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Biotech / Medical : Monsanto Co. -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dan Spillane who wrote (2122)	6/3/1999 3:29:00 PM
From: jopawa	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 2539

Thursday June 3, 2:54 pm Eastern Time ANALYSIS-Belgian food scare could affect GM debate By Adrian Croft BRUSSELS, June 3 (Reuters) - Food scares such as the Belgian chicken and egg crisis will make European consumers more sceptical of government assurances about food safety and could harden resistance to genetically modified foods, analysts say. And such opposition to hi-tech food production could bring yet more trade disputes with the United States, already impatient at the difficulties with getting genetically modified crops approved for use in the European Union. Belgium has been hit by a spreading food crisis since dioxin, a potentially cancer-causing chemical, was found in some chicken meat and eggs. Belgian authorities say infected feed may also have been given to pigs and cattle. The scandal, which comes after a string of European food scares including ''mad cow'' disease and swine fever, will do little to boost consumer confidence in food, said Bruce Ross, an analyst dealing with food issues at Ross Gordon Consultants. ''More fundamentally, it reinforces many people's doubts about the reliability of government assurances (and) scientific opinion,'' he told Reuters. The Belgian scare has led to chicken, eggs and pork being pulled from shop shelves in Belgium and European-wide measures to destroy food from affected farms. Two Belgian ministers have resigned. Acting EU Farm Commissioner Franz Fischler warned Belgium on Wednesday it could face legal action for failing to inform the European Commission early enough about the potential danger. Laboratory results showed the presence of dioxin in chickens on April 26, but Belgium only told the Commission a month later. If such food scandals kept being repeated, they would harden consumer resistance to genetically modified organisms (GMOs), Ross said. ''None of that is going to help Monsanto (NYSE:MTC - news) in the GMO debate,'' he said, referring to a leading U.S. producer of genetically modified crops. A fierce debate is raging in Europe over genetically modified crops, in contrast to the United States where public acceptance is much higher. A number of food retailers in Europe, responding to consumer demand, have banned the use of GM ingredients in foods they sell. Thomas Schweiger, an adviser on genetic engineering at environmental group Greenpeace, said the Belgian food crisis would confirm consumers' belief ''that the whole industrialised food production systems are liable to misuse...'' It would increase consumers' fear and entrench their wish to be able to choose non-GM food, he predicted. Greenpeace wants to ban GMOs in agriculture and food, fearing they could be a threat to the environment and public health. Supporters of GM foods say they are safe and could dramatically expand food production, while cutting use of agricultural chemicals. The most damaging recent transatlantic trade disputes have been over food. The United States wants to impose sanctions on $202 million of EU exports because of the EU's refusal to lift its decade-old ban on imports of hormone-treated beef. A recent EU study found evidence that one of six hormones used in the North American cattle industry could cause cancer. Trade economists expect transatlantic trade disputes over genetically modified crops to become increasingly common. Just last month, the European Commission froze the approval procedure for a genetically modified maize developed by a U.S. company after a study found that a similar pest-resistant grain could kill butterflies. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More Quotes and News: MONSANTO CO (NYSE:MTC - news) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. See our Important Disclaimers and Legal Information. Questions or Comments?