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Studie "The GMO-emperor has no clothes" (engl.) - Nabu

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with GM. 31 In Brazil, GM cotton represented a<br />

small portion of total plantings in 2009/2010. 32<br />

Generally, the governments of the region,<br />

especially in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay,<br />

have facilitated the introduction of GM crops<br />

by adapting their regulatory frameworks and<br />

basing their risks assessments on the information<br />

provided by the biotech<strong>no</strong>logy industry.<br />

Authorization for GM soy was first granted by<br />

governments in Argentina and Uruguay in 1996.<br />

Monsanto went forward with GM plantings in<br />

2004/2005 in Brazil despite <strong>no</strong>t receiving the<br />

proper authority to do so by the government.<br />

Instead of controlling and punishing those who<br />

have illegally introduced these crops into the<br />

countries, government officials have adapted their<br />

regulations to allow GM crops and often argue<br />

that because the crops already exist, they should<br />

be authorized. Today in Brazil, the authorization<br />

for approval of GM crops is under the purview of<br />

a 2005 Biosafety Law that <strong>has</strong> left decision making<br />

on <strong>GMO</strong>s to a technical committee, CTNBio.<br />

This committee is comprised of a handful of<br />

scientists, many with connections to biotech<strong>no</strong>logy<br />

companies. 33 All applications for commercial<br />

release if GM crops in Brazil have been approved<br />

since 2005 as a result of the change to the approval<br />

process.<br />

Between 1996 and 2007, the use of agrochemicals<br />

increased from 30 to 270 million liters. Herbicide<br />

imports increased 330 percent with the<br />

introduction of GM soy. As compared to use on<br />

traditional fields, 9.1 million kilograms more of<br />

herbicides were used in genetically modified soy<br />

plantations in 2001 alone.<br />

Super weeds are emerging as a result of massive<br />

application of glyphosate 34 . In Brazil, researchers<br />

have reported that some weeds have developed<br />

tolerance to glyphosate in nine species, four of<br />

which are weeds that can cause serious problems<br />

to crops 35,36 . Over 30 million liters of glyphosate<br />

was sold in 1991, 8.2 million in 1995, to over 30<br />

million in 1997. In 2008 between 160 and 180<br />

million liters of glyphosate were used.<br />

In Argentina, deforestation increased almost by<br />

42 percent as a result of the expansion of the<br />

agricultural frontier, mainly the expansion of soy<br />

mo<strong>no</strong>culture plantations. Complete habitats have<br />

been lost. Some calculations assess that in the<br />

past 30 years, Argentina <strong>has</strong> lost 70 percent of its<br />

native forests.<br />

<strong>The</strong> high use of glyphosate <strong>has</strong> had grave<br />

implications for soil, air, water, and public health.<br />

In Argentina, health networks of Doctors in<br />

Sprayed Towns of Argentina have documented<br />

links between the increase of agrochemical use<br />

and increasing rates of cancer, miscarriages, fetal<br />

malformations and respiratory conditions, among<br />

other impacts. 37<br />

Voices from Europe<br />

European Union<br />

Almost <strong>no</strong> GM crops exist in the European<br />

Union (EU). Spain is the country with the<br />

highest amount of GM crops—70,000 hectares<br />

(out of 182 million hectares of agricultural<br />

lands) are planted with mainly GM corn. Other<br />

European countries that have planted GM crops<br />

include: Czech Republic—3,000 hectares and<br />

Portugal—500 hectares. Germany, the UK, and a<br />

few other countries have very small amounts of<br />

land growing GM crops.<br />

Only two <strong>GMO</strong> events are presently approved<br />

for cultivation within the EU: Monsanto’s<br />

“Mon-810” insecticidal maize, and a potato<br />

“Amflora” of BASF, Germany, which is supposed<br />

to ease starch processing for industrial use<br />

and presently accounts for 2 ha in Germany.<br />

“Mon 810”, though officially approved by the<br />

Union, <strong>has</strong> since been banned for cultivation by<br />

Germany, Austria, France, Greece, Luxembourg,<br />

31<br />

Information available at: http://www.argenbio.org/adc/uploads/imagenes_doc/planta_stransgenicas/TablaArgentinaOGM.<br />

ppt.<br />

32<br />

Information available at: http://www.cib.org.br/estatisticas.php<br />

33<br />

A ciência segundo a CTNBio. Revist Sem Terra Nº 53, November 2009, available at: http://boletimtransgenicos.mkt9.<br />

com/registra_clique.php?id=H|65072|15226|8993&url=http://www.mst.org.br/sites/default/files/A_ciencia_segundo_a_<br />

CTNBio_REVISTASEMTERRA.pdf.<br />

34<br />

Argentina: las consecuencias inevitables de un modelo ge<strong>no</strong>cida y ecocida. Biodiversidad sustento y culturas Magazine,<br />

August 2009, available at: http://www.biodiversidadla.org/content/view/full/50874<br />

35<br />

Review of potential environmental impacts of transgenic glyphosate-resistant soybean in Brazil. Cerdeira et al, 2007,<br />

available at: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a779480992.<br />

36<br />

Buva “transgênica” resiste ao glifosato. Gazeta do Povo, December 1st, 2009. http://portal.rpc.com.br/jm/online/<br />

conteudo.phtml?tl%3D1%26id%3D950000%26tit%3DBuva-transgenica-resiste-ao-glifosato.<br />

37<br />

http://www.reduas.fcm.unc.edu.ar/declaracion-del-2%C2%BA-encuentro-de-medicos-de-pueblos-fumigados/.<br />

36

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