23 june 2003
Media Advisory
Superweed Setback for Genetically
Modified Crops
June 23, 2003 London (UK) / Sacramento
(US) - The case for Genetically Modified (GM)
crops suffered a major setback today
following news that 'superweeds' have evolved
which are resistant to weedkillers that GM
crops are modified to tolerate.
The news means that more weedkillers will
be needed in GM crop fields - not less as GM
supporters have claimed.
Today's London-based newspaper 'The
Independent' reports that a paper by
Professor Hartzler at Iowa State University
(US) reveals that in the past seven years up
to five species of weed have been found with
resistance to glyphosate - a powerful
herbicide marketed by multinational
corporation Monsanto (NYSE:MON) under the
name of Roundup. [1]
The most widespread GM crops on the market
and in the fields are those that have been
genetically modified to tolerate glyphosate.
This allows them to be sprayed with the
herbicide throughout the growing season.
Today's news means that more weedkillers will
be needed, on top of the glyphosate. The
Independent reports Monsanto as saying that
its solution for dealing with resistant weeds
was to apply different weedkillers in new
ways.
The weeds' resistance has occurred through
natural evolution, rather than gene transfer
from genetically modified herbicide tolerant
crops.
"Companies like Monsanto have spun the
line that GM crops and their weedkillers will
have less impact on the environment, but the
fact of resistant weeds means that they will
use more of these pesticides, and the impacts
on the environment will be greater. These
discoveries remove a central plank from the
whole argument for GM crops," said in
Sacramento Larry Bohlen from Friends of the
Earth International.
From June 23-25 in Sacramento (US), around
100 Agriculture Ministers from over 75
countries, most of them developing countries,
are attending a US government sponsored
Ministerial Conference on Agricultural
Science and Technology. The US government and
biotech corporations are strongly promoting
GM crops as the primary solution to improving
the hunger crisis and environmental problems
in developing countries.
The US promotion of GM crops as a solution
for the hunger crisis was criticised by many
groups and was even blasted in a June 17
document of the 15-nation European Union
(EU): "Food aid to starving populations
should be about meeting the urgent
humanitarian needs of those who are in need.
It should not be about trying to advance the
case for GM food abroad, or planting GM crops
for export, or indeed finding outlets for
domestic surplus, which is a regrettable
aspect of the US food aid policy," according
to the document of the EU's executive
European Commission. [2]
Notes to Editors:
[1] the story is available on the website
of The Independent at:
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/environment/story.jsp?story=418070
[2] the European Commission (EC) document
is available on the EC website:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/trade/goods/agri/pr170603_en.htm
For more information please contact:
In Sacramento (US) Larry Bohlen, Friends
of the Earth International, tel.
+1-202-270- 1547 (m)
In London (UK) Clare Oxborrow, Friends of
the Earth at +44-2075661716 or +44-
7712843211 (m)
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