GREENPEACE PROTESTS US GE EXPORTS TO EUROPE

8 December 1999

HAMBURG -- Greenpeace protested this morning in Hamburg harbour against the continuing US exports of genetically engineered (GE) maize. Greenpeace activists positioned themselves in the water in front of freighter 'Unison' bringing in corn gluten feed from the US. Activists unfurled a banner reading "GEN FOOD: EUROPE SAYS NO"

"Across Europe, consumers have unequivocally rejected GE food, and a majority of EU supermarkets and food producers have responded to this concern by eliminating GE ingredients from their products," said Jan van Aken of Greenpeace. "Despite this, we are still faced with these massive GE imports. GE crops are being smuggled onto our dinner plates by the backdoor in animal feed."

The cargo of the 'Unison' is destined for a German feed manufacturer HaBeMa. "Over 60 per cent of traded maize and about 95 per cent of soya meal go into animal feed production," said van Aken. "HaBeMa along with the rest of the feed industry needs to go GE free to prevent the environmental damage GE crops are bound to cause from happening."

About 70 per cent of the protein content of European animal feed is imported from the Americas. In the US, about 57 per cent of this year's soya harvest and 38 per cent of the maize is genetically engineered. As there are no GE labelling rules in the EU for animal feed, farmers have no way of knowing the contents of the feed.

"Since there is no labelling of GE ingredients in animal feed, farmers have no way of knowing whether GE ingredients are being used or not," said van Aken. "Consumers who refuse to eat GE food may find themselves unwittingly tucking into an egg or sausage or piece of fish or chicken from an animal raised on GE feed."

The demand for a GE free supply in Europe has increased as the European animal producers and supermarkets are looking for GE free supply. For example, the Swedish animal feed industry, which has been GE free since 1996, has replaced American corn gluten feed with European feed to avoid GE contamination. Also, the US soya exports to the EU have dropped about 30 per cent from 9.3 million tonnes in 1996 to 6.5 million tonnes in 1998. During the same period the soya exports from Brazil, a country, which does not plant GE crops went up from 3.1 million tonnes to 5.4 tonnes.

The Hamburg action forms part of Greenpeace’s ongoing campaign to stop the environmental damage caused by GE crops. On Tuesday, 7th December, Greenpeace activists blocked a railroad from Veracruz harbour, Mexico, to prevent a train loaded with GE maize from leaving the port. During the past week the organisation has also demonstrated against the US GE exports in the US and France. In France activists successfully blocked the entrances of a Cargill site in Brest harbour for a day.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Jan van Aken GE campaigner, Greenpeace Germany, +49 171 8780 828
- Benedikt Haerlin, Greenpeace GE campaign coordinator, mobile +49 171 8780 813
- Mika Railo, Greenpeace International Press Desk, mobile: + 31 6 212 969 08

Greenpeace's Genetic Engineering campaign website.