EU Parliament against granting approval for genetically engineered soybeans resistant to three herbicides

5 October 2017 / The EU Parliament is calling for the rejection of approval for import and use in food and feed for genetically engineered soybeans resistant to three herbicides. The residues left by the herbicides to which the plants are resistant need to be examined in detail before approval is granted. The resolution passed by the European Parliament yesterday concerns soybeans produced by Bayer and Dow AgroSciences. The companies hope to market these new genetically engineered soybeans that are resistant to several herbicides classified as being harmful to health. The European Food Authority EFSA has neither examined the residues left by the herbicides nor their interactions.
“Companies such as Bayer, Monsanto and Dow are making their patented genetically engineered seeds resistant to more and more herbicides that are sprayed in ever greater dosages. The “arms race” in the fields, means that the harvest is contaminated with increasing amounts of residues.” says Christoph Then for Testbiotech. “The harvest and the herbicide residues must be thoroughly examined before approval – something that the European Food Authority has failed to do.”
The genetically engineered soybeans under consideration for approval and use in food and feed are event FG72 x A5547-127 produced by Bayer (resistant to the herbicides glyphosate, glufonsinate and isoxaflutole), and event DAS-44406-6 produced by Dow AgroSciences (resistant to glyphosate, 2,4-D and glufosinate). Testbiotech recently published an analysis showing that the risk assessment of these plants is based on totally insufficient data.
The EU Parliament has passed its resolution - and Testbiotech is taking this opportunity to once again call upon the EU Commission to really stop the approval.

Contact: Christoph Then, Tel +49 151 54638040, info@testbiotech.org