The consumer watchdog group, US Public Interest Research Group, on Thursday accused the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) of rubber-stamping approval of field tests of genetically engineered crops some believe could harm people and the environment.

"Our environment is serving as the laboratory for widespread experimentation of genetically engineered organisms with profound risks that, once released, can never be recalled," the group states.

The USDA authorized nearly 29,000 field tests of genetically engineered organisms through 2000. The agency has only rejected 4% of the applications to conduct field tests. So far, its report indicates, Hawaii has hosted the most field tests with 3,275, and Illinois ranks second with 2,832.

These experiments are being done in an open environment with little oversight or public notification.

Introducing nonnative organisms into the environment is estimated to cost the United States $123 billion annually in ecosystem damage.

Contrary to popular belief, the technology is not very precise. Scientists cannot control the location where the gene is inserted into the hosts' genetic code, nor guarantee stable expression of the gene in the new genetically engineered organism.

Concerns about genetically modified food reached a frenzy in the United States last year when StarLink, a genetically modified corn that has been approved for animal feed but not for human consumption, was discovered in a number of food products.

The report claims corporations and universities are becoming increasingly secretive about their genetic testing. From 1989 to 1999, the percentage of crops containing genes declared "confidential" increased nearly every year. Last year, 65% of the genetically engineered crops were declared confidential business information.

To download the complete report (pdf file) CLICK HERE. To take action on this subject CLICK HERE.

US Public Interest Research Group "Raising Risk" Report June 14, 2001