Comment from Michael Skalicky

I applaud Bayer for going ahead and trying to register LLRICE601. I believe genetically modified organisms are safe for consumption. I believe that GMO?s are a faster, easier, cheaper method of accomplishing the same goal of a plant crossbreeding program. It takes decades, and millions of dollars to cross desired traits into plant lines, but with genome maps and markers the same result can be accomplished in a much shorter time and for much less money. If the technology exists to give American farmers a way to produce quality food by using less chemicals & poisons then why not exploit it. Other countries such as China use this technology in their food programs with outstanding results. They have increased plant seed yields, reduced harmful chemical pollutants in the environment, and reduced water usage in rice fields simply by finding desired genes in several rice plants and combining them into one GM rice variety. I hope this accident that happened to Bayer and the rice industry paves the way for other companies to register GMO?s in the future.