Monsanto's GE Bullshit Returned

Staff turning up for work at Monsanto's offices in both London and High Wycombe recently were greeted by a pile of bullshit which bore the message: "WE DON'T WANT MONSANTO'S BULLSHIT". A banner above the door read "KEEP ORGANIC FREE OF GENETIC ENGINEERING".

Super Heroes Against Genetics swooped in to alert the world to Monsanto's plans to contaminate organic food with genetically modified organisms. The action came as the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) concluded a 6-month consultation period on the definition of organic standards. This received over 100,000 complaints from around the world, particularly focussing on proposals to classify genetically engineered food as organic.

A Super Hero commented "This is yet another assault on truly sustainable agriculture. Companies such as Monsanto are attempting to swamp the market with unwanted and unnecessary genetically modified crops as well as threatening the nature of organic agriculture as a safe, natural and sustainable alternative to big agribusiness. We must stop this corporate bullying now."

As the deadline fell on the consultation period the US Agriculture Secretary responded to the intense pressure and criticism by suggesting that genetically engineered and irradiated food, and crops fertilized with sewage sludge, should not be allowed to be labelled organic. While these comments are welcome, representatives of the US organic industry still see even these concessions as insufficient: the decision is not yet formalised and also could be undermined by a provision in the proposed rule that gives the agriculture secretary authority to add products to a national list of approved organic foods. Contact GEN on 0181 374 9516.

* On April 28th a farmer in Totnes received a visit from 600 local people, concerned about his release site of GM maize and the threat it posed to the local environment, their health and the local organic farmer's corn growing just metres away *