Biotech and Europe: Still Oil and Water

June 20, 2001

Despite a trip to Europe by U.S. corn industry officials and discussions with a wide range of interested parties, any European acceptance of crops produced through biotechnology appears years away. The U.S. delegation describes the European reaction to the visit as cordial and the dialogue pleasant enough, but with a strong consumer backlash lurking with every whiff of a breeze suggesting biotech products in the food supply, the politics of the situation may play a larger role than the scientific.

Five officials from the National Corn Growers Association and the U.S. Grains Council shared details of their trip to Europe last week with agricultural reporters Tuesday by teleconference. While in Europe, they met with government officials, consumer representatives and farmer groups. They explained the benefits of biotechnology in an effort to overcome the resistance that has been built up in Europe.

However, they came away with little assurance the stand-off will end anytime soon even though Europeans now eat foods processed through biotechnology, they said.

Leon Corzine, a member of the NCGA Biotech Working Group, said a visit to France illustrated how politics plays such an important role in the biotech debate. Elections are coming up in May in France, and political candidates all want the consumer vote. But the French are especially hostile to foods grown from biotech crops, so the political resistance continues. Corzine said another trip by U.S. officials may be more timely when the elections are over next year.

Fred Yoder, also of the NCGA Biotech Working Group, said a "serious misconception" in developing countries was encountered in a meeting that included representatives from Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankans believe the United States is dumping biotech corn on developing countries. "We need to clear that up," Yoder said. That meeting also included officials from Argentina, Brazil, and Norway.

All the officials who visited Europe said the Europeans recognize the scientific validity of biotech crops and the nutritional, environmental and agricultural benefits of growing biotech crops. The problem, they added, is consumer acceptance, and that's more of a political issue.