Europe Shows a Growing Distaste for Genetic Foods

[Guest guest]

The New York Times

February 10, 2003

 

Europe Shows a Growing Distaste for Genetic Foods

By LIZETTE ALVAREZ

 

 

TOTNES, England, Feb. 7 - At the Happy Apple green grocer in this

Elizabethan town in England's west country, the Roasted Vegetable Pasty

is labeled, clearly and proudly, as G.M.-free. So is the Hommity Pie and

a scattering of other products crammed onto shelves.

 

In fact, all across Britain and most of the rest of Europe, shoppers

would be hard-pressed to find any genetically modified, or " G.M., "

products on grocery store shelves, and that is precisely how most people

want it.

 

Tinkering with the genetic makeup of crops to make them grow faster and

more resilient, something done routinely in the United States with

seldom a pang of consumer concern, is seen here as heretical, or at the

very least unhealthy. In some countries, there is an unofficial

moratorium on the sale of genetically modified foods.

 

" It's not the natural order of things, that's all, " said Heather

Baddeley, who was picking up lettuce and avocados at the Happy Apple,

about genetically modified foods. " It's a kind of corruption, not the

right thing to do, you know? "

 

Robert B. Zoellick, the United States trade representative, does not

agree. He recently called Europe's stance on genetically modified food

" Luddite " and " immoral, " mainly because he said Europeans' fears about

genetically modified foods have convinced some famine-ridden countries

in Africa to reject genetically altered grains. Some Europeans believed

Mr. Zoellick was, in effect, blaming Europe for starvation in Africa.

 

" The U.S. government, including Republican leaders in Congress, accuse

Europe of using the issue of genetically modified food as a way of

keeping out American exports, " said David Byrne, who heads the European

Union commission on consumer protection and health. " What Bob Zoellick

said over the last few weeks has been unhelpful, clearly. It was unfair.

It was wrong. "

 

The European Union finances nongovernmental organizations but it is

those groups themselves, and not the European trading bloc, that have

moved in some cases to steer Africans clear of genetically altered

grains, Mr. Byrne insisted.

 

" The E.U.'s position on genetically modified food, " he added, " is that

it is as safe as conventional food. "

 

That is the official line at European Union headquarters in Brussels.

But public sentiment in much of Europe, successfully stoked by

environmental groups, is now so fiercely opposed to genetically altered

food that in Austria, for example, politicians have won elections by

vowing to keep " Frankenfood " at bay.

 

Many supermarket chains across France, Britain, Italy and Austria, among

others, yanked all genetically modified products from their shelves

three years ago and are in no hurry to restock. Most recently, hundreds

of Europe's most respected chefs banded together to form a group called

Euro-Toques to battle the biotechnology lobby.

 

American companies like Monsanto stand to make enormous profits if

Europe allows the import of more genetically modified foods. A decision

by the European Parliament on stricter labeling for genetically modified

foods could be made as early as summer, and European officials hope that

this may make the food more acceptable by clarifying exactly how it is

made. But there is concern in the United States that the labeling will

only alarm European consumers more.

 

The stricter labeling requirements would trace genetically altered

substances in maize, tomatoes, feed and oils and make it clear to

consumers which products contain at least 0.9 percent of a genetically

modified substance.

 

In France and Italy, Europe's two food meccas, public revulsion with

genetically modified food runs especially deep.

 

" U.S. culture is different from European culture, " said Lorenzo Consoli,

a Greenpeace expert on genetic engineering. " Here, there is a very

strong feeling that links culture and food. And here, there is much more

the idea that science is not church or a religion. It is not enough

anymore for European consumers to have somebody with a white coat, a

professional, say it's O.K. "

 

A string of food scandals, including the outbreak of mad cow disease in

1996, severely undermined people's faith in the safety of their food and

their confidence in scientists and public officials, many of whom

claimed consumers faced no health risk at the time. Other scandals - HIV

tainted blood in France, the spread of mad cow disease to other European

nations, dioxin infested chickens in Belgium - only added to this

mistrust.

