The National
Corn Growers Association (NCGA) called today's European
Parliament vote against biotech crops disappointing and a step
in the wrong direction. The new law establishes strict labeling
laws on food derived from biotechnology and stringent
traceability regulations.
"The new legislation passed by the European Parliament will
only further hinder agricultural trade between the United States
and Europe," said NCGA President Fred Yoder. "The vote today
does not give us confidence that the European Union (EU) is
serious about trade nor that the de facto moratorium on
biotechnology will be lifted anytime soon."
Yoder said the new mandatory labeling law will be too costly
for growers and only further prohibit exportation of biotech
crops to European countries.
The legislation passed today, was first introduced in 2001
and is the result of demands by EU member states fearful of
biotechnology. The legislation calls for strict rules for both
the labeling of food products for the end consumer and for the
traceability of genetically modified organizations (GMOs) for
food and feed. The regulations require labeling of products that
contain 0.9 percent or more of GMOs adopted in the EU and 0.5
percent for unapproved varieties.
While the labeling and traceability legislation meets one of
the critical demands of member states in order to lift the de
facto ban on products derived from biotechnology, it is unclear
whether those countries will do so. NCGA has pushed for years to
abolish the moratorium and was pleased this past May when the
Bush administration filed a case in the World Trade Organization
(WTO) challenging the legality of the EU's actions.
"Biotechnology is an integral part of feeding the world in
the future and raising the standard of living in developing
countries," continued Yoder. "We will continue to push toward
that end."
It is estimated the ban has cost growers $300 million per
year in trade exports.
The National Corn Growers Association mission is to create
and increase opportunities for corn growers in a changing world
and to enhance corn's profitability and usage. NCGA represents
more than 32,000 members, 25 affiliated state corn grower
organizations and hundreds of thousands of growers who
contribute to state checkoff programs.