GREENPEACE OCCUPIES SHIPMENT OF GENETIC SOYA - LAUNCHING GENETIC HAZARD PATROLS THROUGHOUT EUROPE

Rotterdam, Netherlands, 11 November 1997

The environmental group Greenpeace today blocked a shipment of genetically engineered soya at the ADM (Archers Daniels Midlands) from being unloaded at a terminal in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, as part of a new Genetic Hazard Patrol of Europe.

At around midday the Greenpeace vessel "Sirius" occupied the berth of the freighter "Istanbul" which is carrying an estimated 60,000 tonnes of soya beans.

The soya and genetically engineered (GE) maize are being imported from the United States this autumn despite widespread consumer opposition throughout Europe which began with the first US soya shipments last year.

To alert the public to this contamination of their food supply Greenpeace has launched the Genetic Hazard Patrols which will target shipments of genetically altered soya and maize coming from the US into the European Union. This year's US soya harvest is 15% of the total crop, in 1996 it was 1-2%. Soya beans are used in about 60 per cent of processed food products sold in supermarkets.

"Greenpeace activists will locate shipments of GE grains along key European transport routes," said Greenpeace International spokesperson Michelle Sheather. "These patrols will alert the public to the arrival of genetically altered soya and maize into their countries and into their food supply."

"We are taking a major risk by releasing these genetically altered crops into the natural environment on a wide scale and into our food supply when their impacts are so poorly understood and untested."

Sheather said there is a need to control and regulate the transboundary movements of these genetic materials and impose a strict liability regime for any damage they may cause. Greenpeace is calling for this to be introduced into an international convention called the Biosafety Protocol which is presently under negotiation.

Three countries have already implemented national bans against the genetic maize, supermarket chains, and food processing companies are remaining GE free and public demand for GE free food is established.

"Separate streams of grain supplies for traditional and genetically engineered food are now a necessity and must be provided by the grain companies such as ADM" said Sheather. "Consumers will not know when or if they are eating genetically altered products unless genetically altered grains are segregated from natural ones and proper labelling of GE products is introduced by the EU Commission.."

---

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Michelle Sheather tel: 31-6-53504775

Marie-Jeanne Schiffelers Greenpeace Netherlands campaigner on tel: 31-6-53623818

Jon Walter Greenpeace International press officer tel: 31-20-5249547.

---