Organic Spanish farmers are burning their maize harvest after it was revealed that it had been contaminated by nearby fields of genetically engineered maize.
"This report should be taken as a warning to the Commission and
Europein general of the dangers of GE production, " said
Greenpeacecampaigner Geert Ritsema from Vienna where a major
European Commissionconference on coexistence begins today. "Despite
guarantees by variousSpanish governments that guidelines and
controls would ensure safety,farmers and consumer choice the
reality has been the opposite.
"Testimonialsfrom farmers demonstrate that the unabated growth
of the GE industrynow represents the single largest threat to their
livelihoods,especially in the regions Aragón and Catalonia where GE
crops aremainly cultivated."
The report 'Impossible Coexistence'written in cooperation with
farmer organisation Assemblea Pagesa andcivil society group
Plataforma Trangènics Fora!, is based on thoroughresearch including
laboratory tests of samples taken from the maizefields of 40
Spanish organic and conventional farmers, documents
thefollowing:
- In almost a quarter of the investigated casesunintended and
unwanted presence of GE maize was found in the maizefields of non
GE farmers. The GE contamination was as high as 12.6 %;
-In several cases the affected farmers suffered economic losses,
as theywere not able anymore to sell the contaminated maize at a
premiummarket value;
- Three of the contamination cases involved localmaize varieties
which, after years of careful selection, can no longerbe used for
future plantings; These cases show how GE contamination isa threat
to biodiversity and to the few local varieties that are still in
the hands of farmers;
"Thelack of GE regulation in Spain is a slap in the face to
organic andconventional farmers who have put blood, sweat and tears
into theirbusinesses and now find the interests of big Agro Biotech
firms likeSyngenta and Monsanto not only being placed above local
communities andultimately damaging their livelihoods," said Mr
Antonio Ruiz, presidentof the Organic Farming Committee of Aragón,
who attended a Greenpeacepress conference in Vienna today.
Greenpeace is calling on theSpanish authorities to immediately
suspend the cultivation of GMOs inSpain. It is also calling on EU
ministers and the European Commissionto prevent the cultivation of
GE crops in other EU countries.
"TheSpanish experience demonstrates that GE and non-GE
co-existence is afallacy," said Ritsema. "European Ministers
attending this week'smeeting should seriously consider whether they
wish it upon the farmersand consumers in the
rest of Europe."
Greenpeace is anindependent, campaigning organisation which uses
non-violent, creativeconfrontation to expose global environmental
problems, and to drivesolutions essential to a green and peaceful
future.
Other contacts: For further information:Geert Ritsema, Greenpeace International GE Campaigner, +31 646 197 328Suzette Jackson, Greenpeace International Communications Officer +31 646 197 324
VVPR info: Greenpeace Photo Desk: +31653819255Greenpeace Video: +31653504721
Notes: (1) The report, which was written by Greenpeace in cooperation with farmer organisation Assemblea Pagesa and civil society group Plataforma Trangènics Fora!, was launched today at the opening of a major European Commission conference attended by EU ministers in Vienna. The conference will discuss the EU's future policy on "coexistence" and determine if GE and Non GE crops can be grown together.Impossible Coexistence: Seven years of GMOs have contaminated organic and conventional maize: an examination of the cases of Catalonia and Aragon, is available for downloading at:www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/impossible-coexistence
Exp. contact date: 2006-05-04 00:00:00