Readers React: GMO foods may be fine for humans, but what about the environment?

To the editor: That’s good news that a sweeping new study found no evidence that genetically engineered crops are unsafe for human or animal consumption. Keep looking as long as they keep tinkering, please. (“Moving beyond the GMO “Frankenfood” debate,” editorial, May 21)

You mention tinkering has been going on for ages through cross breeding. In years gone by, was the cross breeder able to patent the new plant, own it and charge farmers to grow it? If one alters one of Mother Nature’s seeds, one should not own that new seed.

You say most of the crop bioengineering in the past two decades has been designed to develop strains that resist insecticides and herbicides so that growers can use more poison without hurting the crop. You fail to mention the other problems with increased use of insecticides and herbicides, such as the increased runoff from the fields and where the substances end up.

The emphasis is on crop health (and profit) and not environmental or consumer health.

Thomas Roberts, Woodland Hills

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook