London (8.3.10) – On March 2nd, after some 13 years of prevarication and dissembling, the European Commission finally gave their approval for the cultivation in the European Union of BASF’s Amflora potato, only the second crop ever to be authorised for cultivation (1). The Austrian government, of course, issued an immediate announcement planning a ban for cultivation in that country (2).

The new potato, called “Amflora” was developed in Germany by BASF to produce a type of starch with particular industrial applications; food uses are not foreseen. The usual form of starch contains two types of polysaccharide, the linear (straight chain) amylose (usually comprising about 30% of plant starch) and the highly branched chain amylopectin; both are polymers of glucose.

It was developed in collaboration with experts from the European starch industry to respond to the demand for pure amylopectin starch (3). For many technical applications, such as in the paper, textile and adhesives industries, pure amylopectin is advantageous, but separating the two starch components is uneconomical. The industry will benefit from high-quality Amflora starch that optimizes industrial processes: it gives paper a higher gloss, and concrete and adhesives can be processed for a longer period of time. This reduces the consumption of energy, additives and raw materials, including water (3).

In their press release, BASF (3) noted the Amflora approval process to date:

* The Amflora approval process was initiated more than 13 years ago with the request for authorization submitted in August 1996. The scope of the application included cultivation, industrial use and the use of pulp as feed.

* During the so-called moratorium on genetically modified products between 1998 and 2004, no approvals for genetically modified plants were granted in the EU.

* BASF Plant Science resubmitted a dossier for cultivation and a dossier for food and feed use in 2003 and 2005, respectively, due to modified EU regulations.

* In 2006, the EU Commission published two EFSA assessments that for both dossiers concluded that Amflora is as safe as conventional potatoes for humans, animals and the environment.

* In November 2006, the then responsible EU-Commissioner Stavros Dimas forwarded his proposal for authorization of cultivation of Amflora to the Regulatory Committee consisting of representatives from all EU Member States.

* After two inconclusive votes in the Regulatory Committee in December 2006 and the Council of Agricultural Ministers in July 2007, Commissioner Dimas failed to adhere to the approval procedure defined by EU legislation and did not adopt the proposal for cultivation.

* On September 21, 2007, EU-Commissioner Dimas answered questions by Green MEP Hiltrud Breyer (WRITTEN QUESTION P-4070/07 by Hiltrud Breyer (Verts/ALE) to the EU Commission that Amflora is safe.

* The dossier for food and feed use was voted upon in the Standing Committee – consisting of members from all EU Member States – in October 2007 and Council of Agricultural Ministers in February 2008. After a qualified majority was not reached in either votes, the decision on Amflora was passed on to the EU Commission.

* BASF expressed its dissatisfaction with EU-Commissioner Dimas’ handling of the approval process in an open letter to EU-Commissioner Dimas on April 17, 2008.

* In its “orientation debate“ on genetically modified organisms on May 7, 2008, the EU Commission decided to request EFSA to prepare a new consolidated scientific opinion on the use of antibiotic resistance marker genes in genetically modified plants by September 30, 2008. Such a marker gene is also used in Amflora.

* In a press release following the debate, EU-Commission President José Manuel Barroso stated that the EU Commission will adopt the pending decision “if and when“ EFSA confirms the safety of Amflora.

* On May 19, 2008, BASF Plant Science requested access to any documents in the possession of the EU Commission in connection with the authorization procedure for Amflora. These documents did not reveal any new scientific evidence regarding the safety of Amflora.

* On July 24, 2008, one year after the vote in the Council of Agricultural Ministers (the last formal step prior to adoption of a decision), BASF Plant Science filed an action with the European Court of First Instance against the EU Commission for failure to act.

* EFSA in autumn 2008 informed that its opinion on antibiotic resistance marker genes would not be finalized until December 15, 2008.

* However, on December 10, 2008, the EU Commission granted EFSA a second extension for its opinion to March 31, 2009.

* On June 11, 2009, EFSA published its final, positive opinion on the use of antibiotic resistance marker genes in genetically modified plants.

* Finally, on March 2, of this year, the European Commission gave its approval to commercial cultivation of Amflora in Europe.

Until this year, when a new European Commission assumed office, jurisdiction for cultivation fell to DG Environment led by Commissioner Stavros (Greece) whose sympathies appeared not to lie very firmly in favour of biotech. crops. In the new Commission which holds office from 2010-2014, responsibility for biotechnology is now entirely with DG SANCO (Health and Consumer Policy), meaning that the responsibility for rules and regulation for cultivation have been moved from DG environment to SANCO. At the same time, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics have also been moved to SANCO from DG Enterprise. DG Agriculture and Rural Development remains responsible for co-existence. The responsible Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner is John Dalli (Malta) European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy European Commission. Commissioner Dalli said that "Responsible innovation will be my guiding principle when dealing with innovative technologies" (4); with the decision on the Amflora potato backed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), said there was no good reason for withholding approval.

Not surprisingly, there were varied reaction to the announcement. Farming interests were positive, with Farmers Weekly suggesting both that a turning point had come (5) and that the first GM crop variety to win European Union approval for more than a decade is being hailed as a watershed for the biotech industry - even though it is unlikely to be grown in the UK (6). The paper had already noted some weeks earlier that “consumer concerns about GM technology are waning and there is growing acceptance that it has a role to play in global food security” (7).

On the other hand, there were the expected howls of outrage and anguish (4, 9), both from Member States that did not altogether sympathise ("Not only are we against this decision, but we want to underscore that we will not allow the questioning of member states' sovereignty on this matter," said Italy's Agriculture Minister, Luca Zaia. Austria said it would ban cultivation of the potato within its borders, while France said it would ask an expert panel for further research) as well as from anti-GM campaigners (Friends of the Earth's Heike Moldenhauer said: "The commissioner whose job is to protect consumers has, in one of his first decisions, ignored public opinion and safety concerns to please the world's biggest chemical company."). Some even accused the Commission of failing to follow the precautionary principle, perhaps the most heinous of all sins after denial of global warming. The Belfast Telegraph reported that “The introduction of a genetically modified potato in Europe risks the development of human diseases that fail to respond to antibiotics, it was claimed last night” – but it did not say who had made that claim.

There was other potato news. It was announced that, if they can get government approval, scientists at the John Innes Centre hope to start field trials in May of a genetically modified potato resistant to blight (9). Professor Jonathan Jones from the Sainsbury Laboratory said: "UK potato growers spray crops 10-15 times a year and in 2007 Europe ran out of chemicals to control blight, it was such a wet year. If our research goes ahead and is successful, this will cut chemicals and carbon dioxide generated by the use of tractors." At around the same time, Scottish potato producers were gathering in Dundee to learn what might be possible if genetic modification is ever allowed in the breeding of varieties with resistance to disease and pests (10), with the voice of the farmers again stressing that the potato industry must be open to GM technology (11).

Finally, but not necessarily least in significance, Potato Pro carried a report that a transgenic potato is already being sold in Russia (12). The variety (called “Elizabeth”) was developed by Russian scientists Centre for Bioengineering of the Russian Academy of Sciences using Monsanto 'gene insertion technology', to make the variety resistant to the Colorado beetle.

Sources:

1. GM potato cleared for EU farming. BBC News (2.3.10) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8545503.stm)

2. Austria to ban modified potatoes: Ministry. EU Business (2.3.10) (http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/austria-farm-gmo.3fn)

3. European Commission approves Amflora starch potato. BASF (2.3.10) (http://www.basf.com/group/pressrelease/P-10-179)

4. Martin Hickman and Genevieve Roberts (4.3.10). Fury as EU approves GM potato. Critics claim plant could spread antibiotic-resistant diseases to humans. The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/fury-as-eu-approves-gm-potato-1915833.html)

5. Mike Abraham (5.3.10). Green light for GMs marks a turning point. Farmers Weekly

6. Johann Tasker (4.3.10). GM ‘watershed’ for biotech industry. Farmers Weekly (http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2010/03/04/120200/GM-watershed-for-biotech-industry.htm)

7. Philip Clarke (19.2.10). 'Opinion turning in favour of GMs'. Farmers Weekly

8. GM potato plan 'could spark health disaster'. Belfast Telegraph (4.3.10)

9. Trial for blight resistant potato. BBC News (11.2.10) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/norfolk/8510368.stm)

10. Andrew Arbuckle (11.2.10). Potato producers to learn about GM. Business Scotsman (http://business.scotsman.com/business/Potato--producers-to-learn.6061850.jp)

11. James Andrews (5.3.10). Potato industry must be open to GM technology. Farmers Weekly

12. Transgenic potato variety 'Elizabeth' already sold in Russian market. Potato Pro (18.1.10) (http://www.potatopro.com/Lists/News/DispForm.aspx?ID=3336)

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