Monsanto

Roudup Ready Corn - Alleged Detection By FOE

Q&A

Q1: What has happened?

A1: A U.K.-based anti-biotech group has claimed they have detected traces of Roundup Ready corn and DEKALB's Bt-Xtra corn in tortilla chips in the United Kingdom and Denmark. These results have not been validated by the food companies involved nor by regulatory agencies in these countries.

It is important to note that this is not a safety issue. Both Roundup Ready and DEKALB Bt-Xtra corn have been approved as safe for human and animal consumption by the regulatory bodies in the United States and other countries.

Q2: What are GA21 and DBT418?

A2: Both GA21 and DBT418 are Monsanto brand corn lines developed through biotechnology.

• GA21, also known by its commercial trade name as Roundup Ready corn, is a Monsanto brand corn line developed through biotechnology. Roundup Ready corn provides the most complete and crop-safe post-emergence weed control system for growers. GA21 has been approved in the United States and has import approval in major trading partner countries including Japan and Canada. Roundup Ready corn was grown on approximately 2.6 million acres in 2000 and 2.3 million acres in 1999.

• DBT418, also known by its commercial trade name as Bt-Xtra, is a DEKALB-brand corn line developed through biotechnology. Bt-Xtra provides insect-protected control system for the European corn borer. DBT418 has been approved in the United States and has import approval in major trading partner countries including Canada and Japan. Following the 1999 crop year, production of the DBT418 variety was dropped for commercial reasons as Monsanto began to reevaluate its strategic portfolio. No DBT418 product was sold in 2000. Bt-Xtra was planted commercially in 1999 in the U.S. and Canada. This crop was grown on approximately 516,000 acres in the U.S. and 10,900 acres in Canada in the 1999 crop year, or only less than about 0.6 percent of total corn acreage that year.

Q3: In what products were Monsanto's GA21 and DBT418 events reported to be found?

A3: Results reported by Friends of the Earth (FOE) allegedly identified the GA21 event in the UK in Phileas Fogg tortilla chips and, ASDA and Safeway own label corn tortilla chips, and in the UK in the DBT418 event in Tesco and Sainsbury own label tortilla chips. The group also alleges that they have detected the GA21 event in Kim Zapatas brand tortilla chips in Denmark. It is important to note that these are alleged results, and in some cases tests are said to have given contradictory results.

Q4: Where did the studies take place?

A4: Friends of the Earth (FoE) commissioned the German-laboratory, GeneScan Europe, to conduct the studies on approximately 30 samples of corn-based products. These products included tortilla chips, taco shells and cornflakes.

Q5: When were these products detected?

A5: Friends of the Earth (FoE) announced the alleged results Sunday, November 5, 2000. These reputed results were then reported by members of the European media.

Q6: Are grocery store consumers at risk?

A6: These are alleged results, and in some cases tests are said to have given contradictory results. Consumers should know that these two crops (GA21 and DBT418) have been approved for both food and feed use in the United States, Canada and Japan, and they have been routinely processed and consumed with other corn in those countries. The rapporteur country for the EU food approval process for both products recommended approval as well. Consumers can feel confident that safety is the number one concern of the biotechnology companies, food companies and the regulatory authorities.

Before any biotech product is brought to market, it goes through years of safety testing that includes rigorous evaluation for toxicity, potential allergenicity, food composition and effects on insects and the environment. Monsanto is committed to providing products that have been rigorously tested and fully approved by regulatory authorities. Monsanto has only introduced commodity grain products that have been approved by regulatory authorities for full use, including human consumption. We have not introduced any products without full approval for both food and feed consumption, and our policy is not to introduce any commercial commodity crops in the United States in the future without both approvals in place.

Monsanto is committed to providing the information that can assure regulatory agencies and consumers that the products developed through biotechnology are safe and of the highest quality. Monsanto fully supports a rigorous and science-based regulatory system and pledges to work closely with all authorities to ensure the integrity of this process.

Q7: Are these laboratory findings true?

A7: These are alleged results, and in some cases tests are said to have given contradictory results. The media report in the UK which first alleged the corn was "banned" in the EU is not correct. See http://www2.marketwatch.com/ for correction from Associated Press news agency.

Q8: Who has approved these products as safe for human consumption?

A8: All of Monsanto's biotech products have the full regulatory clearance of the U.S. regulators: the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Both products have complete approval for both human and animal consumption by regulatory agencies in the United States, Canada and Japan, and they have been routinely processed and consumed with other corn in these countries.

Q9: What actions are being taken to ensure that this does not happen again?

A9: Every Roundup Ready corn grower must sign a Technology Use Guide which outlines the channeling requirements for grain not yet approved in certain export markets. US farmers are fully aware of this programme, and it has proven to be a successful one over the past several years. In addition to the initial contract with growers signed before planting, Monsanto further ensures that all grain not yet approved in Europe is directed to the appropriate channels by a) checking that all seed bags have tags or stickers with the harvested grain advisory to target their use domestically and for markets others than those in the European Union, b) making multiple contacts throughout the year with our customers who planted channelled technologies - these contacts are made in person, by phone and by mail, to remind growers to direct these corn products for use domestically and outside the European Union), c) training Monsanto's sales force and seed dealers/partners and encouraging them to have proactive discussions with seed buyers about the channelling requirements, and d) providing additional information through the Monsanto Customer Response Center (CRC) in the United States which is trained to respond to channelling inquiries through our US toll free number: 1-800-ROUNDUP.

Q10: How can you feel confident that these measures will be effective?

A10: Farmers who purchase Monsanto's commodity corn products pending full European approval are required under our license agreement to market the grain from these products domestically and to non-EU markets only. We have a comprehensive channelling stewardship program in place to assist our customers and grain companies in complying with these requirements. The channelling programme is a collective effort of the seed industry, grain companies, commodity organisations, processors and others. The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) has worked with the stakeholders involved in the channelling programme, including Monsanto, to create an industry-wide database of confirmed domestic-use locations on its Web site (www.amseed.org).