A leading Italian environmentalist group has urged the European Union to ban Monsanto’s genetically engineered Roundup Ready (RR) soybeans after new information about their DNA.
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Green Environment and Society (VAS) claim that a new study by Monsanto into RR has revealed two new genetic sequences in the varieties of the product. Quoting from a Monsanto document report submitted to Britain’s Advisory Committee on Novel Food and Processes (ACNFP), Ivan Verga, vice-president of VAS said: “Recently, additional characterisation experiments have been completed using more sensitive and precise methods.”
“As a simple precaution, these seeds should be withdrawn from commerce,” he added.
Monsanto said RR, which is resistant to weed killer, poses no health or environmental risk. “What is new is that we had refined our knowledge about our genetic material,” said a Monsanto spokesperson.
Monsanto are benefiting from the mad cow crisis sweeping Europe, with sales of GM soyabeans on the up. Italy has the most to lose if there is a rise in imports on GM soyabeans. Italy is the EU’s biggest soybean producer by far, growing around one million tonnes a year.
To read about the general response to Roundup Ready among EU buyers, click here.
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