Transcript PowerPoint Presentation - Title of the slide, one or two lines

GM crops
GMO expansion in the world
After 12 years of commercialisation:
4 crops, two traits and just a few countries
• Herbicide resistant (99% Monsanto’s RoundUp Ready)
• Bt crops (secrete insecticide, also called « Insect resistent »)
Over 90% of the area planted is found in 5 countries in North and
South America:
• US, Canada, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay
• US and Argentina grow over 70% of all GM crops
GM soy in Latin America
90% of all GM crops commercialised in
South America are herbicide-resistant soy
40% of soy is GM in Brazil
90 % in Paraguay
Nearly 100% in Argentina
Argentina
RR soy increase from 2% in 1996/7 to virtually
100% today
Resulting in problems of glyphosate-resistant
weeds and increased pesticide use
Glyphosate (Monsanto’s Round Up) use more than
tripled from 1999/2000 to 2005/2006 while over the
same period 2,4D (component of agent orange)
even more as have other toxic pesticides such as
atrazine (banned in the EU for health reasons)
The case of Johnsongrass:
Considered to be one of the worst weeds in
the world
First reports by Argentinean farmers of the
failure to control johnsongrass with
glyphosate in the late 90s and glyphosateresistant johnsongrass first confirmed 2003
Announcement of resistant johnsongrass in
7000 to 10000 hectares in 2006
In 2007, reported in 6 provinces in
Argentina
The case of Johnsongrass:
Recommendation to control resistant weeds is to
use a cocktail of herbicides including some of the
most toxic.
Estimations are that additional 25 million litres of
such herbicides will be needed each year
The case of Johnsongrass:
Increase in production costs of between USD 160
to USD 950 million per year
Estimation that herbicide costs will double in
affected areas
Bill drafted by Argentinean Congressman in 2007
Calls for an eradication of johnsongrass
Acknowledges that “market forces cannot control this
pest” and that a special fund is needed to fund
eradication measures. Fund would include taxpayers
money, and contributions for International organisations
Social injustice and human rights’
abuses
Coalition of civil society groups in Paraguay (Mesa DRS) has
placed a complaint against Paraguay at the UN:
Indiscriminate use of agrochemicals by soy landowners
Child mortality, abortions (miscarriages?) and birth defects
Cargill is planning to construct a huge harbour in the
Paraguay River to export over a million metric tons of grain
Home to traditional fisherpeople and 500 metres upstream from the
public company that distributes water to the capital city
30% of all soy, maize and wheat production controlled by Cargill
Social injustice and human rights’
abuses
In Paraguay, just 2% of landowners control 70% of
the land. 40% of people live below the poverty line
In Brazil in 2007, machine gun fired at Landless
Rural Workers’ Movement and Via Campesina by
Syngenta security guards. One farmer killed,
others injured
Impacts of GM crops
GM soy and cotton occupy the majority of the areas planted
with GM crops in developing countries
Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, India and China
Crops are destined for feed and fibre export to wealth nations
not for food use
Patents on seed means that seeds are expensive and farmers
unable to save seed
GM soy cultivation in Latin America is driving small farmers
off the land, displacing acreage planted to food crops
Number of farmers in Makhatini Flats area of South Africa
has decreased from 3229 in 2001/02 to 853 in 2006/7 after
introduction of Bt cotton
So why grow GM crops?
GM crops are grown by large scale farmers who
represent a minority of the world’s farmers
Benefit of GM crops is “convenience effect”
Reduction in farm labour and increased flexibility
in the timing of herbicide applications (for how
long?)
The ability to farm more acres with less labour has
facilitated the worldwide trend for fewer and bigger
industrial-style farms
The EU market
Consumer opposition and labelling has resulted in
retailers adopting a GMO-free policy
Majority of GM therefore has been channeled into
animal feed – the invisible presence of GM in
Europe
Greenpeace petition signed by 1 million
consumers calling for labelling of meat products
Although not perfect, the EU does have the
strictest biosafety laws in the world
Rise in animal feed prices: GMOs in the EU
Livestock industry meeting with President Barroso of the
European Commission
Commissioner for Agriculture issues a report saying that
GMOs should be approved more quickly into the EU and that
a review of EU’s “zero tolerance” policy
(Commissioner for Agriculture is married to a Danish pig
farmer …..)
EU biotech industry and animal feed industry warn of “mass
slaughter of our animals” and that its “one minute past
midnight”
Commissioner Mandelson (trade) speaks of Europe’s
“hungry cows”
Rise in agricultural commodity prices is being used in the EU
to push for more GMO imports and to weaken GMO laws
Some FoEE resource documents
Who Benefits from GM crops
http://www.foeeurope.org/GMOs/Who_Benefits/FULL_REPORT_FINAL_FEB08.pd
EU Biotechnology Strategy: mid term review or
midlife crisis?
http://www.foeeurope.org/publications/2007/FoEE_biotech_MTR_midlifecrisis_March07.pdf
Briefing on increase in animal feed prices and the
EU’s GMO policy
http://www.foeeurope.org/GMOs/animal%20feed/GMO_Livestock_briefing.pdf
Too close for comfort
http://www.foeeurope.org/corporates/pdf/too-close-for-comfort.pdf