Monsanto’s Roundup Shown to be Ravaging Butterfly Population
Monsanto’s Roundup, containing the active ingredient glyphosate, has been tied to more health and environmental problems than you could imagine. Similar to how pesticides have been contributing to the bee decline, Monsanto’s Roundup has been tied to the decrease in the population of monarch butterflies by killing the very plants that the butterflies rely on for habitat and food. What’s been shown to be an even greater threat to the population, though, is Monsanto’s Roundup Ready corn and soybeans.
Roundup Ready Crops and Glyphosate Leading to Downfall of Insect Populations
A 2011 study published in the journal Insect Conservation and Diversity found that increasing acreage of genetically modified Roundup Ready corn and soybeans is heavily contributing to the decline in monarch butterfly populations within North America. Milkweed, a plant butterflies rely on for habitat and food, is being destroyed by the heavy use of glyphosate-based pesticides and Roundup Ready crops. Over the past 17 years, the monarch butterfly population in central Mexico has declined, reaching an all-time low in 2009-2010.
“This milkweed has disappeared from at least 100 million acres of these row crops,” said Dr. Taylor, an insect ecologist at the University of Kansas and director of the research and conservation program Monarch Watch. “Your milkweed is virtually gone…this [glyphosate use on RR crops] is the one main factor that has happened…you look at parts of the Midwest where there is a tremendous use of these crops and you see monarch populations dropping. It’s hard to deny the conclusion.”
According to the Department of Agriculture, in 2011 94 percent of soybeans and 72 percent of corn grown in the United States were herbicide-tolerant. Due to this increase, the amount of Roundup used on crops in 2007 was 5 times higher than in 1997, only one year after Roundup Ready crops were available.
Another study published int he journal Crop Protection and conducted by Robert G Hartzler, an agronomist at Iowa State, found that milkweed on farms in Iowa declined 90 percent from 1999 to 2009. Additionally, his study found milkweed only on 8 percent of corn and soybean fields surveyed in 2009, which is 51 percent lower than in 1999.
Although the butterfly population may be suffering, humans are taking heat from Monsanto’s creations as well. Past research has shown that Monsanto’s Roundup ready crops are leading to mental illness and obesity, primarily by destroying the amount of good bacteria found in the gut. The corporation’s Roundup, containing glyphosate, has also been shown to cause infertility and birth defects.
Glyphosate is so present today that it has been found to be polluting the world’s drinking water through the widespread contamination of aquifers, wells, and springs. What may be most shocking is that very high concentrations of glyphosate have been found in 100 percent of urine samples tested in a recent study.
Monsanto has purchased protection from Federal, State, and local agencies and they have bought the loyalty of Universities. But truth is oozing out like pus from an open wound so their time is coming and when it does it will not be a pretty sight for all who have collaborated to destroy our health and our earth.
I have been going to my M.Ps about this for the past four years.The problem is the government, the minister of environtment keeps giving permits for this chemical to Hydro lines,Rail Roads,Forestry,School yards, playground,provintial parks,sides of our hyways,natural gas lines,oil pipe lines and many other places. If you were to check it, it would show that 1/3 of Canada has been chemicaly sprayed, all because it is easier, and cheaper to kill and contamenate every thing with Monsantos POISON.I have even gone to the town of Massey Ontario, Canada and tolled them that this chemical is going in their drinking water, but I guess it is already affecting their heads. The rivers and streams are the vains of the earth, if we do not stop this,the future of your children, and grand children is poor.
The worst thing is that this collaboration between certain members of our judicial system and the biggest corporations may lead to the complete decay of the organic food phenomena. Everyone knows that the owners of Monsanto want to destroy those organic farmers who refuse to use toxins to grow their food. That’s why I think the government shouldn’t allow such a small number of corporations to build monopoly positions in the food industry. I am a great fan of organic food and in Canada organic farming has recently been on the rise and I think that similar steps will have detrimental consequences as far as the future development of this industry sector is concerned. We should take this as a warning to act until it's too late.
You also have to ask yourself why would Monsanto have interest in owning Blackwater, now Xe.
I am confident the recent attacks on Raw Milk Producers is a direct result of Monsanto's lobbying efforts since they are the makers of the Bovine growth Hormone responsible increasing milk production. (Wife was former Consultant on their application to FDA)
That was my REPLY to Finn-clan-Goeff (above).
A bug or flaw in this Discussion Board's software did NOT put my comment right-under, and indented-from the posting to which I was responding.
Similarly, you can't tell with whom "Konrad Willy" agrees …
The Monsanto family was involved in the slave trade.
It is very sad that Barack Obama's administration is giving Monsanto company freebies and special preferences.
Pesticides are for killing rats NOT weeds.
Glyphosate is a herbicide NOT pesticide.
How do you expect intelligent people to take you seriously when you cant even use the right words??
I used to correct people who used the term "pesticide" for an herbicide, but it turns out I was wrong, just as you are. I looked it up and found that "pesticide" is a generic term for any product that kills an unwanted organism.
Well said Barry, hit them where it hurt…..money. Boycott Monsanto's and their products.
disgusting monsanto,
Hello Robert, I live in Massey and just learned about this. Do you have any other information? It would be greatly appreciated.