Plans to promote GM crops defeated
European and US Millers Say Go Slow on GMO Wheat
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Plans to promote GE crops defeated and European and US Millers Say Go Slow on GMO Wheat
Date:
Mon, 2 Sep 2002
From:
Stephen Tvedten <steve@getipm.com>
Organization: Get Set Inc. (www.getipm.com)
To: Paul Helliker <phelliker@cdpr.ca.gov>
Director, State of California, Department of Pesticide
Regulation
cc: Christine Whitman whitman.christine@epa.gov
1. Plans to promote GE crops defeated (The Independent)
2. European and US Millers Say Go Slow on GMO Wheat
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Plans to promote GM crops defeated
By Geoffrey Lean in Johannesburg
The Independent (London),02 September 2002
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/environment/story.jsp?story=329680
"I have never seen so many environmental ministers hugging each other as when the proposal went down'' ---
American plans to force genetically modified crops and food on to Third World countries were unexpectedly frustrated at the Earth Summit last night.
After an impassioned plea from Ethiopia, ministers rejected clauses in the summit's plan of action which would have given the World Trade Organisation (WTO) powers over international treaties on the environment.
One effect of this would have been to give the WTO the power to override the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, giving developing countries the right to refuse to take GM imports. The WTO regards free trade as its top priority.
The breakthrough - which rocked the American delegation, which has been blocking progress on most issues at the summit - took place as negotiators worked through the night to resolve the outstanding disagreements on the plan.
For most of the day the proposal had seemed fated to go through. Beside opening the door to GM, it would have placed at risk international treaties controlling the trade in toxic waste, chemicals that destroy the ozone layer, and the pollution that causes global warming.
Originally, the only resistance to the proposals came from Norway and Switzerland but after the Ethiopian delegation made its intervention the rest of the Third World swung against it, followed by the European Union which had originally been pushed into adopting it by EC officials. The US was left isolated.
"I have never seen so many environmental ministers hugging each other as when the proposal went down,'' said one British negotiator early this morning.
============== http://www.grainnet.com/info/articles.html?type=bn&ID=16146
US Wheat Associated Press Release Aug. 28, 2002
European and American Millers Tell U.S. Wheat Associates Board to Go Slow on GM Wheat
Washington, DC--At their summer board meeting, the Board of Directors of U.S. Wheat Associates heard a clear message on genetically modified wheat from some of the most important millers in Europe and America.
Last year, the European Union was the fourth largest customer of U.S. wheat, importing 2.16 million metric tons. And General Mills is one of largest domestic wheat buyers, purchasing one out of every 9 bushels of U.S. wheat sold domestically.
>From the largest miller in Italy, who uses 11 million metric tons of wheat annually: "The European milling industry will simply not buy one more kilo of any U.S. wheat at all" if Roundup Ready wheat is commercialized.
"In a situation with ample and cheap alternative supplies and a general, strongly convinced public opinion against genetically modified organisms, we will have no alternative," said Antonio Costato, CEO of Grandi Molini.
>From the wheat buyer at Rank Hovis, which controls 30% of the milling and the baking industries in the UK: "I am going to ask you not to grow genetically modified wheat until we are able to sell in our market the bread made from the flour made from that wheat. I cannot tell you how to run your business - but if you do grow genetically modified - or enhanced - wheat, we will not be able to buy any of your wheat - neither the GM nor the conventional. The latter because we will not be able to guarantee the integrity of even the conventional to zero content of GM."
"This has nothing to do with principle, or trade barriers," explained Peter Jones from Rank Hovis. "We just cannot sell it."
Ron Olson, vice president from General Mills, agreed with his European colleagues about the importance of building and maintaining brand integrity, pointing out that about half of the wheat used domestically is used in branded products, which carry higher risks if consumer confidence is lost. Corporations must protect brand integrity for their stockholders and "we will not do anything to erode consumer confidence," Olson said.
"In every study [of U.S. consumers]... there's still 7 to 10 percent of the people who say I will not buy a product if it contains a genetically modified ingredient," Olson told the USW board. "When you come to a company like ours, which is a wheat-based organization, and we run the risk that we will lose 7 to 10 percent of our business if we change a product and it becomes an issue... I don't think that's a risk our corporation would take."
Olson further explained the problems that will be experienced up the food chain, beyond the grower, noting a traditional economic concept: "When you inject a supply driven concept into a demand driven market, it's a recipe for failure."
Each of the customers made it clear that there is a likely future for biotechnology in wheat, when traits are developed that will provide consumer benefits and when consumers are convinced of the safety of the food.
But they made it equally clear that they did not believe that time for GM wheat had arrived.
"I do believe that GM is the future of agriculture," Costata said, "but, so far, our 380 million customers are opposed to it." Jones, repeating his plea to the growers not to grow GM wheat, ended with the statement "This is not 'never.' It's just 'not now.'"
And Olson reminded the board that "General Mills strongly believes in the potential technology."
But, he said, "it's an evolution, not a revolution... At some point in time the benefits will help offset the [consumer] perception side." In the meantime, Olson asked that "we proceed with a lot of caution, education and transparency, in a more open format where all parties in the chain cooperate as we move forward."
For more information, call 202-463-0999.
Well Mr. Helliker, Ralph Nader once noted: "The new slavery is the ownership and control of the genetic inheritance of the world - the flora, the fauna and the human genes." If you pay attention, you will hear the world starting to simply say "No" to this new slavery. This is supposedly a free country, yet "we" are constantly telling "everyone" that they have no free choice; they must all use and consume "our" frankenfoods and "registered" POISONS. Thank G-d, there are some freedom lovers "out there" who are choosing life and freedom rather than death and slavery! Keep on, keeping on!
Respectfully, Stephen L. Tvedten
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