Much ado about Bt corn

Several large farmers‚ groups recently asked the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) not to pressure the government to stop them from planting a high-yielding chemical-free corn variety so they can enjoy "the freedom of choice in the selection of seeds and in the management of our farms".

The farmers made the call in the wake of a move by the CBCP to squeeze the Arroyo government into banning the biotechnology-processed corn variety known in the market as Bt corn.

Edwin Paraluman, chair of the Agricultural and Fisheries Council of General Santos City and the Provincial Farmers Action Council of South Cotabato, branded the CBCP pressure as "unfair" since the bishops’ position merely reflect the propaganda of international lobby group Greenpeace and its local affiliates.

" It is unfortunate that some bishops chose to side with well-funded international groups rather than with small farmers who will benefit from the new corn variety," Paraluman said.

The country’s corn farmers have urged the government to allow them to proceed with the planting of Bt corn this year in a bid to address rapidly dwindling harvests, rising costs of chemical insecticides and continuing dependence on imported corn.

Among these groups are the Philippine Maize Federation, the country’s biggest association of corn farmers, the Nursery Farmers Irrigators Association, Matatag Farmers Irrigators Association and the San Isidro Integrated Agro-Industrial Multipurpose Cooperative.

The livestock and feed industry also backed the propagation of Bt corn in the wake of rising costs of corn feed importation and the drain on the country’s dollar reserves.

Field tests showed that Bt corn yields up to 40 percent more than traditional insecticide-dependent varieties. Bt corn requires little or no chemical application due to its natural resistance to the deadly Asiatic corn borer which has plagued local corn farms for decades.

Paraluman also bewailed the bishops‚ statement that there is no urgent need for Bt corn. "This only shows how ignorant they are of the plight of corn farmers," he said.

Paraluman asked the bishops "to exercise Christian charity by allowing us to enjoy the blessings of science". He also challenged the bishops to offer alternatives "to the hunger staring our families in the face due to poor harvest".

The CBCP position is shared by several local nongovernmental organizations such as Artists for the Environment, Philippine Green, entertainer Heber Bartolome and running priest Roberto Reyes.