[tml] Monsanto's latest attempts to contaminate EU
Berlin, Germany, 11 January 2006 Greenpeace today, joined by a former
manager of Monsanto and Limagrain in Romania, Mr Dragos Dima, at a press
conference at the International Green Week in Berlin exposed how Monsanto
will contaminate EU agriculture with genetically engineered (GE) Soya. U.S.
biotech giant made an application in December 2005 to the European Union to
grow its genetically engineered (GE) 'Roundup Ready' soybeans across the
whole of Europe once its current licence - permitting the beans' import but
not cultivation - expires in 2006 (1).
"Ten years after the introduction of Monsanto's GE Soya into the
environment and our food, we have collected enough data from around the
world to be able to say that this product should have never been approved
in the first place. Recent Greenpeace research in Romania has exposed the
fact that since the company has introduced GE Soya; things have gone
totally out of control. European member states should avoid Romania's
example, protect European agriculture and oppose Monsanto's application,"
says Susanne Fromwald from Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe.
A new Greenpeace report reveals that the GE Soya crop in Romania covers
more hectares than are officially registered. Due to illegal cultivation
and uncontrollable contamination, conventional and organic farming is now
impossible in many regions.
"Transgenic seeds are a poisoned promise. Romania did not have any
scientific and public debate prior to the commercial introduction. Neither
the authorities, nor the companies applied the precautionary principle in
assessing the impact of these crops in agriculture. Year after year, the
acreage of the herbicide resistant soybeans increased uncontrollably,"
stated Mr Dima, who left Monsanto in 1999, when the GE soybeans were first
introduced in Romania.
Romanian Government officials, reacting to Greenpeace's findings, announced
that the cultivation of GE crops should be reduced in 2006 and phased out
completely by 2007, when it is due to join the EU. However, Monsanto filing
an application for the whole of Europe now would effectively prevent
Romania ridding itself of GE crops and GE contamination.
Experience in Argentina and the United States has showed the cultivation of
Monsanto´s GE soybeans contaminates conventional and organic agriculture.
Furthermore, it has been reported that the cultivation of these crops often
leads to the increased use of pesticides. Increasing rain forest
destruction, especially in Argentina, is also closely related to the
expansion of GE soy planting (2). Recent research also shows irregularities
of the introduced genetic construct, which could cause unintended effects
in these crops (3). Some alarming health signals were reported after
feeding trials with mice (4).
Greenpeace opposes the release of GE Soya into the environment and the food
chain and is asking the European member states to reject Monsanto's
application.
Greenpeace is an independent, campaigning organisation, which uses
non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental
problems, and to force solutions essential to a green and peaceful future.
For further information regarding the Greenpeace GE campaign and to
download a copy of the report please go to www.greenpeace.org
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/releases/GM_register
Contacts
Susanne Fromwald, Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe (mobile) +43 664
612 6706
Gabriel Paun, Greenpeace Romania +40 744 351 977 (mobile)
Mhairi Dunlop, Greenpeace International Communications, +44 7801 212 960
Notes to editor:
(1) Application of US company Monsanto for cultivation in EU:
http://www.efsa.eu.int/science/gmo/gm_ff_applications/more_info/1243_en.html
(2) Benbrook report, Rust, Resistance and Rising Costs - Problems facing
Soybean producers in Argentina. 20 January 2005
(3) Rang, A et al,2005,Detection of RNA variants transcribed from the
transgene in Roundup Ready soybean, Eur Food Res Technol 220:438-443
(4) Malatesta M, Caporaloni C, Gavaudan S, Rocchi MBL, Serafini S, Tiberi C,
Gazzanellli G (2002): Ultrastructural Morphometrical and Immunocytochemical
Analyses of Hepatocyte Nuclei from Mice Fed on Genetically Modified
Soybean. Cell Structural und Function 27: 173- 180.
_______________________________________________
Press-releases mailing list
Press-releases@mailman.greenpeace.org
http://mailman.greenpeace.org/mailman/listinfo/press-releases
__________________________________________________
TacticalMedia list
Archivio TM List: http://squat.net/tmc/maillist.html
Per iscriversi o cancellarsi: https://squat.net/mailman/listinfo/tacticalmedia
Tactical Media Crew - http://www.tmcrew.org
__________________________________________________