Monsanto, GMOs, and the Global Genocide of Science and Humanity

GMO Crop Takes Over Thousands of Acres in Germany

June 9, 2010

TreeHugger.com - A genetically modified strain of maize classified as NK603 -- one that is explicitly banned in the European Union -- has been unleashed in Germany. The crop has been unwittingly planted on nearly 7,500 acres so far, and is continuing to spread. The source of the contamination has not yet been determined, but it is believed that it could cost farmers millions of euros to eradicate the tenacious GMO crop.

The contamination has spread across 7 different states in Germany, contaminating fields unbeknown to the farmers tilling the land. Such affected farmers will have no choice but to plow their fields prematurely. Greenpeace operations in Europe helped uncover the GMO's spread. The BBC reports:

In the affected fields, up to 0.1% of the crop is contaminated with NK603 - equivalent to 100 contaminated plants per hectare, Greenpeace says.

"Fields will have to be ploughed up before the maize blooms - it is still possible to halt the uncontrolled spread [of the GM variety]," Stefanie Becker, spokeswoman for Lower Saxony's Environment Ministry, told the BBC.

This news breaks right at a moment when the European Commission is recommending that the EU relax its strict rules on genetically modified foods like those pushed by Monsanto. This new development could potentially impact such plans. Agricultural expert Alexander Hissting said as much to the BBC:

"This is the biggest GM crop scandal in Germany to date."

The GMO strain of maize is not dangerous to human health, but it could corrupt non-GMO strains through cross-pollination if not swiftly dealt with.

Haitian Farmers Reject Monsanto Donation

June 9, 2010

Food Safety News - The Peasant Movement of Papay, a group of Haitian farmers, has committed to burning 60,000 seed sacks (475 tons) of hybrid corn and vegetable seeds donated by Monsanto in the wake of the devastating earthquake earlier this year.

Peasant Movement of Papay leader Chavannes Jean-Baptiste called Monsanto's donation "a new earthquake" and called for a march to protest the corporation's presence in Haiti for World Environment Day.

The National Peasant Movement of the Congress of Papay sent an open letter on May 14 signed by Jean-Baptiste. The letter called Monsanto's presence in Haiti, "a very strong attack on small agriculture, on farmers, on biodiversity, on Creole seeds..., and on what is left of our environment in Haiti."

In addition to MPNKP and MPP, other Haitian social movements have advocated in opposition to agribusiness imports of seeds and food. The groups have expressed strong concern regarding the importation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as they undermine local production of local seed stocks.

Haitian law does not prohibit the use of GMOs within the country, but the Ministry of Agriculture rejected Monsanto's offer to donate Roundup Ready seeds. As a result of these actions, a representative from Monsanto responded to the Ministry of Agriculture via email to assure that donated seeds would not be GMO.

Monsanto is internationally known for aggressively pushing its seed products, specifically GMO seeds. The use of seeds also usually includes highly restrictive technology agreements between the company and farmers, who groups opposed to the use of GMOs claim are not always fully made aware of what they are signing. GMO-opposed groups claim that by signing these agreements, small farmers are forced to buy Monsanto seeds each year under conditions they often find onerous and at high costs that they cannot afford.

The corn seed product Monsanto donated to Haiti has been treated with the fungicide Maxim XO, while the calypso tomato seeds were treated with thiram. Thiram is a highly toxic chemical belonging to the ethylene bisdithiocarbamates (EBDCs) class. Upon U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tests on the EBDC's, the EPA deemed any EBDC-treated plants so dangerous to agricultural workers, that they are now mandated to wear protective clothing when handling them.

The EPA ruled that pesticides that contain thiram must have a special warning label. In addition, the EPA also banned marketing of aforementioned chemicals for home garden products as it is assumed that most homegardeners do not own adequately protective clothing.

Social movements in Haiti consider the offer from Monsanto detrimental to the local economy.

"People in the U.S. need to help us produce, not give us food and seeds. They're ruining our chance to support ourselves," said farmer Jonas Deronzil of a peasant cooperative in the rural region of Verrettes.

Monsanto has been criticized for its role in environmental, health, and farming ills. The company's Agent Orange caused cancer in a large number of U.S. Veterans. The Vietnamese government claims that 400,000 of their citizens were either killed or disabled as a result of Agent Orange, while 500,000 children were born with birth defects as a result of exposure.

Seed giants Syngenta, Dupont and Bayer, and Monsanto control more than half of the world's seed patents. Monsanto retains almost 650 seed patents, most of which are for cotton, corn, and soy. The company also owns almost 30 percent of the share of all biotechnology research and development.

"Fighting hybrid and GMO seeds is critical to save our diversity and our agriculture," Jean-Baptiste said in an interview in February. "We have the potential to make our lands produce enough to feed the whole population and even to export certain products. The policy we need for this to happen is food sovereignty, where the county has a right to define it own agricultural policies, to grow first for the family and then for local market, to grow healthy food in a way which respects the environment and Mother Earth."

