[LINK] GM Corn 'threats'

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

Hmm ..

One wikileaks cable, released last week, is in regards to genetically 
modified corn grown in Spain, and, all the wonderful folk at Monsanto.

Guess which side the US Embassy is on against such 'Left Wing Threats" 

--
 http://www.wikileaks.ch/cable/2009/05/09MADRID482.html

"SPAIN'S BIOTECH CROP UNDER THREAT"  (snip)

TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0645 & DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC PRIORITY

*This is an action request*

SUMMARY

A2. (SBU) Spain's MON810 corn crop is under threat from an emerging
well-coordinated campaign to ban cultivation of genetically
engineered seed varieties in Europe, according to industry sources.
The campaign has gained strength and speed in recent months with the
April 14 German ban on MON810 cultivation - which followed an EU
vote supporting maintenance of a ban in Austria and Hungary.
Legislation which threatens MON810 cultivation has also been
introduced recently in both the Basque and Catalonian Regional
Parliaments.

BACKGROUND 

A4. (SBU) Spain was the first EU country to grow genetically
modified (GM) corn and now cultivates nearly 75 percent of the EU's
MON810 corn crop - nearly 200,000 acres. During a May 13 meeting
with Monsanto, Embassy officials were told that Spain is increasingly 
becoming a target of anti-biotechnology forces within Europe and that 
Spain's cultivation of MON810 corn was under serious threat. The sentiment
echoed by supporters of agricultural biotechnology is that "If Spain 
falls, the rest of Europe will follow."

A5. (SBU) Anti-biotechnology activists in the EU have gained
momentum in recent weeks. On April 14, Germany announced a ban on
the cultivation of MON810 following similar bans in France, Austria,
Hungary, Greece and Luxembourg, despite EU approval of MON810 as
safe for commercial use. 

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

A7. (SBU) According to Monsanto, two left-wing parties have recently
discussed introducing such legislation in the Spanish parliament .. In 
addition, there have been worrisome developments in several of Spain's 17 
autonomous communities ..


A12. (SBU) ACTION REQUESTED: In response to recent urgent requests
by State Secretary Josep Puxeu, and Monsanto, (this embassy) requests
renewed US Government support of Spain's biotechnology position through 
high-level US Government intervention in support of the EFSA findings. 
(This embassy) also requests US Government support for a non-US 
Government science fellow to meet with influential Spanish interlocutors 
on this issue and assistance with developing an agricultural 
biotechnology action plan for Spain.

--

Cheers,
Stephen