August 24, 2006

New GM corn can benefit both rich and poor chicken farmers 

Like a rising tide that lifts all boats, the advent of GM corn has benefited rich and poor farmers alike, according to research from Mexico's Octavio Guerrero-Andrade of the Center for Research and Advanced Studies (CINVESTAV).

Current GM maize technology allows feed producers to produce a corn variety that would enable the chickens eating it to produce antibodies against the Newcastle disease, doing away with expensive vaccines, the research said.

While existing vaccines for New Castle disease are too costly for chicken farmers, GM seed variety may prove to be an alternative, researchers said.