A-Infos (en) Super Heroes Return Monsanto's Genetically Engineered Bullshit

[elisa@tao.ca]

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NEWS  RELEASE                                   APRIL 29th 1998

Super Heroes Return Monsanto's Genetically Engineered Bullshit

Staff turning up for work at Monsanto's offices in both London and High
Wycombe this morning were surprised to be greeted by a pile of putrid
(corrupt) bullshit which bore the message: "WE DON'T WANT MONSANTO'S
BULLSHIT". A banner above the door read, "KEEP ORGANIC FREE OF GENETIC
ENGINEERING". Half-a-dozen dashing Super Heroes Against Genetics (SHAG),
swooped down upon the multinational's offices sporting colourful capes
emblazened with the trademark 'X' chromosome. The heroes came to alert the
world to Monsanto's plans to contaminate organic food with genetically
modified organisms. Monsanto's offices have been based for the past couple
of months in the offices of their PR firm Charles Barker in Dean Street.

Today is the eve of the closing date for comments on the United States
Department of Agriculture's (USDA) highly controversial proposals for
organic standards. Since the comment period began in November the USDA has
been flooded with over 115,000 complaints from around the world. Top on the
list of complaints from farmers and consumers is the suggestion that
genetically engineered food could be classified as organic. Any decisions
made now in the US will eventually affect organic produce globally.

Only last week and obviously threatened by this unprecedented public outcry,
biotech giant Monsanto sent a letter to the USDA recommending that they
delay, for at least three years, a decision on whether genetically
engineered crops could qualify as organic. According to Monsanto, "a better
more informed decision can [then] be made as to whether and how to make
plants improved through biotechnology eligible for organic certification".

Jacklyn Sheedy from the Genetic Engineering Network (GEN) is highly
sceptical: "In reality, Monsanto are panicking. They realise that the
potential market for organic produce is enormous and that with biotechnology
banned they have no access to that potential profit. They also realise that
the organic market is a real threat to the billions of pounds that they have
been invested in the new technology as more and more people are switching to
organic for the very reason that it can be guaranteed GE free."

Super Hero Lowanna King commented further: "This is yet another assault on
truly sustainable agriculture by companies such as Monsanto. Monsanto are
attempting to swamp the market with unwanted and unnecessary genetically
modified crops as well as threatening the very nature of organic agriculture
as a safe, natural and sustainable alternative to big agribusiness. We must
stop this corporate bullying now and support American campaigners, organic
farmers and the wider public before Monsanto attempt the same tactics with
organic standards here."
PHOTOS OF THE ACTION ARE AVAILABLE FROM:
Andrew Testa on: 0171 281 9566 / (0973) 284307 or Nick Cobbing: 0181 888
5659 / (0973) 642103
VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THE ACTION IS AVAILABLE FROM:
                Undercurrents on: 01865 203 661 or 07970 161 886
SUPER HEROES AGAINST GENETICS can be reached on: 07771 643359   (today only!)
FOR MORE INFO ON CAMPAIGNS AGAINST Genetic Engineering CONTACT:
        Genetic Engineering Network on: 0181 374 9516.
FOR MORE INFO ON ORGANIC STANDARDS CONTACT:
                Tania Maxted Frost from London Organic Food Forum on: 0181
994 2130

NOTES TO EDITORS

1.      Only yesterday (Tuesday April 28th) a farmer in Totness, Devon was
staggered to receive 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.
The neighbouring organic farmer had this to say; " I am concerned about
contamination of my crops of organic sweet corn with genetically modified
pollen [from the GE maize] which may threaten the organic status of my
corn". He is far from being alone in his concerns.

2.      In Cupar in Scotland, on Sunday 22nd March, an organic farmer cutback
genetically engineered oilseed rape from a neighbouring farmers field as it
was about to flower and there was a very high likelihood that it would then
cross pollinate with closely related crops on his own farm. The oilseed rape
was completely pulled up by over 50 concerned local people one week later.
They were concerned about the long term unknown environmental and health
risks surrounding GE.

3.      Direct action against genetic engineering is building and growing all
around the UK and many see this as something even bigger than the anti-roads
movement of the past few years with a wider level of participation from all
communities.

4.       Genetic Engineering is already threatening the more environmentally
friendly and sustainable methods of organic agriculture through:
a) cross pollination between GE crops and organic relatives.
b) the abuse of Bt within many new genetically engineered plants. It
threatens to quickly remove this natural toxin as an ally of organic
farmers, as pests quickly build up resistance to it.

5.      Tom McDermott, Monsanto's head of European Public Affairs, was quoted as
saying:"Our genes are incorporated into approximately nineteen million acres
around the world, covering an area larger than Switzerland and the
Netherlands combined. Can Europe at this stage really resist?"

YES! The Super Heroes have shown us that we can all resist.
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Genetics Super Heroes kick up stink over Monsanto 'bullshit'

--------------------
30th April 1998
By Sebastian Naidoo,
OneWorld Online
http://www.oneworld.org/news
--------------------

     Caped crusaders yesterday swooped in to deliver a damning verdict on
biotech corporation Monsanto's bid to market its genetically-engineered
products as organic in the United States.

     Half-a-dozen Super Heroes Against Genetics (SHAG) - sporting colourful
capes branded with an 'X' chromosome - descended on the multinational's
London and High Wycome branches to swamp the offices in animal excrement.

     SHAG's action under the banner 'We Don't Want Monsanto's Bullshit -
Keep Organic Free Of Genetic Engineering' was intended as a warning to
organic food consumers that the company's operations contaminate organic
food with genetically modified organisms.

     "Monsanto is attempting to swamp the market with unwanted and
unnecessarily genetically modified crops as well as threatening organic
agriculture", said one SHAG activist. "They realise that the potential
market for organic produce is enormous and that [it is also] a real threat
to the billions of pounds they have invested in new technology."

     The action comes as the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) concludes
a 6-month period of consultation on organic standards which has received
over 100,000 complaints from around the world. The USDA's proposals to
include genetically modified organisms, irradiated food, and factory-farmed
animal produce under the label 'organic' has caused an outcry among the
organic farming community on both sides of the Atlantic.

     Internal documents uncovered by US journalist Leora Broydo suggest
that: "The agency has bowed to pressure from biotech interests and flouted
the recommendations of a congressionally empowered board of representatives
from the organic industry."

     Despite agribusiness groups lobbying for swift action, the passage of
legislation is likely to be held up by federal elections later this year.

     With the prospect of a public outcry hanging over the industry,
Monsanto last week recommended that the USDA delay its decision on whether
genetically modified crops qualify as organic. The company said a delay of
at least three years would lead to "a better, more informed decision".
Monsanto has agreed to a three-year moratorium on genetically engineered
seeds and organisms.

     However, according to the US-based Pure Food Campaign, American
sources warn that a 'pre-emptive strike' in the battle over the status of
genetic crops may come as soon as late summer - and that the door will be
left open for certain gene-altered inputs including enzymes, production
aids, and various strains of bacteria to be labelled 'organic'.

     A recent poll conducted by the Organic Trade Association in the United
States of its organizational members found 28 per cent would accept
genetically engineered inputs as long as the government decided on
genetically modified organisms using a 'case-by-case' basis.

     The Monsanto protest comes in the same week as a Devon farmer was
confronted by a 500-strong protest of local people concerned about the
threat his genetically engineered crops posed to a neighbouring organic farm.

     According to the demonstrators, the presence of genetically modified
crops opens channels for cross-pollination with organic relatives. The
crops could also increase resistance among insects and other pests to
pesticides used by organic farmers.





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