Brussels, 07/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - Whatever you do, don't do what we did! This is the vibrant appeal launched in Brussels on Wednesday 7 November by European farmers and Charles Benbrook, an American agronomist researcher (Professor at the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources, Washington State University) and author of a study on the potential impact of new GMO crops resistant to the herbicide glyphosate on the use of herbicides in the EU. This study concludes that if the European Commission took a leaf out of the book of the United States by allowing new glyphosate-resistant crops in the EU, the use of herbicides would rise by 800% (for Roundup) or even by 1,500% in the case of soy, to attempt to stem the proliferation of resistant weeds.
The call was launched at a press conference organised by Greenpeace, after a tour of these sustainable agriculture activists through the United States and Argentina, but also in Europe (Poland, Denmark, Germany, Romania, Spain, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Belgium) to alert the authorities and general public to the dangers of these crops, which were massively introduced to the United States in 1996.
Today, 23 seeds are resistant to herbicides. 15 million hectares are infested by these resistant weeds. In the US, the cost of seeds has risen three- or fourfold, and up to sixfold for cotton. We expect this tendency to continue, Charles Benbrook explained.
Marco Contiero, director of agriculture policy at Greenpeace, had this message for the Commission: Given the increase in resistant weeds, the increase in seed prices and the chemical industry's stranglehold on agriculture, Greenpeace is calling on the Commission not to authorise these crops. The assessment of the safety of these products on health and for the environment must be stepped up in line with the conclusions of the Environment Council of December 2008. Of the 26 genetically modified plants awaiting authorisation in the EU, 19 are tolerant to a herbicide - mainly glyphosate. John Dalli wanted to move quickly. Greenpeace is waiting to see what the new Commissioner intends to do.
In the view of American farmer Wes Shoemyer, the most dangerous issue is the acceptance of the resistance gene, which is equivalent to accepting the monopoly. We have lost the right to keep our seeds. We have created a monoculture and dependence on fossil fuels. The EU has greater biodiversity. If it does as we have done, it will cause its farmers to lose income. Maintain your biodiversity and invest in food safety! he said. Wendell Lutz, a farmer growing maize and soy in Illinois, drove the message home. He said that they have burned up agronomic capital in a very short time, and he hopes the EU will not make the same mistake. (AN/transl.fl)