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Are Bt crops safe?

Nature Biotechnology volume 21, pages 1003–1009 (2003)Cite this article

The US EPA's analysis of Bt crops finds that they pose no significant risk to the environment or to human health.

In 2001, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; Washington, DC, USA) reassessed the four still registered, but expiring, Bt crops that had been accepted for agricultural use in the preceding six years (from 1995 to October 2001; Table 1). The Bt crop reassessment approvals included provisions to prevent gene flow from Bt cotton to weedy relatives, increase research data on potential environmental effects and strengthen insect resistance management.

Table 1 History of registration of Bt crop plant–incorporated protectants (1995–2001)
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References

  1. Biopesticides Registration Action Document (BRAD)—Bacillus thuringiensis Plant-Incorporated Protectants, US EPA, October 15, 2001. http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/pips/bt_brad.htm

  2. Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 340, Introduction of Organisms and Products Altered or Produced Through Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant Pests or Which There is Reason to Believe Are Plant Pests.

  3. Title 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 174, Procedures and Requirements for Plant-Incorporated Protectants. http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides/pips/index.htm

  4. Title 7, United States Code, §§ 136–136y, Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.

  5. Title 21, United States Code, §§ 301–397, Federal, Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

  6. US National Academy of Sciences. Genetically Modified Pest-Protected Plants: Science and Regulation (National Academies Press, Washington, DC, 2000). http://www.nap.edu/books/0309069300/html/

  7. StarLink Corn Regulatory Archive, US EPA. http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ biopesticides/pips/starlink_corn_archive.htm

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Acknowledgements

Edward Brandt, Doug Gurian-Sherman, Linda Hollis, William Jordan, Suzanne Krolikowski, Sharlene Matten, Felicia Wu Morris, Willie Nelson, Alan Reynolds, Robyn Rose, Sasha Sicks, Brian Steinwand, Toby Tiktinski, Gail Tomimatsu, Robert Torla, Michael T. Watson and Chris Wozniak also contributed by being part of the EPA's Bt Crop Reassessment Teams.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Office of Pesticide Programs,

    Mike Mendelsohn, John Kough, Zigfridais Vaituzis & Keith Matthews

  2. Office of General Council of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,

    Mike Mendelsohn, John Kough, Zigfridais Vaituzis & Keith Matthews

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  1. Mike Mendelsohn
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  2. John Kough
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  3. Zigfridais Vaituzis
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  4. Keith Matthews
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Mendelsohn, M., Kough, J., Vaituzis, Z. et al. Are Bt crops safe?. Nat Biotechnol 21, 1003–1009 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0903-1003

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