European Union Executive Confirms GM Crop Overhaul Plans

June 9, 2010

Reuters - The European Union's executive will on July 13 propose an overhaul of the bloc's rules on growing genetically modified (GM) crops, allowing governments to decide whether to grow or ban the crops, an official said on Wednesday.

The official was confirming details of draft proposals on GM cultivation seen by Reuters last week.

"There will be a legislative proposal which will be very limited and very targeted," Yannis Karamitsios, an official in the European Commission's health and consumers department, said at a seminar in Brussels.

The legislative change could take one to two years to approve, so the proposals will include a "fast approach" based on non-binding guidelines that would immediately give member states the right to ban GM cultivation, Karamitsios added.

Spain Wary of Impact EU GM Crop Proposals

June 11, 2010

Reuters - Spain fears that proposals due next month to give European Union member states the right to ban or grow genetically modified crops could lead to an unraveling of community-wide agricultural policies, the Agriculture Minister said on Friday.

"Moving to authorizations by each country could take us to the beginning of renationalization, something we have never supported in Spain," Elena Espinosa said on her way into a meeting of EU ministers in Luxembourg.

"Let us not forget agriculture is a common policy. A particular product has no reason not to have a common policy," she added in recorded comments sent via email.

Belgium Fears Impact of EU GM Crop Proposals

June 9, 2010

Reuters - Belgium fears that proposals due next month giving European Union governments the right to ban or grow genetically modified crops will undermine the bloc's internal market and investment security for biotech companies.

"We have some doubts …- with their compliance with the internal market rules, with the World Trade Organisation and with some bilateral agreements," Belgian diplomat Herman Claeys said at a seminar on Brussels on Wednesday.

"We also perceive that for investment security for companies, for the public services, it's maybe not the best thing," Claeys added.

Belgium takes up the rotating Presidency of the EU in July, and will therefore play a key role in coordinating member states' initial response to the proposals.

Austria believes the proposals from the European Commission "go in a positive direction", said Michel Haas, in charge of GM policy at the country's health ministry.

"Half of the member states would I think also be very happy with the proposals, but there are some member states which are not in this half," Haas said.

EU Moves on GMO Crops a "Big Step": DuPont Executive

JunE8, 2010

Reuters - Moves by the European Union to overhaul its approval system for genetically modified crops is a "big step forward," but it is likely to be some time before the bloc is open to wide-spread cultivation of key crops, a leading DuPont executive said on Tuesday.

Citing a provision of reported regulatory plans to allow EU member states to "opt out" of approvals of biotech crops, DuPont executive vice president James Borel said the proposed overhaul would not eliminate many market obstacles.

"Is it ideal? No. We recognize that it's not a slam dunk to get everything passed," said Borel, who oversees the company's production agriculture businesses, including key corn and soybean seed developer Pioneer Hi-Bred.

"But we think that is a big step forward so we're hopeful," said Borel, interviewed on the sidelines of an economic conference in Kansas City.

"It starts to get the EU to be able to take a position and say they've approved it," he said "We think over time individual member states will come along and realize the benefit of the technology."

DuPont is one of the world's leading agricultural seed and chemical developers and has been seeking approvals for biotech crop products in the EU for years.

Reuters reported Friday that under proposals due to be adopted on July 13, the EU executive Commission will be given greater freedom to approve new genetically modified varieties for cultivation in return for letting EU governments decide whether or not to grow them.

Borel said he recently met with Maltese Health and Consumer Affairs Commissioner John Dalli, who drew up the new rules.

"We think he has the right approach," Borel said. "We're hopeful that he'll be successful."

Broad consumer opposition to biotech crops has persisted for years in the European Union even as acceptance has grown around the world. Commercial GM planting in Europe last year covered less than 100,000 hectares (250,000 acres), mostly in Spain, compared with 134 million hectares globally.

MONSANTO WOES

Separately, Borel said his company was also heartened by fresh acknowledgments by rival Monsanto Co. of problems in the United States with spreading weed resistance related to glyphosate and Monsanto's glyphosate-based Roundup herbicide, which is used in conjunction with Monsanto's Roundup Ready corn, soybeans and cotton.

Monsanto said on May 27 that it would restructure its herbicide products in an effort to help combat the spreading environmental woes of herbicide-resistant weeds, also known as "super weeds," which many critics have blamed on the chemical giant.

Borel said his company's herbicide sales have risen in response to the concerns about superweeds and new products designed to work with glyphosate were selling out.

"I'm glad to see that the final doubters woke up," Borel said. "We've been talking about Roundup-resistance weeds for a long time. What is clear is farmers are going to need additional tools. This opens opportunities we've been pursuing for our products."