Monsanto’s Roundup May End Bananas—And They’re Merely the Canary in the Mine

Bananas are dying. They’re killed by a fungus, one known to be caused by glyphosate, which is used on bananas. But the loss of bananas may be only the tip of the disaster.

The bananas we eat today are not the same ones that were eaten in the first half of the 20th century. Those were tastier and creamier. They were lost to monoculture. A fungal infection, Fusarium, couldn’t be overcome because nearly all bananas were clones, and therefore susceptible to the same disease.

The bananas we eat today, a different variety that had been secure from Fusarium are now falling to the same fungal infection. Agribusiness responds simply by closing up shop where the disease has taken over and starting up in a new area. In true earth scorching approach, they walk away from their disasters and do exactly the same thing elsewhere, thus recreating the same disaster again and again.

Bananas: The Canary in the Mine

In fact, bananas may simply be the canary in the mineshaft with regard to Monsanto’s glyphosate. Most bananas are not (yet) genetically modified, but they are not generally grown from seed. Therefore, variety is almost nonexistent. Something that’s harmful to one plant is almost certain to destroy all of them. Though not engineered for glyphosate resistance, it is routinely used in growing bananas.

One of Gaia Health’s first reports was on the coming demise of bananas—a future that mainstream media is just starting to notice. At that time, the association with the fungal disease Fusarium was known. What was not understood was why it was making a comeback after destroying the banana species that had previously been the mainstay of the industry. The puzzle may now be solved.

Apparently, the Cavendish banana, the variety that’s both mass grown and naturally resistant to fungal infections, can’t hold out against Fusarium in the presence of glyphosate. These bananas are not genetically engineered to be glyphosate resistant, yet they appear to be falling to a relatively limited use of glyphosate. In glyphosate-resistant crops, it’s used massively.

We need to understand what the term, glyphosate resistance, means. It does not mean that a plant is unharmed by the chemical. Rather, it means only that it survives mass applications of it. It doesn’t mean that the plants are actually healthy, and most assuredly does not mean the crops are better. In fact, they are not.

What has been discovered is that long term applications of glyphosate literally causes fungal diseases, in particular Fusarium. This results in harm to the plants and their produce. Their roots are damaged by Fusarium, resulting in poorer nutrient absorption. Poor nutrient absorption ultimately weakens plants—though it may not be obvious for the first generations.

Thus, the coming loss of bananas—unless Agribusiness mends its ways—could be only the beginning of mass crop loss. Great swathes of Agribusiness crop fields have been given over to glyphosate resistant crops.

Government Response

New information from Scientific American indicates that Monsanto’s glyphosate (Roundup) literally encourages the growth of Fusarium fungus at the roots of plants.

Bob Kremer, a microbiologist with the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agriculture Research Service, has been researching glyphosate for two decades, has reported on his concerns that it’s destroying soil, and now is blowing the whistle about its risks in crops supposedly made glyphosate-resistant (Roundup Ready) by genetic engineering.

Of course, the USDA is not supporting Kremer’s research, though is using some twisted logic to explain why. Grist’s Tom La Skawy reports that his boss at the USDA, Michael Shannon, acknowledged that Kremer’s research and claims are correct—except that he believes the issue of soil sterilization is minor compared to the development of superweeds caused by glyphosate.

A rational person would expect Shannon to respond to such a disastrous situation—two menaces, not just one—by doing everything within his power to stop the use of glyphosate. But no! His response is the opposite. He and the USDA are ignoring Kremer’s work, in spite of acknowledging that it’s correct. Worse, they’ve taken steps to assure that many, if not most, genetically engineered crops are automatically approved. (Genetic Modification Wins: Rogue USDA Hands It All to Monsanto) Roundup Ready crops continue to be pushed through the approval process.

At this point, there appears to be no governmental interest in either limiting the use of glyphosate or glyphosate-resistant genetically engineered crops. The writing is on the wall. Glyphosate has been shown to cause sudden crop death and infertility, not to mention soil sterility and being associated with cancer, miscarriages, and birth defects.

What is absolutely clear is that all of America’s regulating agencies that might stop the scourges of glyphosate and genetically modified crops have gone rogue. The USDA, as documented above, is a rogue agency—clearly in the pocket of Monsanto. The Environmental Protection Agency could certainly do something to regulate glyphosate out of existence, but…well, they just don’t seem interested. And forget about the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Its entire food division is run by Michael Taylor, a Monsanto devotée whose entire career has been as a Monsanto or working to benefit Monsanto.

Agribusiness is like a train that’s headed straight for a bridge that’s out. The facts are out there for anyone and everyone to see. If it only meant the end of a corrupt industry, it wouldn’t be so bad. But this train is literally carrying the seeds of our destruction.

References:

• Bananas Are Dying—Killed By Corporate Monoculture
• Roundup herbicide research shows plant, soil problems
• USDA Scientist: Monsanto’s Roundup Herbicide Damages Soil
• USDA downplays own scientist’s research on ill effects of Monsanto herbicide
• Roundup andbirth defects. Is the public being keptin the dark?
• Monsanto’s Roundup Herbicide May Be Spreading Deadly Fungus
• Special Report: Are regulators dropping the ball on biocrops?
• Roundup birth defects: regulators knew World’s Best-selling herbicide causes problems
• Glyphosate Tolerant Crops Bring Diseases and Death

Heidi Stevenson

Source:

http://www.gaia-health.com/articles501/000518-fungus-disaster-monsanto.shtml