Archived press release

Illegal GM Maize Found in Japanese Imports

2 June 2005

As international talks on the safety of GM crops reach crucial stage.

Unapproved genetically modified (GM) maize, originating from the United States, has been found in shipments arriving in Japan, according to reports. The contamination incident comes as key United Nations negotiations in Montreal, Canada, reach a crucial point in agreeing regulations for a safe trade in GM foods and crops.

Japanese officials said that a shipment of corn from the US was found to be contaminated by an illegal experimental GM maize, called Bt10. The Swiss-based biotech company, Syngenta, admitted in March that it had mistakenly sold the wrong maize to farmers in the US for the last four years [1]. The EU introduced emergency measures to stop shipments of contaminated corn-based animal feeds in April and last week a contaminated shipment was detected and blocked in Ireland [2].

Japan, the biggest importer of US maize, said that they will now test every shipment for illegal contamination. Trade sources claimed that the shipment is likely to be sent back to the US, at Syngenta's expense.

In Montreal, UN negotiations on the Biosafety Protocol [3], are discussing the issue of the export of GM crops that are not licensed in the importing country. The talks are at a critical stage with a small number of countries - New Zealand, Brazil, Mexico and Peru - holding up progress that would reduce contamination from GM crops. An agreement is expected in the next 24 hours, despite the huge lobbying by the GM industry for weaker rules.

Friends of the Earth's GM Campaigner Clare Oxborrow said:

"The biotech industry clearly needs to be brought under control. Every new contamination incident highlights the urgent need for strong international laws. Unless we have strict controls then the contamination of our foods will continue and our environment will be put at risk. The Biosafety Protocol negotiations taking place in Montreal are key to solving these problems."

On Monday, Friends of the Earth International released a report showing that tougher measures are needed to prevent contamination from GM crops [4].

Notes

[1] Has illegal GM maize been sold in the UK?

[2] www.gmfreeireland.org/scandal/

[3] For more information on Biosafety Protocol and the "Second meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety" go to the official UN website: www.biodiv.org/biosafety

[4] The report, Tackling GMO contamination can be found here: www.foecanada.org

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust