What might happen if Bt corn affects non-target organisms such as beneficial insects or harmless insects?

Question

What might happen if Bt corn affects non-target organisms such as beneficial insects or harmless insects?

Answer 1

a few more insects die  who cares

Answer 2

We are already seeing some problems with g-modified corn.  (Mind you that all the corn that we have from commercial growth has been modified by human selection for productivity and by conventional hybridization, even before the techniques of genetic engineering are applied,)We now know that the assurances provided by the corporations that sell the seeds that there would not be crossover of the spliced genetic material into adjacent plant varieties, we have found both herbicide resistant genes and pesticide genetic material in plants that didn't have them previously, and were within the pollen shower (wind -dispersed pollen) of the commercial crops.  This increases chances of damage to populations of beneficial and harmless insects.  

You don't have to have the genetic materials in the corn to kill diseases and pests in order to have the unwanted problems of damage to these insect populations;  many pesticide sprays are non-selective enough that beneficial insects are killed along with corn ear worms, etc.  You, as the farmer, and you as the consumer must choose, but try to be best informed.

Perhaps we should be willing to accept reduced yields, but planting buffer zone crops around gm grains, around sprayed grains, including corn, and pay a bit more, in order to to protect our natural resources, including the insects.

BTW:  did you know that the intensified production of corn for fuel has resulted in increased runoff contamination of the Midwest drainage system, the Mississippi, and the Gulf?  It has resulted in a greatly increased area of the Gulf by the Delta that has lost many plant and animal species.

Answer 3

BT corn is much safer than spraying insecticide on the crop. Sprays kill all insects they contact, but BT only kills larvae that eat it. If the larvae is eating the corn it is a pest, so BT cannot kill harmless or beneficial insects.