Berlin, Germany
September 14, 2007
USDA/FAS GAIN Report Number:
GM7042
Report Highlights:
Traces of an EU unapproved biotech event were found in a
conventional rapeseed variety in Germany. Farmers who already
planted the seeds are now ordered to destroy the plants. A
replanting of the destroyed fields with rapeseedis prohibited
for 2007 and 2008.
SUMMARY: Farmers across
Germany are under threat to destroy about 1500 hectares of
recently sown rapeseed because it was recently discovered that
the seed contained trace amounts of an EU-unapproved biotech
event. Prior to planting, the seed in question had been tested
negative for biotech content several times. Legal actions are
pending.
REPORT
In Germany, it is common practice to test rapeseed for
EU-unapproved biotech events prior to sell the seed to farmers.
This summer after two sets of negative test results, a German
seed company sold rapeseed for planting of approximately 1500
hectares to farmers across several German states. A third test
sample was submitted to authorities in the state of
Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW) for official testing. However, this
sample was not tested until after the seed had been sold and
planted. However, the official results of the test indicated
that the seed tested positive for 0.03 percent content of the
EU-unapproved biotech event GS4090. (Note: The reliable level of
detection in the test method used is reportedly 0.1 percent.)
Once this rest result was made public, the seed company and the
German Plant Breeders Association requested that the NRW lab run
a second test to avoid any possibility of a false positive;
however, the lab declined because the original test was
conducted by a certified lab and using a validated method.
Based on the NRW test result, the Agricultural Minister in the
State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV) announced that fields sown
with seed that had tested positive for EUunapproved biotech
events must be destroyed. In addition, the Minister announced
restrictions that will prevent farmers from re-sowing these
fields in rapeseed in 2007 and 2008. Similar decisions are
expected also for other German states where these seeds have
been planted.
The financial damage for the affected farmers may total one
million Euros, which appears to be covered by the seed company's
insurance company. It is also reported that several of the
farmers are considering a class action suit against the Ministry
of Agriculture in MV based upon the fact that only one test was
found to be positive which has taken precedent over numerous
other negative test results.
The seed company involved in this situation is a locally owned
German seed company that has ties to several international
partners both in other EU member states and in North America. A
company source has confirmed that the seed under question was
multiplied in Germany during that past growing season. Seed
multiplication was done in a region, which is more than 130
kilometers distant from the location of a previous biotech
rapeseed field release.
As expected, the press reaction has been critical. The Green
Party and anti-biotech NGO's are pointing to this as another
example of how agricultural biotechnology cannot be controlled
and is a danger to the environment.
RELATED RELEASE:
GVO-Spuren in
Rapssaatgut - Land verweigert B-Probe |
|
