Greenpeace activists in
India take action with Farmers' Union to
say no to GE Rice
06 November 2007 - International — When
an unapproved genetically engineered (GE)
crop was discovered in American rice last
year, it triggered the biggest marketing
and financial disaster in the history of
the US rice industry. We commissioned an
independent economist to do some maths;
he found that total costs could exceed USD$1.2
billion.
In August 2006, traces of the uncertified
GE crop LL601, known as “Liberty Link” and
owned by biotech giant Bayer were found
in US rice supplies. 63 percent of US rice
exports were affected, the contamination
spread to at least 30 countries, from Austria
to Ghana to United Arab Emirates. Major
importers such as the EU and the Philippines
closed their markets to US rice. Up to US
$253 million was lost from food product
recalls, and future export losses could
reach $445 million.
Contamination came from field trials
What is particularly scary is that Liberty
Link was never even grown commercially.
The contamination was the result of experimental
trials, which ended in 2001 - five years
before the contamination was discovered.
In a desperate attempt to lessen the damage
after the scandal broke, the US government
decided to approve the rice strain. It didn’t
work; as the report shows, the US rice industry
is still reeling.
India, an even bigger rice exporter than
the US, is the new battleground for GE crops.
The Indian government is preparing to start
field trials next month. Greenpeace urges
them not to make the same mistakes as the
US, and to stop all plans for GE experimental
trials. Greenpeace India took action with
the Bharatiya Kisan Farmers Union today.
They visited one of the 12 areas approved
for GE rice trials, and with a giant banner
reading “Save our Rice” sent the Indian
government a clear message.
As Greenpeace GE campaigner Doreen Stabinsky
says: “There is only one way for the rice
industry to protect itself from another
billion dollar debacle and that is to prevent
GE rice from ever being grown.”
Bayer attempts to blame God
Hundreds of US farmers and European businesses
have filed lawsuits against Bayer in attempts
to recoup their losses. Punitive or statutory
damages which may be awarded against Bayer
may double or even treble the final cost
of the GE contamination incident.
Bayer’s response to the disaster, which
has destroyed the livelihoods of thousands
of people, from growers to producers to
sellers, was to blame God. Seriously, they
claimed that the contamination scandal was
probably caused by “an Act of God.” Even
by biotech industry standards, this is beyond
grotesque.
India, don’t make the same mistakes as
the US
In India, the pro-GE government, its regulators
and companies such as Monsanto are preparing
to start field trials of damaging GE crops
next month. The decision ignores the will
of farmers and traders and even the Indian
Supreme court, which ruled in August that
no new field trial approvals could happen
until a full court hearing takes place.
The decision also threatens the Indian
basmati rice industry, which is committed
to remaining GE free. Many of the planned
GE field trials will take place right next
to where basmati is grown, and as genes
do not understand political boundaries basmati
and non-basmati rice types will face serious
danger of contamination.
If their rice gets contaminated, it is
Indian farmers, traders and millers whose
livelihoods could be destroyed. India and
the rest of the world must learn the lessons
from the US disaster. The only way to ensure
crops are safe from contamination is to
ensure that GE crops do not exist at all.
