USDA, EPA greenlight RNA food tech amid calls for transparency
By willowt // 2025-08-12
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  • The EPA approved dsRNA pesticide Ledprona in 2023 to target Colorado potato beetles, claiming it’s “safe” but with limited long-term testing.
  • Florida lawmakers are pushing a bill to ban mRNA vaccines in crops, citing threats to consumer choice and health.
  • Startups like Terrana Biosciences aim to engineer plants with RNA sprays, reprogramming crops in real time.
  • Critics warn RNA-modified foods could harm ecosystems, human immunity and infants.
  • Similar regulatory shortcuts used for plant RNA sprays mirror vaccine emergency use authorizations.
When Florida Senator Joe Gruters introduced Senate Bill 196 earlier this year, he framed it as a safeguard for medical freedom. The legislation aims to prohibit Florida farmers from using mRNA technology in produce, amending state law to classify vaccines as “food” when applied in this way. This debate has thrust a quiet agricultural revolution into the public eye: the push to integrate synthetic RNA into plants and livestock, with advocates arguing it will boost crop resilience and food safety and critics warning of unprecedented risks. The Environmental Protection Agency’s 2023 approval of Ledprona, a RNA-based pesticide, and backing of emerging firms like Terrana Biosciences reveals a regulatory ramp-up of these technologies. As Congress and states grapple with transparency and liability laws, the issue now stands at a crossroads between innovation and potential ecological collapse.

The regulatory green light: From pesticides to a “living” farming revolution

The EPA’s 2023 approval of Green Light Bio’s Ledprona marked a milestone for RNA interference (RNAi) technology. The dsRNA pesticide, sprayed on potato crops, targets pests like beetles by disrupting their genetic machinery. While the EPA claims it’s safe for mammals and will degrade quickly, critics highlight glaring gaps: no studies on broader ecological effects, such as impacts on birds or fish that consume affected pests. Meanwhile, Terrana Biosciences — backed by venture capital firm Flagship Pioneering, which also funded Moderna — is pioneering RNA sprays to reprogram crops at any growth stage. Their tomato field trials in 2025 exemplify a shift from traditional pesticides: their sprays enter plant cells, editing genetic pathways to boost drought resistance or yield. Yet the science is contentious. Dr. Michelle Perro, a pediatrician and GMO research critic, warns these changes could ripple through ecosystems. RNA modifications might alter plant microbiomes, destabilize pollinators, or trigger immune responses in humans.

Florida’s legislative precedent: Banning unseen vaccines in your veggies

While the EPA fast-tracks approvals, Florida’s SB 196 reflects rising public skepticism. Sponsored by Sen. Joe Gruters, the bill seeks to block RNA vaccines in foods, citing consumer right-to-know principles. Gruters’ amendment to ban “drugs,” including mRNA constructs, in produce aims to prevent hidden additives. A House companion bill by Rep. Monique Miller echoes similar concerns, framing food integrity as a pillar of health freedom. The legislation passed committee unanimously, signaling bipartisan unease. However, critics argue loopholes persist. The EPA’s provisional approvals for RNA pesticides rely on “temporary tolerance exemptions,” similar to CDC vaccine emergency authorizations — both fast-tracking technologies without full safety data. Earth Law Center’s Dave Aluminium noted, “The FDA and EPA are treating farms like petri dishes without public consent, bypassing standard checks.”

The unanswered questions: Ecosystems, immunity and liability

Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, a vaccination critic and author, links RNA agriculture to the same profit-driven pattern that fueled vaccine mandates: 1) declare a crisis (e.g., pest-resistant superbugs), 2) rush a solution, 3) shield firms from liability. Both RNA pesticides and livestock mRNA vaccines (used in pigs since 2018) lack long-term human consumption data. Concerns include:
  • RNA DNA transfer: Could ingested dsRNA integrate into human cells, altering genetics?
  • Immune disruption: Early studies suggest dsRNA could trigger allergic reactions or gut microbiome imbalance, a “primary immune organ” where potential antigenic shock might occur.
  • Ecological dominoes: RNA pesticides’ breakdown rate claims aren’t validated beyond 90 days, risking soil and water contamination.
APHIS, the USDA’s biotech regulator, has already permitted Terrana’s tomato trials, but its oversight tools date to 1987—one year before GMOs existed. “Our regulatory framework can’t keep up with nano-level genetic tinkering,” said former EPA policy advisor Dr. Martha Dahmanis.

A new era of food control — and why it matters now

This debate transcends ideology. As Terrana’s RNA sprays join mRNA medicines in livestock feedlots, the line between medicine and agriculture blurs. Will farmers lose autonomy to monoculturized fields altered by Silicon Valley firms? Can consumers trust labeling in an era of “antibiotic-free” meat injected with experimental vaccines? The parallels to human vaccines are stark: emergency approvals, corporate shield laws and demands for herd immunity—of crops, not people. Tenpenny warns, “What starts in potato fields could end in mandatory consumption.”

The plate or the syringe?

The Florida bill’s passage will be a litmus test for grassroots movements demanding transparency. With corporations investing billions and agencies enabling shortcuts, accountability hinges on public outcry. Over 100,000 have followed Tenpenny’s warnings on “edible mRNA.” For now, the stakes are clear: will tomorrow’s supper feature innovations—or experiments? “This isn’t just about plants,” said Sen. Gruters. “When technology invade what families eat, freedom can’t be an afterthought.” Sources for this article include: DrTenpenny.Substack.com TheEpochTimes.com FloridaPhoenix.com
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