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Breaking News from America's Progressive Community... 1999
Releases
The press releases posted here have been provided to NewsCenter by the one of the many progressive organizations we have selected to participate. If you would like more information about this press release, you should contact the organization directly. |
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| MARCH
17, 1999 10:14 AM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Greenpeace Benny Haerlin, Greenpeace Intl GE coordinator +49 30 308899 12 Jon Walter, Greenpeace Intl press officer +31 20 523 6222 Matilda Bradshaw UK press office +44 171 865 8256 |
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| Greenpeace Welcomes Major Global Steps To Get Out Genetically Modified Food | ||||
| AMSTERDAM
- March 17 - Greenpeace International today welcomed two major steps towards a genetically
modified (GM) free food supply at two different ends of the world.
Monsanto, the world's most aggressive seller of genetically engineered seeds yesterday announced that it had withdrawn applications for approval of their herbicide resistant (Roundup Ready) soyabeans in Brazil. The step comes after massive protests by environmental and consumers organizations as well as scientists and lawmakers in Brazil. Brazil is the world's second biggest exporter of soyabeans. Soyabeans are used in 60 per cent of processed supermarket food products including bread, pasta, yogurt, chocolate and ice-cream. At the same time the UK retailer J. Sainsbury's announced that it will not sell any genetically engineered products under it's own label. Sainsbury's also revealed that it had formed a consortium of major European retailers, including Marks & Spencer (UK), Carrefour (France), Superquinn (Ireland), Migros (Switzerland), Delhaize (Belgium) and Esselunga (Italy), who will jointly source GM-free products. "This is the beginning of the end of trying to force feed consumers unwanted and unneeded genetically manipulated food", commented Greenpeace International's campaigner Benedikt Haerlin. "We hope to see more supermarket chains and food producers join the GM-free consortium in the next few days." Haerlin added that other major food producers and retailers, such as Unilever in Germany and Austria, and 90 percent of all supermarkets in Austria and countless small producers have already declared that they are GM free. "No supermarket or food producer can claim that it was not possible to avoid GM ingredients in their products." Monsanto's withdrawal of applications for seed approvals of genetically engineered "Roundup Ready" soyabeans in Brazil follows vigorous protests of environmental and consumer groups as well as skepticism and discussions within the Brazilian Government. Last week IBAMA, the Brazilian environmental state agency formally joined a lawsuit of Greenpeace Brazil against the approval of Monsanto's GM soyabeans. Also the Governor of Brazil's major soyabean growing state, Rio Grande del Sul, declared that his state will stay a "GM free zone". Finally the Brazilian public agencies for consumer protection (Procons) demanded a moratorium on GM products at their annual meeting in Brasilia, on the 11th and 12th of March. "Now it is up to consumers to question those who still refuse to take a clear position and to confront other companies, such as Nestle, who openly insist on feeding their customers genetically engineered food." Concluded Haerlin. ### |
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