Publication date: September 2006

Summary
Genetically engineered rice, unapproved for human consumption, has been found in food products in France, Germany and the UK. This is in itself a cause for concern but when the strain of illegal GE rice is an experimental one that contains a toxin with potential allergenicity to the public, then this is truly alarming for a staple food that feeds half the world's population.

Bangladeshi farmer uses his own rice seed rather than GM

From Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace: 22 March 2003, Brussels

European governments are being urged to reject a genetically modified (GM) rice in order to prevent control of the world's most important staple food falling into the hands of multinational companies.

Member states have until Sunday 28 March to object to an application by German-based Bayer Cropscience to import into the EU a GM rice (LL Rice 62) that has been modified to resist the company's own herbicide, glufosinate ammonium. This is the first time that a company has asked for a GM rice authorisation in Europe. Both Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace claim that an EU approval of the rice will send a dangerous signal to developing countries and could lead to the eventual corporate take-over of one of the world's most important foods. Currently 2.5 billion people depend on rice as a staple food.

During a press conference in Brussels today, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace were joined by internationally renowned food-security expert Devinder Sharma from India. Sharma pointed out that control over rice, Asia's staple food, is steadily passing into the hands of transnational corporations based in Europe and the US, which use unfair patenting practices and genetic manipulation of food. He warned about the danger of further "daylight robbery of genetic wealth" by European and US corporations in developing countries. As well as the threat to the world's food supply, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace are concerned that no long-term studies were carried out on this GM rice to examine the potential for serious health effects.

Bayer observed an increased amount of allergic compounds in the GM rice , but no explanation was provided nor was further research conducted. The UK authorities, who gave a positive risk assessment about the rice on 28 January 2004, did not consider the environmental impacts of growing the rice outside the EU. Bayer provides no information on the likelihood of imported rice being spilled nor of the possible effects of this on the five EU member states that currently grow rice (Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal and France).

Geert Ritsema of Friends of the Earth said: "We are facing a corporate offensive on humanity's main staple crop. Allowing the import of genetically modified rice into Europe will give the green light to multinationals to promote unsustainable farming of this rice in developing countries. Allowing the worlds most important staple food to fall into the hands of companies like Bayer is a dangerous and unprecedented move."

Charlie Kronick, Greenpeace GM campaigner said: "GM rice poses completely unnecessary risks to the environment and to the livelihoods of farmers around the world. GM rice neatly encapsulates the whole sordid GM story into one bite: an uunnecessary crop being forced by a large European company onto European consumers who don't want it and onto farmers in the developing world who don't need it. The EU should reject this application out of hand."

Further information
Eric Gall, GMO policy advisor, Greenpeace European Unit, +32 (0) 496 16 15 82
Charlie Kronick, Greenpeace GM campaigner +44 (0)20 7865 8228
Friends of the Earth: Geert Ritsema, GMO campaign coordinator Friends of the Earth Europe,mobile: +31-6-290 05 908, office: +32-2-5420182
Pete Riley, Friends of the Earth GM campaigner, + 44 (0) 113 3899955

Detailed briefings about the food safety and environmental risks of Bayer's GM rice are available from Friends of the Earth Europe and Greenpeace European Unit.

Images available from the Greenpeace picture desk; for photos please contact Daphne Christelis, pix@uk.greenpeace.org

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has confirmed to Greenpeace that it has no plans to release genetically modified (GM) so-called "Golden Rice" into the environment. Field trials are unlikely to take place within the next five years.

IRRI scientists told Greenpeace that various genetic elements in the "Golden Rice" need to be changed or removed, in particular its gene construct and an antibiotic resistance gene (1-2). IRRI received the first grains of the GM rice variety for breeding purposes earlier this year.

IRRI scientists also admitted that many uncertainties related to the "Golden Rice" still need to be addressed before this crop could be released. These include environmental risks as well as health and nutritional questions. IRRI also confirmed that the currently available "Golden Rice" only produces very low levels of beta-carotene, the source of vitamin A. They also agreed with Greenpeace that the best solution to vitamin A deficiency is a diverse diet.

Greenpeace welcomes the fact that the world's leading public rice research institute is more honest in its assessment of the benefits of "Golden Rice" than other advocates for the GM industry.

"There are cheap and proven solutions and technologies available to fight against vitamin A deficiency," said Von Hernandez, Greenpeace Southeast Asia Campaign Director. "The main problem is lack of political will to see these solutions through and the inadequacy of resources to enforce them. The GM industry's propaganda that keeps pushing 'Golden Rice' as the solution for vitamin A deficiency is irresponsible. It is using the misery of mothers and children who suffer from this deficiency for its own commercial gain."

When asked by Greenpeace, IRRI scientists admitted that there might even be naturally occurring rice varieties that contain beta-carotene or other vitamin A precursors. However, very few studies have been conducted so far on whether such natural pro-vitamin rich rice varieties exist.

Notes for Editors:
(1) "Gene construct" refers to genetic material or genes incorporated into a genetically modified organism. The IRRI scientists believe that another type of gene construct needs to be used to increase/promote the level of beta-carotene production in the "Golden Rice".

(2) Antibiotic resistance genes are used as a marker to check if the genetic modification has been successful. 'Golden Rice' currently still contains a hygromycin antibiotic resistance gene. There is broad agreement that these marker genes should be phased out because of potential health risks.

(3) IRRI has recently initiated a project to search for rice varieties with naturally high vitamin A content.

(4) Greenpeace briefing paper "Vitamin A: Natural Sources vs Golden Rice" and "The false promise of GM rice"

Further information:
Contact:
Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255