GREENPEACE: Greenpeace reveals
Monsanto's ...
OTC 25.08.98 13:10
AUG 25, 1998, M2 Communications - Greenpeace announced today the result of its
investigation into an uncontrolled genetic field test of Monsanto in the Eastern European
country of Georgia.
The report reveals how Monsanto used the lack of legislation in Georgia to test its
transgenic potatoes using local farmers to grow the potatoes without informing them of the
potential risks to biodiversity and their traditional farming methods. Greenpeace is
urging the international community meeting at the UN Biosafety Protocol negotiations in
Montreal, to agree on legally binding rules to control the proliferation of genetically
engineered organisms.
"Monsanto sold Georgian farmers transgenic seed potatoes without telling them what it
meant", said Greenpeace Russia campaign director Ivan Blokov in Moscow.
"Monsanto took advantage of the lack of legislation in Georgia and applied double
standards since none of the precautions required in the US have been implemented in
Georgia. As a result, organic farmers in Georgia could lose their best pest control tool
and their organic status."
Monsanto's transgenic "Naturemark" NewLeaf potatoes were imported to Georgia in
1996 under a seed potato project initiated by the Georgian Ministry of Agriculture. The
Ministry of Agriculture received USD 350 000 from European Union Technical Assistance
programme to the Commonwealth of Independent States (TACIS) to buy these transgenic potato
seeds. Apparently, the EU had not been informed that the project involved transgenic
crops.
The Monsanto potatoes turned out to be a financial disaster for the farmers. The yield was
only one third to one half of that expected and as a result several farmers fell into
debt. Greenpeace's investigation shows that the transgenic potatoes are now circulating in
Georgia and in neighbouring countries, Russia and Azerbaijan.
"This investigation is a good illustration of the need for international rules to
control genetic engineering activities, especially the transboundary movements of
genetically engineered organisms", said Louise Gale of Greenpeace International
currently attending the UN negotiations for a Biosafety Protocol in Montreal. "We
have always known that the agro-chemical industry will not act responsibly to protect
biodiversity and human health unless there are binding rules to make them to do so. Such
rules must include a thorough environmental and health assessment based on the
precautionary principle and indicate who will take responsibility if things go
wrong."
Greenpeace is calling on Monsanto, the US, Georgia and the EU to immediately recall the
transgenic potatoes circulating in Georgia and neighbouring regions, to compensate farmers
for any losses they sustain from these transgenic potatoes and to set up a compensation
fund in Georgia to restore any potential damage to the environment.
"Monsanto has shown a cynical attitude to exploiting the lack of rules in this newly
independent state. The genetech industry is placing pressure on governments across the
world to weaken the Biosafety Protocol so that they can continue this sort of wild-west
approach.
Greenpeace is appealing to governments not to succumb to these pressures and to place
protection of biodiversity, including human health, first and foremost in their positions
in these negotiations."
Note to editors: The full report is available on the internet site
www.greenpeace.org/~geneng.
-0-
(C)1994-98 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTDCONTACT: Stefan Weber, Greenpeace consultant
Tel: +7-095-257 4116
Ivan Blokov, campaign director, Greenpeace Russia
Tel: +7-095-257 4122
Louise Gale, Greenpeace political advisor
Tel: +1 514-898 3587
Mika Railo, Greenpeace International press desk
Tel: +31-20-5249 548
M2 COMMUNICATIONS DISCLAIMS ALL LIABILITY FOR
INFORMATION PROVIDED WITHIN M2 PRESSWIRE. DATA
SUPPLIED BY NAMED PARTY/PARTIES.
Copyright 1998