media advisory
friends of the earth international
monsanto drops gm wheat
“worldwide victory for consumers” says
friends of the earth
Washington, DC / Brussels (Belgium), May
10, 2004 – The world's biggest seller of
genetically modified (GM) seeds, Monsanto Co
(NYSE: MON), quietly and unexpectedly stated
today that it is stopping all further efforts
to commercialise its controversial GM wheat.
[1]
Monsanto started field testing its GM
wheat in 1997. In 2002 it applied to
commercially grow the GM wheat in the US and
Canada. Monsanto's wheat has been modified to
resist the company's own herbicide, called
RoundUp.
However, GM wheat has faced worldwide
opposition from farmers, food manufacturers,
environmentalists and consumers. Friends of
the Earth is particularly concerned that
growing this GM wheat would increase the use
of herbicides.
Monsanto failed to get GM crops approved
for import or cultivation in Europe for the
past six years because of consumer and farmer
concerns about GM crops safety. The biotech
giant announced in 2003 that it would not try
to commercialise its GM wheat in Europe.
Juan Lopez of Friends of the Earth
International said:
“This is worldwide victory for consumers
and farmers. Virtually every major wheat-user
in the world had already rejected this
product before it even was allowed on the
market. This must be one of the most rejected
products ever developed. This is another
major financial blow to Monsanto and the
corporation should get out of this unwanted
GM crops business once and for all.”
for more information contact
Friends of the Earth: In Europe: Juan
Lopez +39-333-1498049 (cellular)
In the United States: Larry Bohlen
+1-202-2701547 (cellular)
notes:
[1] Monsanto's statement is on its
website:
http://www.monsanto.com/monsanto/layout/investor/news&events/2004/05-10-04.asp
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