French biotech crop decision environmentally unfriendly
According to EuropaBio, the French Government's decision to invoke the safeguard clause on biotech maize contradicts the conclusions of the French Environment Round Table (Grenelle de l'Environnement) and government policy on ecological and sustainable development.
"In addition, the Government bases its decision on 'serious doubts' about biotech crops but we have serious doubts about the process that has led to this decision," says Nathalie Moll, Executive Director, EuropaBio - the EU association for bioindustries. The report from the provisional High Authority - compiled in a couple of weeks - states itself that there was not sufficient time to review all the literature. Furthermore, 12 of the High Authority's 15 scientists disagree with the Authority's conclusions and said that they never found evidence for serious doubts or negative consequences concerning GM crops, plus 2 of the "socio-economic experts", which makes a total of 14 experts from the High Authority, are criticizing the way the conclusions are worded.
The biotech maize concerned has been the subject of thorough scientific reviews by scientific communities around the world and has received approvals within the world's most robust approval systems. The maize has been used and consumed by millions of people and animals without a single reported incidence of harm to anyone. The biotech maize has also received positive scientific reviews by the EFSA and has had a full approval in the EU since 1998. The maize product has also been approved in 13 other countries around the world.
France is Europe's largest maize grower and suspension of biotech maize plantings will intensify the environmental footprint of maize production in France by increasing the amount of fuel consumption and CO² emissions. In 2007, French farmers grew almost 22 000 hectares of Bt maize. This equates to a saving of 29 000 litres of fuel, 8 800 litres of insecticide and 86 500 kg of CO², whilst increasing maize production by 25 000 tonnes. Growing GM maize thus boosted French farmers' income by EUR 1.5 million.
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