ACGA Praises EU GMO Stance

February 27, 2001

American Corn Growers Association Program Director Dan McGuire told a seminar on food biotechnology in Paris, France, that European "concerns" not governments would make the final decisions on genetically modified crops. McGuire spoke at the 9th annual AGROGENE Seminar on Genetic Traceability.

"The ACGA certainly does not take the European Union for granted," McGuire told the seminar participants, including food industry and processor representatives. "We appreciate the EU for importing bulk, intermediate, processed and consumer-oriented U.S. farm products rendered at $6.4 billion in 1999 including about 5 million tons of corn gluten feed and meal." McGuire expressed concern that U.S. agriculture product value to the E.U. had dropped in the year 2000, partly because GMOs being produced in the U.S.

McGuire acknowledged that U.S. farmers have intense and growing competitions from both South America and China. He cited the recent role of 150,000 tons of non-GMO corn that Brazil exported to Spain at a $6/MT premium and a February 2001 USDA report that increases China's corn export forecast to 6 million metric tons while reducing the 2000-2001 U.S. corn export quantity by 2.5 million metric tons. McGuire said U.S. farmers had been told for years to rely on exports to strengthen commodity prices, but that strategy has failed with 5-year average export levels flat for the past 25 years.

Speaking to the seminar on the potential of the identity preserved U.S. commodity marketing and genetic traceability through the U.S. system, he reviewed U.S. inspection testing, sampling, grading and certifying. "I commend the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) for the fine job they're doing to ensure buyers that the U.S. commodities they purchase meet contract specifications." McGuire provided information on the new USDA inspection services offered on biotech lab accreditation and GMO test kit evaluation.

Regarding recent new rules in the EU for GMO licensing and approval procedures, McGuire said, "Ultimately the consensus on GMOs will be that consumer dollars will call the final shot. The ACGA stands ready to respond to those consumer demands. We want Europe and the rest of the world to know we're listening to your concerns. We believe we must respond in a market-oriented way. In other words, respect the customer's right to choose or risk losing the opportunity to be the supplier."

ACGA said perhaps the GMO concern for U.S. farmers was best summarized by a representative of the largest wheat miller in France who told the seminar attendees that in 2003 GMO spring wheat will be introduced in the United States, and in 2004 France will stop buying dark northern spring (DNS) wheat from the United States.

"That clearly sums up the marketing concerns with GMOs", concluded McGuire.