Bovine Wisdom

Excerpt from  Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government
Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods You're
Eating by Jeffrey M. Smith  http://www.SeedsofDeception.org

p. 76,  WISDOM OF THE COWS

In 1998, Howard Vlieger harvested both natural corn and a genetically
modified Bt variety on his farm in Maurice, Iowa.  Curious about how
his cows would react to the pesticide-producing Bt corn, he filled
one side of his sixteen-foot trough with the Bt and dumped natural
corn on the other side.  Normally, his cows would eat as much corn as
was available, never leaving leftovers.  But when he let twenty-five
of them into the pen, they all congregated on the side of the trough
with the natural corn.  When it was gone, they nibbled a bit on the
Bt, but quickly changed their minds and walked away.

A couple of years later, Vlieger joined a room full of farmers in
Ames, Iowa to hear presidential candidate Al Gore. Troubled by Gore's
unquestioning acceptance of GM foods, Vlieger asked Gore to support a
recently introduced bill in Congress requiring that GM foods be
labeled.  Gore replied that scientists said there is no difference
between GM and non-GM foods.  Vlieger said he respectfully disagreed
and described how his cows refused to eat the GM corn. He added, "My
cows are smarter than those scientists were."  The room erupted in
applause. Gore asked if any other farmers noticed a difference in the
way their animals responded to GM food. About twelve to fifteen hands
went up. 1

"If a field contained GM and non-GM maize, cattle would
always eat the non-GM first."        -Gale Lush, Nebraska

"A neighbor had been growing Pioneer Bt corn. When the cattle
were turned out onto the stalks they just wouldn't eat them." 2
                                               -Gary
Smith, Montana

"While my cows show a preference for open-pollinated corn over
the hybrid varieties, they both beat Bt-corn hands down."
                                      -Tim Eisenbeis,
South Dakota

According to a 1999 Acres USA article, cattle even broke through a
fence and walked through a field of Roundup Ready corn to get to a
non-GM variety that they ate.  The cows left the GM corn untouched. 3


--
Macdonald Stainsby
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green
In the contradiction lies the hope
                            --Bertolt Brecht



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