Umich Decision Postponed

By Colin P. Cocking, Humboldt, New York

on August 3rd, 2010

Those opposed to genetically modified corn in local and state schools will be heartbroken tomorrow morning on the first day of federal hearings on the biotechnology food safety program known as CHOPRA. One of those opposed to CHOPRA is the University of New Hampshire. Its Executive Vice President David Haffey does not oppose genetically modified corn, but he refuses to tell us whether we can use our lab animals to carry out the research, and he has called for more data collection than was gathered by state legislatures across the nation.

University of New Hampshire officials are trying to keep some sort of information from being released to the citizenry about the research. Professors and their students have contacted me again and again to say that the decision to delay the release of the data could help prevent an unnecessary public outbreak of birth defects. The health workers who handle birth defects such as Down syndrome at one of the many hospitals near the NH Corn Growing Area argue that a lack of data could be dangerous. They also see a natural growth in the push among the legislators who are opposed to this ‘food’ technology. If the move is made, how many senators and congressmen will get swamped under the wrath of bio-engineered corn and soybean farmers – if that action is taken?

The trial in Missouri where three professors of agriculture have been convicted of child abuse was a landmark case against ‘food scientists’ by many concerned citizens. Since then, so many more people have been tried and convicted of child abuse related crimes that it is virtually impossible to keep track of the number.

I will describe the trial and current trial here since I believe the public should know what is being done in this case as well as where the money comes from. To set the record straight, the media reporting of the latest trials, which are based on science, (as opposed to the high-tech thinking of the academics), is a scam. The motive of the prosecutions in the last few years was propaganda with the result that innocent men and women were convicted of crimes they did not commit. Other criminals were falsely imprisoned or discredited.