Genetically engineered crops are expected to have environmental benefits. For example, corn farmers used to shy away from the weed killer Liberty, because it would damage the crop, Mackey said. With the new Liberty-resistant corn developed by DeKalb, farmers can use the herbicide without fear. DeKalb's competitors include Mycogen Corp. and Ciba-Geigy Corp., which also have versions of genetically engineered corn that will be available for commercial use this year. The rush to develop genetically engineered crops has led to a flurry of mergers and buyouts.
Some scientists also have concerns about the way genetically engineered crops have been developed.
Dr. Jane Rissler, who holds a Ph.D. in plant pathology, has been tracking genetically engineered crops for The Union of Concerned Scientists, a watchdog group. Rissler contends genetically engineered crops hold some risks that should be explored. Bt corn uses genes from a kind of bacteria that has been used for years to fight off bugs and is especially popular with organic farmers. Rissler said bugs such as corn borers develop resistance over time to insecticides, including the Bt bacteria. The fear is that Bt corn will accelerate the borers' development of resistance and ultimately make the bacteria useless for everybody, she said.