Monterey B.T.

Aloha from Hawaiʻi! So I was perusing through my local feed supply place and noticed a peculiar bottle on the shelf. It had the label "Monterey B.T.", "for organic gardening". It says that this product will control worms and caterpillars on fruits...etc. This sounds very much like what GMO plants are doing isn't it? How can this product be approved "for organic gardening"? It says that the active ingredient is Bacillus Thuringiensis subspecies kurstaki strain SA-12 solids, spores and Lepidopteran active toxins. Can anyone please help shed some light on this? For I am but a humble mahi ʻai (farmer). =)

Mahalo,
Keahi.

Aloha Keahi,

Here is a copy of the OMRI approved label:

http://www.planetnatural.com/wp-content/uploads/monterey-bt-label.pdf

Keahi Maumauma wrote:This sounds very much like what GMO plants are doing isn't it? How can this product be approved "for organic gardening"?

Some GMO have the genetics from the bacteria (Bacillus Thuringiensis) spliced into the plant genetics. They take the genetics which produce the desirable chemicals from the bacteria's dna and splice them into the plant's dna. Henceforth, each plant cell now makes BT toxin on it's own.

This product is mixed with water and sprayed onto plant surfaces. It's approved for organic gardening because it is a bacteria that is applied to the surface that produces the chemical. It's very different; foliar application of bacteria vs gene splicing two unrelated species together.

I see. As the GMO battle continues it's always nice to get some clarity. Mahalo nui kākou (thanks everyone) =)

That's not to say that Bt Spray is all sunshine and rainbows, though.

A lot of farm-workers say that Bt spray is just as bad as being exposed to synthetics.
Different certifying agencies may differ on whether Bt is approved or not, and how it can be used.
If they spray for mosquitoes in your area, they are probably spraying Bt. Some organic farms don't want this spray near their property and have signs stating such.