A Quarter Million Experimental "Frankentrees" to Be Grown in U.S

The USDA is currently taking public comments on whether or not the company ArborGen should be allowed to conduct 29 field trials of genetically engineered "cold tolerant" eucalyptus trees in the U.S. This massive experiment, which is on the verge of being green-lighted, will literally be using nature as the laboratory to test more than 260,000 frankentrees. Scientists across the U.S. are voicing concerns over this proposal including:

• The USDA failed to do an Environmental Impact Statement to assess potential negative issues related to the proposed field trials.

The spread of the these plants into the wild through seeds and plant matter is highly likely, and the impacts on native ecosystems from this invader are unknown One of the experimental GE tree varieties is a known host for cryptococcus gatti, a fatal fungal pathogen whose spores cause meningitis in people and animals.

Comments are no longer being accepted by the USDA.

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NPR Reports on Controversy Surrounding Genetically Engineered Trees

Scientists are developing genetically modified trees for the forests of the future. Ann Peterman of the Global Justice Ecology Program tells "Living on the Earth's" host Bruce Gellerman that these designer trees don't measure up to what a real forest provides.

Listen

Please also watch this five-part web video:

A Silent Forest - The Threat of Genetically Engineered Trees

Narrated by world-renowned Canadian geneticist, Dr. David Suzuki.

(From the June 17, 2009 edition of Organic Bytes [#178] - Organic Consumers Association)