NEW GM REPORT ON SOY RAISES CONCERNS

�The weight of evidence from scientific studies, documented reports, and on-farm monitoring shows that both GM RR (Roundup Ready) soy and the glyphosate herbicide it is engineered to tolerate are destructive to agricultural systems, farm communities, ecosystems, and animal and human health. The conclusion is that GM RR soy cannot be termed sustainable or responsible.�

That's according to the recently published report, GM Soy Sustainable? Responsible?

As part of the renewed Programme for Government, there are commitments to make Ireland GM-free, and to GM-free labelling.

According to Green Party Agriculture Spokesperson Trevor Sargent TD, (previously Junior Minister at the Department of Agriculture): �This is a concerning study, which concludes genetically modified soya endangers human and animal health. It also identifies real problems with the herbicides that must be used in conjunction with this GM crop and highlights the damage that GM causes to the environment and to the rural communities where it is grown.�

The report summarises peer reviewed research and other studies into GM, and is authored by 9 senior scientists, including experts in biosciences, molecular embryology and ecology .

According to the report, though the vast majority of land (99%) and farmers (90%) don't grow GM crops, soy is exceptional: �More than 95 per cent of GM soy (and 75 per cent of other GM crops) is engineered to tolerate glyphosate herbicide, the most common formulation of which is Roundup. This allows the growing crop to be sprayed with glyphosate, killing weeds but allowing the crop to survive.�

This has led, the authors claim, to: the emergence of superweeds; increased herbicide use; land abandonment; lower yields; higher costs; reduced nutrient uptake; increased pests and diseases and increased use of fossil fuels in the production of such Soy crops.

Some of these are also factors with the no-till approach to farming that accompanies GM soy, they claim.

Indeed the combination of no till and heavy herbicide use in GM Soy production has contributed to rapid negative changes for South American farming: these include soil erosion, loss of soil fertility, loss of biodiversity (including farming biodiversity) and deforestation.

The report also states that GM Soy in South America has led to; less varied and nutritious local diets; concentration of power and resources in fewer hands and displacement of rural dwellers, including forcibly in Paraguay.

The authors claim that Glyphosate and Roundup are highly toxic to many organisms and to human cells:

Professor Andr�s Carrasco's research has linked glyphosate herbicide to birth defects �in frog and chicken embryos, in doses much lower than those used in agricultural spraying�.

Carrasco commented, �the findings in the lab are compatible with malformations observed in humans exposed to glyphosate during pregnancy.�

Severe health problems were also cited amongst villagers and farm labourers from aerial spraying of glyphosate on GM Roundup Ready soy, a practice now banned in some regions.

According to Trevor Sargent: �GM soya is predominately used in Ireland for animal feed, but GM-free options are available.�

He pointed out that Irish producers could profit if they embraced the market opportunities of GM-free meat and dairy produce:

�I would call on grain importers to ensure availability of GM-free soya into the Irish market so that farmers can cater for a growing market demand for GM-free feed produce. A move to feeding animals GM-free feed would result in only an additional 3c per kilo in the retail price of pork or 2c in the price of chicken.�

Critics would argue that:

This report in itself is not a peer reviewed report, it summarises peer reviewed and other information.

No all contributors are GM specialists; some are from broader areas like ecology.

Peer reviewed studies have suggested the oppose in many cases: e.g. no till, pesticide use reduction, yield.

The report conflates GM with generic corporate power.

There are major expert and institutional backers of GM Soy in agri-food, and also in some cases in environmental and development, (e.g. Plant Research International, members of the Round Table on Responsible Soy)

Nonetheless, this report is revelatory about global agri-food, especially in a third world context.