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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NCGA Calls EU Labeling Law Disappointing, Step in the Wrong Direction
July
2,
2003
Contacts:
Tracy Taylor Grondine, NCGA, (202) 628-7001
Mimi Ricketts,
NCGA, (636) 733-9004
(WASHINGTON) July 2, 2003
-- The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) called today’s
European Parliament vote against biotech crops disappointing and a step
in the wrong direction. The new law establishes strict labeling laws
on food derived from biotechnology and stringent traceability regulations.
“The new legislation
passed by the European Parliament will only further hinder agricultural
trade between the United States and Europe,” said NCGA President
Fred Yoder. “The vote today does not give us confidence that the
European Union (EU) is serious about trade nor that the de facto moratorium
on biotechnology will be lifted anytime soon.”
Yoder said the new mandatory
labeling law will be too costly for growers and only further prohibit
exportation of biotech crops to European countries.
The legislation passed today,
was first introduced in 2001 and is the result of demands by EU member
states fearful of biotechnology. The legislation calls for strict rules
for both the labeling of food products for the end consumer and for
the traceability of genetically modified organizations (GMOs) for food
and feed. The regulations require labeling of products that contain
0.9 percent or more of GMOs adopted in the EU and 0.5 percent for unapproved
varieties.
While the labeling and traceability
legislation meets one of the critical demands of member states in order
to lift the de facto ban on products derived from biotechnology, it
is unclear whether those countries will do so. NCGA has pushed for years
to abolish the moratorium and was pleased this past May when the Bush
administration filed a case in the World Trade Organization (WTO) challenging
the legality of the EU’s actions.
“Biotechnology
is an integral part of feeding the world in the future and raising the
standard of living in developing countries,” continued Yoder.
“We will continue to push toward that end.”
It is estimated the ban has cost growers $300 million per year in trade
exports.
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The National Corn
Growers Association mission is to create and increase opportunities
for corn growers in a changing world and to enhance corn's profitability
and usage. NCGA represents more than 32,000 members, 25 affiliated state
corn grower organizations and hundreds of thousands of growers who contribute
to state checkoff programs.
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