Europe approves more GMO corn hybrids grown in Canada

Thursday, December 3, 2009

There's been a flurry of approvals in Europe in recent months pointing to increased acceptance of genetically modified crops.

In late October, the European Union (EU) approved import and processing of corn containing two GMO transgenic recombinations that create new GMO lines: MON89034 (YieldGard VT Pro) and MON88017 (YieldGard VT Rootworm/RR2). Pioneer Hi-Bred's 59122xNK603 was also approved.

Monsanto says the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said that these products were safe in December and April respectively.

European authorities are starting to voice the obvious, based upon concerns that a drought in Brazil would spark a worldwide run-up on animal feed protein. Earlier in the month, Reuters news agency reported that EU Agricultural Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel warned that banning imported animal feed if it contained traces of products that aren't approved in the EU could drive European livestock producers to the wall.

The EU stopped importing American soybeans after shipments to Spain and Germany were found to contain traces of GMO corn. The result, she warned, is that Europe would import meat from the United States and South America "fed with GMO feed over which we have absolutely no control. I think that would be the ultimate irony."

Also according to Reuters, Swiss-based Syngenta AG's chief executive officer, Mike Mack, said in early November that the European Union continues to allow politics rather than science to dominate in decision-making regarding GMO crops. Syngenta hasn't been able to get its GMO corn MIR604 approved.

Syngenta submitted this Bt genetic event, which is resistant to western and northern corn rootworm, in February of 2005. On July 2, the EFSA released its conclusion that MIR604 "maize" is "as safe as conventional maize."

No one can complain that Europe is biased against American companies. Syngenta is based in Switzerland. BF