Cracks widen in biotech industry myths
22 February, 2011
You are here:
22 February, 2011
AMSTERDAM / BRUSSELS / MONTEVIDEO / BENIN CITY, 22 February 2011 - Governments are being forced to protect farmers and citizens from genetically modified crops (GM crops) to combat biotech corporations’ stranglehold over farmers, and health scares from escalating pesticide use, according to a new report by Friends of the Earth International. [1]
On the eve of the release of industry-sponsored figures on the adoption of GM crops globally, the research highlights how even pro-GM governments in South America and the United States have been forced to take steps to mitigate the negative impacts of GM crops on farmers, citizens and the environment. [2]
Read Who benefits from GM crops - An annual report analysing major new developments regarding genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in various regions around the world
In South America, the Brazilian Government has launched a GM-free soy programme to help farmers access non-GM soy seeds. In Argentina new research has exposed that the herbicide Glyphosate, used on the majority of GM crops grown worldwide, could have severe negative impacts on human health. [3] This has led to bans on spraying of the herbicide near people’s homes. In Uruguay, local areas are declaring themselves GM-free.
Friends of the Earth International Food Sovereignty coordinator Martin Drago said,
“Farmers and citizens in South America are bearing the burden of ten years of GM crops with widespread health disasters and rising costs. The myths on which the biotech industry is built are crumbling.
The havoc wreaked across South America shows that this technology is not compatible with sustainable farming. It is a wake up call for the rest of the world to move towards more ecological methods of farming.”
Widespread resistance to GM crops in the developing world and Europe means that they are only planted on a large scale in a handful of countries and that over 97% of global agricultural land is GM-free.
Friends of the Earth Europe Campaigner Mute Schimpf said:
"The widespread opposition to genetically modified crops and foods in Europe continues to rise because consumers and farmers can see that they offer no added value and instead create environmental and health risks.
GM crops will hinder, not help the challenge of ensuring we can feed our global population with safe and healthy food."
Friends of the Earth International's report "Who Benefits from GM crops? An industry built on myths" 2011 also finds that:
FOR MORE INFORMATION
English: Kirtana Chandrasekaran, Friends of the Earth International Food Sovereignty Coordinator +44 (0) 7961986956
Spanish: Martin Drago, Friends of the Earth International Food Sovereignty Coordinator, +598 (99) 138559
English, French, Dutch: Marlijn Dingshoff, Friends of the Earth International media coordinator: + 31 (0) 20-6221369
NOTES
[1] See Who benefits from GM crops: the industry built on myths.
[2] See also Friends of the Earth International 2010 “Who Benefits from GM crops: the great climate change swindle”
[3] Paganelli, A et al. Glyphosate-Based Herbicides Produce Teratogenic Effects on Vertebrates by Impairing Retinoic Acid Signaling, Chem. Res. Toxicol., 2010, 23 (10), pp 1586–1595, http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/tx1001749
Enter the site