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| Duane A. Lienemann UNL Extension Educator |
I would like to give some counter points to his claims to level the playing field when it comes to this topic because he is at it again, prescribing fear over fact in regards to farming and food. His latest attack centers on his supposed outrage over the potential approval of this much anticipated new pesticide. My guess is that his real motives are TV ratings, money from anti-ag groups and his large ego. Unfortunately he is ultimately trying to fan the flame of activists that are trying to eliminate our farmers’ ability to raise crops in an efficient, environmentally sound and sustainable manner.
It was just this past Wednesday (Sept.17) that the USDA approved Dow Chemical Company’s Enlist Duo, a combination pesticide including glyphosate and 2,4-D. You can read more on this by going to a very well written blog at: http://www.thefarmersdaughterusa.com/2014/09/enlist-duo-herbicide-2-4-d-rest-of-story.html It did not take Dr. Oz very long because in a few short days they had crafted a segment on his show which I feel was designed to incite an activist movement to try to block the approval of Enlist Duo. If he succeeds you can believe that it will hinder farming practices on family farms and set us back in progress with dealing with feeding the world. This is not the first time he has done this, we’ve heard all his accusations before when he attempted to uncover the global conspiracy around GMOs.
Of course GMO’s is a hot topic and it amazes me how so many people do not know the science of genetic modification and jump to conclusions, or buy into the “bovine excrement” that many of these sensationalists put out there. I could write several articles on this topic alone. But let’s dissect his presentation and make some sense of it. Let’s start with the main premise of this show which included the words “GMO pesticide”. Maybe a lesson is in order here. First, a pesticide is a chemical composed of elements which make compounds. Pesticides do not have DNA, genes, chromosomes, or alleles; therefore they cannot be genetically modified. GMO pesticides simply do not exist!
Secondly he states shrilly that there will be somewhere from 70 to 170 million pounds of additional pesticides that will be used because of Enlist Duo. Dr. Oz didn’t offer a source for this claim and one would have to conclude that somewhere he perhaps found that that many million pounds of Enlist Duo will be purchased by farmers. However, if you think about it, this is just another herbicide, another option to use for weed control, another mode of action not a stand-alone product. A farmer may still choose to apply Round-Up or will switch to Enlist Duo, but will not apply Round-Up and Enlist Duo at the same time. It just wouldn’t make sense to spend the time, money or resources to duplicate weed control efforts.
He also claims that GMOs have not delivered on their promise of increased yields and reduced pesticide use. Wrong in two ways! First we have to understand that genetically modified seed was never intended to increase yields. I have never heard any promise of that magnitude. We of course know that the real purpose is to protect the yield of the crop. It is also false in that we are enjoying increased yields each year; however, they are more likely the result of better hybrids developed from traditional breeding efforts, precise application of fertilizers and crop protection tools, and continued understanding of soil, fertility, plants and weather. We should be proud to point out that our farmers are growing five times more corn on 20 percent less land. We need to look at technology updates such as this new pesticide as new tools for farmers. I believe that the more tools farmers have available in the fields, the better it is for us, as consumers, and them as farmers.
One of the most egregious of Dr. Oz’s favorite claims is that “farmers are drowning their crop in chemicals.” I suggest that you go to: http://www.geneticliteracyproject.org/2014/06/03/myth-gm-farmers-drown-crops-in-dangerous-glyphosate-fact-farmers-use-eye-droppers/ You will find the real truth to this claim. He also had an “expert” who closed out the segment by giving the impression that our farmers are careless about drift of pesticides near schools and our children. The irony is that his expert happens to be the founder of the website http://www.breastcancer.org/ not a farmer, pesticide safety specialist or department of agriculture spokesman. I take offense to that one as I spend a lot of time each year working with our famers with our Private Pesticide Applicator training. This regulatory process comes to our farmers through the EPA and is issued and administrated by the state departments of agriculture. Millions of homeowners use the same chemicals without any oversight. Just exactly who is the expert? He is really stirring the pot with his “protect the child” ruse!
Dr. Oz implores his audience to sign a petition asking the EPA and the President to deny approval of Enlist Duo. I suggest that you choose to support farmers instead of Dr. Oz and encourage the EPA to give farmers another options to control weed pressure in their fields. That would make a lot more sense to me, and will help keep us viable and sustainable!
The preceding information comes from the research and personal observations of the writer which may or may not reflect the views of UNL or UNL Extension. For more further information on these or other topics contact D. A. Lienemann, UNL Extension Educator for Webster County in Red Cloud, (402) 746-3417 or email to: dlienemann2@unl.edu or go to the website at: http://www.webster.unl.edu/home
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