[DEBATE] : (Fwd) Monsanto needs investigating - please agree

[Patrick Bond]

http://www.activist.co.za/campaigns/2009/investigategm.php

May 2009

CALL FOR INDEPENDENT SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION INTO GM CROP FAILURE AND 
ESTABLISHMENT OF INDEPENDENT MONITORING PANEL,

Three varieties of Monsanto’s genetically modified maize failed to 
produce crops during the 2008/9 growing season, leaving up to 200 000 
hectares of fields barren of cobs and crop losses across several 
provinces in South Africa. According the GRAIN SA, the varieties are: 
MON 810, NK 603 and MON 810 x NK 603. These seeds were sold to 
commercial maize farmers and provided to resource poor farmers in South 
Africa.

Monsanto has compensated commercial farmers who lost their yield, and 
barred these farmers from speaking to the media or public. Monsanto has 
claimed that a mistake was made in the breeding process. No further 
details regarding this mistake or how it might have similarly affected 
all three varieties has been forthcoming from Monsanto. Why the veil of 
secrecy on Monsanto’s part and the gagging of affected commercial crop 
producers?

The South African biosafety regulatory authority, which approved the 
commercial release of these three maize varieties, has not seen fit to 
make any statement regarding the crop failure to the consuming public. 
Should we assume that the regulatory authority has uncritically accepted 
the Monsanto explanation? South Africa is a signatory to the Cartagena 
Protocol on Biosafety, and is therefore obliged to implement an 
effective precautionary approach to monitor and regulate GMOs. What 
confidence can we, the consuming public, have that our regulatory 
authority is effectively fulfilling this role in an independent and 
transparent fashion?

Concerned scientists have long since warned that commercialisation of GM 
plants is premature given the attendant uncertainties and imprecision of 
genetic crop modification. The impact of these “mistakes” in producing 
these GM maize crops was smoothed out this time by compensation from 
Monsanto to affected commercial farmers. How might other mistakes impact 
on farmers and consumers and who will pay the price? What steps has 
Monsanto taken to protect the interests and reimburse the loss of 
affected resource poor farmers? These and other questions remain unanswered.

WE, THE CONCERNED PUBLIC, CALL ON OUR GOVERNMENT TO MAKE PUBLIC WHAT IT 
KNOWS ABOUT THE CROP FAILURES AND TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A 
PANEL OF INDEPENDENT EXPERTS TO INVESTIGATE THESE CROP FAILURES AND ACT 
AS A MONITORING BODY FOR ALL GMOS RELEASED INTO OUR ENVIRONMENT.
Please distribute through your networks!

Click here to sign on
http://www.activist.co.za/campaigns/2009/investigategm.php