Farm Groups Discuss Biotechnology for World

September 25, 2001

Several agricultural and industry groups met last week to discuss labeling and traceability of biotech crops on a national and international scale. One major topic involved actions and developments in the European Union regarding biotechnology and the need to influence the biotechnology debate in Europe.

Participating in the meeting were Rick Tolman, National Corn Growers Association; Rosemarie Watkins, American Farm Bureau Federation; Dwain Ford, American Soybean Association; Jerry Slocum, United Soybean Board; Gary Martin, North American Grain Export Association; Chuck Conner, Corn Refiners Association; David Hovermole, National Oilseed Processors Association; Manly Molpus, Grocery Manufacturers of America; Val Giddings, Biotechnology Industry Organization; and Rufus Yerxa, Monsanto.

Tolman said the discussion centered on how the food chain needs a common focus and a common approach to move regulations forward in the EU. "Biotech companies will not accept traceability protocols that would prove to be negative to the food chain. We believe the EU wants to influence the rest of the world with its proposed standards like Japan, South America and Asia."

Tolman said there also is much concern over producer liability under the EU proposed traceability standards. "Any system that is not globally accepted will put the nation's corn growers at a disadvantage," he said. However, there is a very short time window available to affect the EU process, Tolman added, estimating an 8-10-month window.

"We will be more effective if we work in a bloc with other countries to get the EU to understand what parts of their plan will work and which parts are s unworkable and that it will have global impact," he said. "We will be most effective if we can create a solution that will work globally and launch that solution in the EU."

Tolman said there are four objectives the group shares on biotechnology: de-link the labeling and traceability arguments from the approval process; defeat process-based labeling; develop commonly accepted traceability rules globally, and develop a global position around labeling and traceability through CODEX – the international committee on standards.