FOCUS - Genetically altered crop plantings seen down
Date: 18-Feb-00
Country: USA
This spring is viewed as a crucial test for genetically modified
soybeans, corn and other crops which have met with growing resistance
from food makers, retailers and grain importers.
Frito-Lay Inc, the world's biggest snack food maker, said recently it
would stop buying bioengineered corn and soybeans.
It followed the lead of a number of food companies including Gerber baby
foods, Japan's Asahi Breweries Ltd and British supermarket chain Tesco
Plc in bowing to consumer demand for non-biotech food or ingredients.
Seed companies said early figures show U.S. sales of bioengineered seeds
to be roughly equal to last year.
ONE SURVEY SHOWS 25 PCT DROP
The Worldwatch Institute, an environmental group which has questioned
the safety of biotech crops, said it estimated a decline of about 25
percent in plantings this year.
That would put global plantings of bioengineered crops at about 30
million hectares, down from nearly 40 million last year, said Brian
Halweil, an analyst with the institute. Virtually all biotech crops are
grown in the United States, Canada and Argentina.
The estimate was based on information from international seed company
representatives, U.S. agricultural extension agents and industry
analysts, Halweil said.
"When the risks are clearly not trivial, the benefits are questionable,
and legitimate alternatives exist for delivering the same benefits,
common sense would argue for limited use of transgenics," he said at a
panel discussion which included a U.S. State Department official and
representatives of environmental, academic and industry groups.
Separately, the American Corn Growers Association said it would issue
results on Tuesday of a survey of 582 farmers about their planting
intentions.
"We expect the survey to see a drop of between 15 and 20 percent in
genetically modified plantings this year," said Gary Goldberg, head of
the corn group.
A preliminary analysis of the survey indicated the biggest decline will
be in Bt corn, a variety that has a gene inserted to resist the
destructive European corn borer, he said.
"Farmers cannot afford this uncertainty in the market," Goldberg said.
"The customer is speaking, loud and clear."
The rival National Corn Growers Association, a group of mostly larger
farmers, has embraced the use of biotech crops, and said it expected the
same use this year as in 1999.
Last year, half of the soybeans and one-third of corn grown by U.S.
farmers came from genetically altered varieties, according to the U.S.
Agriculture Department. The USDA does not plan to release new data on
biotech plantings until October.
Robert Horsch, a scientist with Monsanto Co , urged sceptics to consider
the environmental benefits of using fewer pesticides and less land to
produce more crops.
"We live on a small planet. We're limited to the resources we have,"
Horsch said. "Biotechnology... is going to be an essential piece of the
total solution."
MONSANTO SAYS SALES BRISK
Monsanto said sales of biotech seeds have been brisk. "We see the market
for biotech seeds this year to be consistent with last year, and up in
many cases," a spokesman said.
There may be "some movement away" from Bt corn plantings in Illinois and
the Missouri Valley, but that is due to lighter infestations of the
European corn borer, he said. That will be offset by larger sales in
Nebraska and other areas, he added.
Last month, a Reuters straw poll of 400 U.S. farmers found they planned
sharp reductions in spring plantings of genetically modified crops. The
survey indicated a decline of 24 percent for sowings of Bt corn, 22
percent for RoundUp Ready corn, and 15 percent in RoundUp Ready
soybeans.
The U.S. Agriculture Department said last week that grain buyers were
paying a premium of 8 to 10 cents a bushel for non-genetically modified
corn grown in Illinois.
Some consumer and green groups have urged the U.S. Food and Drug
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