Critical Times

In 2005, Victorian farmer Geoffrey Carracher was devastated to find his GE-free farm contaminated by GE seed. Independent testing commissioned by Greenpeace confirmed GE contamination in a canola seed variety sold around Australia.

Multinational companies such as Bayer and Monsanto are turning a blind eye to cases of genetically engineered (GE) crop contamination on a global scale, according to an international report released this week.

This means Australian farmers will pay a heavy price for GE contamination with the imminent commercialisation of GE canola in New South Wales and Victoria.

The GM Contamination Register Report 2007 documents worldwide GE contamination incidents. It highlights recent Canadian research that GE canola is interbreeding with other weed species in Canada creating ‘super weeds’ that are resistant to the herbicide glyphosate (RoundUp). Argentina, one of the only four countries in the world that grows GE crops on a large scale rejected GE canola for this reason.

The report exposes 39 new instances of crop contamination in 23 countries over the past year. Most of the contamination involved staple crops such as rice and corn, but also included is canola, soy, cotton, papaya and fish. Over the past 10 years, the register has recorded 216 incidents of contamination in 57 countries.

While companies claim they can control the use of GE crops, it’s just not true. Dutch authorities detected illegal GE rice strains in shipments of US rice supposedly declared GE-free. Right now a GE scandal is breaking in Kenya as environmental and farmers’ organisations confront the government and US seed giant Pioneer Hi-Bred with evidence of GE-contaminated maize seed in their country.
Cost of contamination

Contamination cases are often complicated but have big implications.

There are numerous examples of GE crops not approved for human consumption contaminating food. In 2007, Bayer was taken to court by US rice farmers for contamination of rice by an unapproved variety that was only tested experimentally between 1999 and 2001. Bayer claims it was an “Act of God” that caused conventional rice varieties to become contaminated with experimental strains. Far from almighty interference, biotech companies are risking human health by not preventing contamination.

GE contamination is widespread and common, eroding consumers’ choice to avoid it in their food. If GE genes are escaping control, there’s no way to know if it’s in the food you buy.

Each case of contamination has huge related costs for product recalls, testing and regular checks, and lost markets and exports. 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. With 63 per cent of US rice exports affected, the contamination spread to at least 30 countries, from Austria to Ghana to the 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 US$445 million.

But here’s the thing – costs that are caused by GE contamination are either paid by the taxpayer or, as in Bayer’s rice case, by farmers and exporters. The biotech companies often avoid any cost from contamination by their GE crops.

Because the big biotech companies are not held liable for the costs of contamination, they have little incentive to prevent incidents. If they were held responsible for all the costs of contamination, many GE crops would probably not be profitable.
Why does it happen?

Every contamination scandal further damages the reputation of GE crops and costs farmers (potential GE crop customers), markets and exports. Why do the companies allow contamination to happen? The biotech companies must have powerful reasons not to take effective measures to prevent contamination. Contamination does allow the biotech companies to argue that their crops should not be regulated as they are already in the food chain. It could be seen as a means to gain access to markets via the back door.

While biotech companies will probably never admit their true motives behind genetic contamination, occasionally an industry representative hints at the strategy:

“The total acreage devoted to genetically modified crops around the world is expanding. That may be what eventually brings the debate to an end. It is a hell of a thing to say that the way we win is don’t give the consumer a choice, but that might be it.” Dale Adolphe, ex-president of the Canola Council of Canada and advocate of GE crops.

As the biotech companies seem intent on risking farmers’ livelihoods and ignoring health concerns to help spread GE crops, it is vital that politicians stand firm. Rigorous testing and ensuring companies are held financially responsible is the only way to ensure an end to genetic contamination.
Take action

* Ask NSW and Victoria to save our export markets and ban GE crops.

Read the report

* This international report shows that multinational companies, like Bayer and Monsanto, turn a blind eye to cases of GE contamination on a global scale. * Print * Send

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