Greenpeace today demanded that two of the largest European dairy companies must stop buying their milk from dairy farmers who grow GE maize, to avoid the potential contamination of the food chain. To illustrate the risk, a life-size sculpture of a cow with a see-through stomach filled with animal feed was placed by activists in a field growing the GE crop in Seelow, Brandenburg near the Polish border. Several farmers in Brandenburg growing GE maize, deliver milk to Campina and Mueller, who sell it directly to consumers.
Greenpeace action against GE animal feed in a field growing GE crops. Greenpeace demands that two of Europe's largest dairy companies must stop buying their milk from farmers who grow Genetically Engineered (GE) maize to avoid potential contamination of the food chain.
European consumers have consistently rejected food that is
genetically engineered (GE). As a result there are hardly any GE
labelled food products on the European market. However, EU
labelling law contains a loophole; milk, eggs, meat and other
animal-derived foodstuffs do not need to be labelled if the animals
were fed genetically modified organisms (GMOs). As most of the GE
maize grown in Europe is used as animal feed, European consumers
could unknowingly consume GE derived products, such as milk.
"Despite huge opposition to GMOs in the food chain from European
consumers, Mueller and Campina refuse to guarantee that their dairy
cattle are not fed on GE maize," said Geert Ritsema, Greenpeace
International GE Campaigner. "Through advertising their products as
pure and natural, they are misleading their consumers as their
products risk being contaminated from the GE crops grown by their
dairy farmers."
Other European countries have taken steps to ensure their
products are completely GE free. Food manufacturers have ensured
that GE animal feed is not used in Switzerland and Sweden. In
Austria, the large dairy company, NOEM AG, ensured its entire range
of fresh milk products are "GE free".
The U.S. biotech company, Monsanto, produces the GE maize (MON
810) sown in the fields of Seelow. The European Commission gave
approval for the GE maize to be grown in the EU in 2004. However, a
debate about its safety for the environment is still ongoing. As a
result the Governments of Austria, Greece, Hungary and Poland have
banned the maize. Currently this particular crop of GE maize is the
only GE plant permitted to be grown throughout the EU. Other GE
maize and GE Soya varieties, cultivated outside the EU, are
authorised for import as animal feed.
Greenpeace is demanding that the European dairy industry take
steps to stop the cultivation of GE maize in the EU, and to stop
importing GE maize, GE Soya and other GE plants grown outside the
EU to use in animal feed. Companies such as Campina and Mueller can
make a significant contribution to stopping the use of GE animal
feed by insisting that their milk only comes from non-GE
suppliers.
Greenpeace is an independent, campaigning organisation, which
uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global
environmental problems, and to force solutions essential to a green
and peaceful future.
Other contacts: Geert Ritsema, Greenpeace International GE Campaigner, +31 646 197 328Mhairi Dunlop, Greenpeace International Communications, +31 646 162 026
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