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The US is to consider new GMO seeds resistant to a weed killer. The proposal issued by the Department of Agriculture is warmly welcomed by American farmers seeking for possible alternatives after weeds have become immune to other chemicals. Most skeptics, however, insist the new seeds will not help solve the problem as weeds are quick to acquire resistance to herbicides. Moreover, the idea is strictly opposed by scientists and environmentalists who say this will encourage growers to use more chemicals. Many also fear the new GMO seeds are a potential threat for human health. Genetically modified crops are banned in some countries. In the United States, however, most corn and soybeans are genetically engineered, the Voice of Russia says.

Pamm Larry, founder of labelGMOs.org and food activist, comments.

- We’re seeing more and more GMO varieties appearing in the US and other countries. Do you think the problem is now snowballing, since farmers favour GMOs?

- I would like to say that some farmers favour GMOs and many more do not and in fact are turning away from genetically engineered crops. On season-by-season basis, we’re seeing an increase in organic farming here in the United States, so I think that to say that it’s blanketly accepted and embraced by all farmers in the US is not a correct statement. We are having some increased crops being cost-approved, we are having also a great deal of backlash from people on the ground and organic farmers, we have people voting for bans in many counties in the United States, we have people voting for labelling laws, so there’s a lot of activity here in the United States against genetically engineered crops.

- Let’s talk a little bit about GMO issue in general now. How dangerous are GMOs for human health? What’s your opinion?

- There’s a lot of conflicting science up there and I point so quite a few studies are conducted, in particular a recent hog-feeding study last year. Point two, definite questions regarding these crops and I believe that we should be using the precautionary principle and so there are any studies done on humans of which there are none.

- Is it possible that GMOs could ever be abandoned in the United States or do you think that the big businesses would never allow that, actually?

- I think it will be very difficult to get abandoned in the United States, just because here in our country corporations seem to be gaining more foothold. But again, the people in the United States are starting to become more aware of instants of the trans-Pacific partnership, people are joining together and are starting to fight back. So it should be an interesting struggle this next ten years to see if corporations get even more control or if people wake up and decide that corporations are not people.

- You are talking about the United States. Now for talk about Europe. Is the situation there more or less similar?

- The situation in Europe is very different. They’ve had genetically engineered food and ingredients labelled for twelve years, one more now, and there is quite a bit of backlash against that biotechnology and large corporations are starting to push back. Some countries over in the EU have banned – Hungary and, I think, another one. But what’s exciting to me is that the more awareness that people find with these crops and products the more resistance there is, and so there is counter-resistance from the other side. I think this is a good discussion that we’re having and I think it’s great that there’s more of the information coming to light, so that people can make choices and the truth can come out and make decisions is a culture, rather than just a few people making decisions for everybody in the world.