Archived press release

Public should not be force fed GM crop not fit for animals

29 April 2004

A genetically modified crop already rejected by Europe as not good enough to be fed to animals is being put forward as a potential food for humans.

The EU will today (Friday 30) vote on whether a GM maize (NK603) created by the US-based multinational Monsanto should be imported into Europe for public consumption. Earlier this week Agriculture Ministers failed to support a different maize application after disagreements emerged over its safety.

The maize being debated today has been genetically modified to be resistant to Monsantos herbicide, "RoundUp".

In February member states failed to support the same GM crop for use as an animal feed.

Friends of the Earth GM Campaigner, Clare Oxborrow, said:

"If this GM food is not good enough to be fed to cows then it certainly should not be fed to humans. The only logical action must be to reject this application and call on the GM industry to start doing proper safety tests."

Friends of the Earth is critical of the Monsanto application which:

• fails to look at the grain's effects on subsequent generations, cumulative toxic effects and the effects on the health of sensitive consumers as required under EU food law
• fails to explain or fully investigate unexpected discoveries occurring after the genetic modification
• insufficiently investigated the possibility of the modification causing more allergies

On the same day anti-GM campaigners will be protesting at the Annual General Meeting of Europes largest GM company, the German-based Bayer about its involvement in GM crops.

Protesters will highlight how Bayers GM plans have gone wrong, ranging from their recent withdrawal from the UK market, the recommendation to ban their GM oilseed rape and the objections by EU member states and people in developing countries to their GM rice.

Geert Ritsema, GM Coordinator for Friends of the Earth Europe said:

"It is about time that Bayer faces reality. GM foods are a failure. They are a risk to human health and the vast majority of consumers in Europe do not want them. Financial sense would dictate that Bayer should quit the GM business."

Notes

A BRIEFING ON NK603 CAN BE FOUND AT:
www.foeeurope.org/GMOs/pending/index.htm

1. Article 14(4) of Regulation 178/2002

2. Unexpected sequences discovered in the genome after the modification. Research shows that such sequences could shut down neighbouring genes.

3. International guidance on allergy testing that EU scientists produced in 2003 should mean that Monsanto would have to do more thorough testing.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust