After years flouting the law banning genetically modified crops, Brazilian farmers can now come clean.
Many farmers have been illegally growing GM soybeans and selling them as non-GM produce. But legislation allowing the growth and sale of GM soya in Brazil is set for the statute books following approval by Brazil鈥檚 parliament on 3 March. It will formally pass into law following the signature of the Brazilian president, Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva, expected within days.
Just how much of that black-market produce has already been exported as 鈥淕M-free鈥� will never be known. But environmental groups are alarmed that the world鈥檚 second-largest supplier of soybeans 鈥� after the US 鈥� is sacrificing its official GM-free status. 鈥淲e think it鈥檚 legalising contamination,鈥� says Geert Ritsema of Friends of the Earth Europe. 鈥淏razil is taking a big risk. If there鈥檚 no demand for GM, especially from Europe, Brazilian farmers won鈥檛 grow it.鈥�
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Not surprisingly, Monsanto 鈥� which developed the GM varieties being grown in Brazil 鈥� is happier with the outcome. It can look forward to getting the profits that until now have been lining the pockets of black-market dealers and middlemen. 鈥淲e hope the biosafety bill, if it becomes law, will allow Brazilian farmers to have legal access to biotech products,鈥� says Monsanto spokesman Tony Coombes.
