Write to Margaret Beckett about the upcoming vote on Monsanto’s GM maize (MON863)

On 24th/25th October, the Agriculture Council is due to vote on the authorisation of Monsanto’s MON863 insect resistant maize.

In June 2005, the majority of Member States abstained or voted against the approval for import and use as animal feed. But because a ‘qualified majority’ was not reached, the final decision reverted to the European Commission, who approved the maize.
This next vote is for use of the GM maize as import and use as food. There are many concerns about the safety and potential environmental impact of MON863 maize, so we need to put pressure on the UK Government to vote against the approval. If Member States voted against the food authorisation, the previous animal feed decision would also be blocked!
A suggested letter is included below – feel free to modify the letter as much as you wish. Sending letters by post tends to have a greater impact than email, but it is possible to email the letter if you prefer.

Letters should be sent to:

Rt Hon Margaret Beckett MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Defra
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
Or you can email gm@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Please send a copy to lizw@foe.co.uk if you get a response.


Dear Margaret Beckett MP

EU Agriculture Council vote on food import and use authorisation for genetically modified maize (MON863)

I am writing to you to express my concern about the proposed authorisation of Monsanto’s genetically modified maize (MON863) which the UK will vote on at the upcoming EU Agriculture Council on October 24-25th

I am particularly concerned about the following issues:

Antibiotic resistance genes
I understand that MON863 contains an antibiotic resistance gene, conferring resistance to a number of antibiotics. Although this has been dismissed by the German authorities and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the antibiotics in question are still important for specific purposes such as treatment of neonatal infections. Horizontal gene transfer could have adverse effects on human and animal health where these medicines are being used.
Despite a deadline of the end of 2004 for the phasing out of antibiotic resistance marker genes in GMOs according to Directive 2001/18, the European Commission has yet to issue any official conclusions on this issue. Until the requirements of the Directive have been met, MON863 should not be authorised. I understand that in its comments on the original application, the German authority suggested it would limit registration of the maize to 31st December 2004.

Food safety and lack of transparency
I am concerned that a feeding study on rats showed significant changes in factors such as levels of white blood cells, kidney weights and kidney structure. Although this led to criticism from a number of scientists from different Member States, this was disregarded by EFSA who delivered a positive opinion on the maize. Monsanto also refused to publish the initial rat study and had to be forced to do so in a court ruling in a case brought by the German Government.
Scientific opinions obtained by Greenpeace since the full feeding report was released indicate that MON863 has the potential to affect rats’ health negatively. Independent reviews of Monsanto’s study have also concluded that the methodology and statistical analyses are poor.

Risk to the environment
I understand that Monsanto and the German authorities have concluded that, because the application is for import of food and feed only, there is negligible risk to the environment and that a monitoring plan is unnecessary. I strongly disagree with this. In Mexico, only food and feed imports of GM maize were allowed, yet local varieties of maize were found to be contaminated. This was probably due to the inadvertent planting of GM maize grains sold as food or feed, and this scenario could also happen in European countries. A monitoring plan is essential to ensure that GM maize grains sold for food and feed really are restricted to this purpose.

In June 2005, most member states did not support MON863. But as no qualified majority was reached, the European Commission authorised the import and use of MON863 as animal feed in August. Less than half of Member States supported MON863 for food at a regulatory committee vote in May 2005. I understand that the UK voted in favour of the authorisation on both occasions – I urge you to reconsider the UK’s position on this next vote.
Please support the precautionary underpinnings of EU legislation and vote against the authorisation of this GM maize, which reports and scientific evidence point to being harmful for both the environment and human health.
Further detailed information is available in the comments made by Friends of the Earth Europe on the original Monsanto application (May 2003)
http://www.foeeurope.org/GMOs/pending/MonsantoGM_Maize863.pdf

I look forward to hearing from you

Yours sincerely,