London (27th December, 2005) – The Minister for Consumer Affairs in the previous federal German administration was a member of the Green Party and very antagonistic to the use of modern biotechnological methods in agriculture and food.

She used her position not only to prevent the commercial sowing of GM crops but even to stop trials which had already been agreed and funded. Required by the European Commission to introduce appropriate legislation for the cultivation of GM crops and sale of GM foods, very tough rules were drawn up which essentially stifled any forward progress. Although some of the German Länder, anxious to do the best for their farmers, protested and mounted challenges, it remained very difficult to proceed.

Fortunately for German agriculture, the recent election produced a change of regime which is proving much more favourable.

Horst Seehofer, the new Agriculture and Consumer Minister, is promoting GM technology instead of organic farming and the first three types of GM corn have received approval: “We want to promote modified foods", he is reported as saying.

Industry spokesmen have welcomed the change of direction. "We are hoping the new government does what it said it would do and change the genetic engineering law”, said Andreas Thierfelder of Monsanto.

GM crop producers said they look forward to changes to the law to give GM products the same status as non-modified products. According to Thierfelder, current practice "discriminates against those who use genetic technology" and keeps them from using new techniques to increase their harvests by calling for an increase in organic farming.

He went on: "The conventional and genetically modified crop import market already shows that coexistence is possible in Germany".

We will keep an interested eye on developments.

Sources:

1. Inge Klöpfer. Off to Canada – Renate Künast expels green biotechnology - the world's largest research program for rape seed has no future in Germany. Checkbiotech (14.6.05) (http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=news&doc_id=10552&start=1&control=219&page_start=1&page_nr=101&pg=1)

2. Germany to allow import of GMOs. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (5.1.04) (http://www.faz.net/IN/INtemplates/faznet/default.asp?tpl=common/zwischenseite.asp&dox=%7bB2BD57E4-7122-80E2-C6FE-9EA49C1D42FD%7d&rub=%7b6692441E-6463-43DF-BA02-8A174C8043EC%7d)

3. Sachsen-Anhalt sues Künast. Federal Constitutional Court is to overturn disputed genetic engineering plans – law enters into force today. Die Welt (3.2.05) (http://www.welt.de/data/2005/02/03/457774.html?s=1)

4. Cordula Tutt. GM bill fails in German Parliament. Checkbiotech (12.7.05) (http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=news&doc_id=10757&start=1&control=219&page_start=1&page_nr=101&pg=1)

5. Sean Sinico. Germany starts sowing GM seeds. Deutsche Welle (22.12.05) (http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,1831085,00.html?maca=en-rss_english_top-388-rdf)

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