Last Wednesday’s meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) blocked the authorisation of GM soy MON 87701 x MON 89788 for animal feed (not cultivation). The matter will now be heard by a GM appeal committee.
In giving a favourable opinion on the requested approval, the European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) writes exclusively about the soy bean and omits to make any allowance for the effects of glyphosate treatments which are part of any GM package.
This disingenuous separation of plant material from a crop treatment which is specifically sold as a companion product has been a source of frustration to campaigners. Toxic products, such as glyphosate, are as much part of the problem as the crops on to which they are sprayed and approvals should reflect the real world risks rather than defer to scientific disingenuity.
