood. These faulty evaluation studies reported yield and income results in averages, which advocates quickly circulated as evidence of success. Unlike the seeds we’re used to eating—sesame, poppy, sunflower—cottonseeds contain a chemical called gossypol, a toxin which can cause symptoms in humans including severe respiratory distress, impaired immune and reproductive functions, and even death. Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Medical Xpress covers all medical research advances and health news, Tech Xplore covers the latest engineering, electronics and technology advances, Science X Network offers the most comprehensive sci-tech news coverage on the web. In particular, they have high levels of protein, which could make them a valuable part of the food system. An examination of vested interests is one such take away. Evaluation studies had additional problems, particularly with regard to the differential impacts of GM cotton. We aim to be a mainstream initiative and target improvements across a range of important issues associated with cotton farming on a large scale. The institute depended on Monsanto funding that accompanied the adoption of GM cotton. Their conclusion: peasants in the tropics and sub-tropics can benefit substantially from GM plants. Cotton and other monocultured crops require an intensive use of pesticides as various types of pests attack these crops causing extensive damage. These dynamics weren't included in the evaluation studies that built the success narrative. In 2015 trials, gossypol levels of Rathore’s GM cotton clocked in at 260 parts-per-million on average, well below FDA’s 450 parts-per-million cap. Last year, USDA deregulated the genetically engineered cotton, giving farmers free rein to grow the crop. Some research regarding the extent to which cottonseed can be used as an aquaculture feed substitute has been published for species like black sea bass, shrimp and mitten crabs. A test field of the genetically modified, low-gossypol cotton. "We are naïve in swallowing empirical claims without a careful consideration of how vested interests affect the creation of facts.". Rathore envisions that cottonseeds may one day be used in a wide range of snacks, such as baked goods, granola bars, or by themselves, roasted like peanuts. Monsanto also benefited from a reliable GM crop success story. Burkina Faso's cotton success narrative was built on a series of studies with significant methodological problems. BCI has adopted a position of being ‘technology neutral’ with respect to GM cotton, and will neither encourage farmers to grow it, nor seek to restrict their access to it. (In the 20th century, scientists conducted research on gossypol as a cheap main ingredient for non-hormonal male birth control. We reserve any rights not explicitly granted in these Terms. New evidence showed that GM cotton yields were less than half of early projections. Genetically modified (GM) pest-resistant cotton may provide yields up to 80 per cent higher than traditional types. Click here to sign in with Remdesivir - a possible treatment for COVID-19? Jessica Fu. “Right now the protein can only be used for ruminant animals, primarily cattle. Highly skilled Burkinabè researchers also jockeyed for limited jobs with Monsanto. Studies must anticipate challenges and shortcomings. Observers were shocked when only eight years later Burkina Faso abandoned genetically modified cotton.
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