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Biotech Battle Heats Up in Europe

The European Union (EU) is considering a Dutch proposal that would allow national governments the right to decide whether to grow new genetically modified crops. That could unblock a paralysis in EU approvals, but risk igniting internal-market disputes within the bloc.

Right now many European countries are at odds in their approach to GM. Austria, for example, has mostly small, organic farms; all Austrian provinces have joined the alliance of GMO-free regions in Europe. Spain, on the other hand, has been growing GM corn to fight corn borers for the past 12 years; all of its corn is used for animal feed. The French governments banned GM in part because activist sentiment turned consumers against the technology, but the Germans are cautiously favorable toward GM and support the Dutch plan. Italy's highest appeals court ordered the agriculture ministry in January to allow a farm to grow genetically modified corn, even in the absence of co-existence rules. The ruling sets a precedent for GMO crop cultivation in Italy.

Feed crisis The EU approved a handful of biotech seed events last fall, in part to solve a growing crisis in Europe's livestock sector after tiny amounts of GM corn were found among millions of bushels of imported feedgrain. That rejection left Europe's livestock industry short of protein. In some ways it was a wake up call for the EU, forcing the bloc to face its rigid anti-GM policies from an economic, not philosophical standpoint. In other words, money talks.

Now farmers are getting in on the act, questioning why they are not allowed to use the latest science-based technology in their search for profits.

At Fieragricola, Italy's leading farm show held last month in Verona, the Minister of Agriculture Luca Zaia repeated his stance against biotech seed: "We will oppose … and reject transgenic fields in Italy," he said. "Not the least because where GMO crops are grown, farmers do not earn more, since people with higher incomes buy organic and non-gmo produce and everything depends on the multinationals because these seeds do not generate other seeds."

Confagricoltura, Italy's main farm organization, held a press conference in opposition to the government's stance. President Frederico Vecchioni served himself a dish of polenta made with genetically modified corn, "resistant to aflatoxins and inasmuch, irreproachable from a food safety profile," he said. "The added value of GM corn in Italy is valued at around 280 million euros a year. For those who grow corn, the choice of GMOs could be a breath of fresh air."

Vecchioni said a 2009 survey showed 67% of Italian farmers showed interest in the production of GM corn. Above all, 75% say they should be free to choose what to produce, he added.

Laws in Italy allow farmers to use GM seed, but farmers must define and defend how it is used and grown. "In theory it's allowed, but we have a lot of laws about how you use it, so in real life, it's practically impossible to grow it," says Antonio Borsetto, Vice President of Confagricolutura.

Several Italian politicians want to control agriculture and believe the best approach is to market "Made in Italy," says Borsetto, who grows corn, sugar beet, soybeans and wheat on a 350-acre farm. "We believe we should be free to choose –GM free, or GM seed – either should be allowed."

What it will take is for the governments of Europe to let consumers there know that new technologies are not dangerous, he adds. The difficulty is that a small group of Italian politicians, helped along by certain media, are promoting the idea that GM seed is only good for the corporations that produce the seed, and not for the farmer's pocketbook. But University data show farmers can make a profit on GM seed because production will increase, with less pesticide.

"We don't care if Monsanto is profiting, because farmers will also profit," Borsetto says.

"We're not the only group saying that GM seed is safe," says Borsetto. "Even scientists from the Vatican agree GM is safe."

New technology is the only way Italian grain farmers can compete in the global commodities market, concludes Borsetto. "We fight for freedom of choice."