Farmers Guardian

Monsanto Apologises Over GM Soya Bean

Agrochemical multinational Monsanto has publicly apologised to farmers and consumers for its heavy-handed approach to the introduction of the genetically modified Round Up herbicide tolerant soya bean into Europe.

The company admitted it had communicated badly and hand not understood the different consumer reaction to GM products in Europe, compared with the more friendly approach in the United States.

In its annual report, Monsanto's Europe-Africa president Bernard Auxenfans said he wished Monsanto had been more perceptive about the environmental reaction to GM herbicide tolerant products and that the company had devoted more resources, working with others in the food system, to promote more public dialogue.

"Perhaps too often we expect science, supported by regulatory reviews to be sufficient for consumers.

"The soya bean experience in Europe again reminded us that, along with these elements, we must make a special effort to provide information to the public in understandable language, and we must be able to direct people to independent information sources."

Charlotte Walliker, Monsanto area director for the UK and Ireland, told a press briefing last week that the company was holding a range of seminars and briefings with organisations such as the NFU and Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF), to discuss a new view of sustainable agriculture.

Colin Merrit, Monsanto policy director, said he believed the vast majority of UK farmers were supportive of GM crops, but that they were waiting to see if the public would embrace biotechnology.

It was very easy for people to focus on the very vocal opposition, but generally farmers were in favour of products which would help then become more efficient.

Mr. Merrit said he expected to see GM sugar beet being the first of the company's crops to be available commercially, but added that he did not expect any Monsanto GM seeds to be sold in the UK before 2000.

However, Friends of the Earth suggested this week that biotechnology companies still had a long way to go to convince farmers of the benefits of GM crops.

It cited Wiltshire farmer Peter Lemon, who decided at the weekend not to press ahead with Monsanto's GM oilseed rape trial.

Mr. Lemon, who farms 3000 acres, said there were genuine concerns being raised by opposers of GM crops, which should be answered before the crops were grown in trials.

"Initially, I thought that growing this type of rape would considerably improve the environment, as it would control all the weeds in the crop with a chemical which is totally safe to the operator and the environment.

"I felt that controlled development of this technology would be beneficial to everyone, particularly as the very small demonstration was going to be destroyed before it came to flower."

But after talks with fellow-farmers and environmentalists, Mr. Lemon said he was concerned about post-release monitoring and other issues and felt that more high-levels talks were needed.

"It is time for the exponents and opponents of GM crops to discuss the facts with the Government regulatory bodies, so that both farmers and consumers can be fully informed with the facts relating to these crops."

One major issue which is concerning farmers is Monsanto's policy of tying farmers into GM contracts or growing agreements.

But Mr. Merrit said they were necessary for the company to make returns on the significant investment made -- a value for intellectual property rights -- adding that farmers within the agreements could receive agronomic and technological advice.