Open Letter to Minister of Agriculture on Monsanto GM Crop Failures

In April 2009, the African Centre for Biosafety (ACB) learnt that
three of Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) maize varieties had
failed to pollinate, leaving up to 200 000 hectares of mielie fields
barren across several provinces. We were informed that the varieties
that flopped were Monsanto’s MON 810, NK 603 and its stacked GM
maize MON 810 x NK 603. The ACB is of the view that the matter has not
been dealt with sufficiently by the Executive Council, the GM
regulatory body in South Africa that approved these three events in
the first place, nor has the public been sufficiently informed of the
EC’s final decision on the matter.

The handling of this matter has not engendered public faith in the
regulation of GMOs, an already highly contentious technology. The ACB
requests that the Executive Council publicise the biosafety procedures
followed in reaching their final decision on the crop failures and the
scientific basis upon which they have come to their decision. Public
support for such an explanation is steadily growing at:
http://www.activist.co.za/.

We reiterate our demands for a ban on all GMOs.

Download the ACB paper from:

http://www.biosafetyafrica.org.za/index.php/20091126249/Open-Letter-to-Minister-of-Agriculture-on-Monsanto-GM-Crop-Failures/menu-id-100026.html