This month the US National Family Farm Coalition, in conjunction with Greenpeace, held public meetings to which farmers were invited to hear about the experience of US growers and other farmers regarding the impacts of the commercial introduction of GM crops. Following a number of requests for more information from those who were unable to attend, here's a summary of the meetings and other subsequent developments.
Greenpeace expressed concern over a report published in New Scientist today (18th November 1999) that shows GM crops can produce unpredictable side effects. Research conducted by Bill Vencill of the University of Georgia in the United States, reveals that the stems of Monsanto's herbicide resistant soya beans split in hot climates causing crop losses of up to 40 per cent.
"GM farmers are walking an agricultural tightrope as agrochemical companies gamble with our future. These sorts of unexpected side effects will inevitably come to light as no one knows what the impacts of GM technology will be. The Government has decided to 'pollute first, ask questions later' and continue uncontrolled, open air testing in the meantime. These 'tests' should be stopped and a GM crop ban enforced immediately," said Greenpeace campaigner, Dr Doug Parr.
Greenpeace today warned that the Government's announcement of a voluntary moratorium on commercial GM crop plantings until 2002 is in fact a way of continuing GM commercialization plans that have been derailed by public concern. Furthermore, it completely fails to protect the environment and food chain from the risk of GM contamination.
Toronto 1999 - The international environmental organization Greenpeace congratulated the Canadian Wheat Board today on their call for a moratorium on genetically modified crops. Greg Arason, president of the Board, made the call during a meeting with senior grain industry executives last week.
Greenpeace today warned that the Government's forthcoming announcement of a voluntary moratorium on commercial GM crop plantings is in fact a way of continuing GM commercialization plans that have been derailed by public concern. The real test of Blair's government's view on GM crops will come on Friday at a vote in Europe.
A paper to be published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature on 7th October demolishes the key assumption underlying the international safety regulation of GM food. The concept of "substantial equivalence" [1] has formed the basis of many food safety systems around the world (including the UK) but three scientists [2] writing in Nature have condemned this assumption as a 'pseudo-scientific concept' serving the interests of big business. The critique could destabilise America's aggressive stance on GM food and crops at World Trade Organisation negotiations.
Greenpeace today expressed deep concern over attempts by agrochemical company, Monsanto, to promote unwanted GM technology by saying it will genetically manipulate plants so that they can produce biodegradable plastic.
Biodegradable alternatives to oil based plastics already exist - and they are produced without the necessity to genetically manipulate plants and without the need to contaminate the environment with living, genetic pollution in the process.
At the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Harrogate today, a third of the party supported a permanent ban on GM crops whereas a majority supported a five year moratorium on the commercial growing of GM crops.
Ottawa/Vienna, 17 September 1999 -- Biotech giant Monsanto imported Canadian genetically engineered (GE) potatoes to Ukraine ignoring the laws that require environmental impact assessment, according to a Greenpeace investigation published today. Greenpeace called today in Vienna on the world's governments to agree to international rules such as the Biosafety Protocol to stop the proliferation of genetic engineered organisms (GMOs).