 

Although there is no compelling evidence that genetically altered food

is harmful, the food's opponents say that it is unknown whether the food

is harmful in the long term. The uncertainty is precisely what worries

Europeans.

 

Europeans also tend to be more environmentally sensitive than some

Americans, and environmental groups, like Greenpeace and Friends of the

Earth, carry much greater sway. One widespread fear is that genetically

altered crops will pollinate and infest neighboring crops, a consequence

many see as irreversible. Environmental groups have turned this concern

into a successful campaign against genetically modified food.

 

Europeans also care more about how food tastes, as opposed to how long

it can sit on a shelf. " For some member states, it's nearly synonymous

with sovereignty, " said Mr. Byrne, referring to the quality of food.

 

The fight against genetically modified food is being led by organization

like Greenpeace, which is rooting for a legal confrontation over the

issue at the World Trade Organization.

 

Pia Ahrenkild Hansen, the spokeswoman for the European Union

commissioner on the environment, said the industry had done a poor job

marketing the advantages of genetically modified foods in Europe.

 

" The industry has been incredibly bad about demonstrating what's the

benefit, " Ms. Hansen said. " Why it would make food production more

sustainable, why it would require less resources. Those arguments are

not know by the consumers. People say, `Why should we buy it?' "

 

Certainly, in this speck of a town in the county of Devon, it is almost

impossible to find any supporters of genetically modified foods. Three

weeks ago, the Devon County Council executive board endorsed a decision

to bar its schools and hospitals from using any genetically altered

food.

 

Angry citizens held marches, set up booths and attended meetings on the

issue. Residents here were especially incensed when Britain began a set

of trials of genetically modified foods on farms, one that is near here.

One district councilor, Anne Ward, is petitioning the South Ham district

here to declare itself a " G.M.-free zone. "

 

Ms. Baddeley, and many other shoppers at the Happy Apple, would favor

this without a second thought, they said.

[Guest guest]

Hi Fraggle

 

> In fact, all across Britain and most of the rest of Europe, shoppers

> would be hard-pressed to find any genetically modified, or " G.M., "

> products on grocery store shelves

 

OK - where is this Britain place then? I want to move there, 'cos there's

way too much GM stuff around here!

 

BB

Peter

 

 

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[Guest guest]

I'm not so sure about that Danielle.

 

People know meat is linked to Mad Cow Disease, they see the e-coli

recalls, they know poultry may have salmonella and yet they still eat

this.

 

I think some people prefer to be ignorant and just eat what they want

turning their heads is not uncommon

if they don't see it, it doesn't exist

 

nikki

Let go and flow like the river.

 

 

, " Danielle Kichler "

<veggietart@h...> wrote:

> Well, if people here knew they were eating GM foods, do you think

they would

> be happy? I understand that if people knew food was genetically

modified,

> they would not get it. Let the folks at these biochem companies,

their

> families, and their supporters eat the stuff. Give me food as Mama

Nature

> made it.

>

> I don't favor a ban on GM food; I favor labeling it clearly: " This

product

> contains genetically modified organisms. "

>

> Danielle

>

>

> ----Original Message Follows----

> " Peter " <Snowbow@b...>

>

>

> Re: Europe Shows a Growing Distaste for

Genetic Foods

> Wed, 12 Feb 2003 16:39:55 -0000

>

> Hi Fraggle

>

> > In fact, all across Britain and most of the rest of Europe,

shoppers

> > would be hard-pressed to find any genetically modified,

or " G.M., "

> > products on grocery store shelves

>

> OK - where is this Britain place then? I want to move there, 'cos

there's

> way too much GM stuff around here!

>

> BB

> Peter

>

>

> ---

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>

>

> " Where is the questioning where is the protest song?

> Since when is skepticism un-American?

> Dissent's not treason but they talk like it's the same

> Those who disagree are afraid to show their face " --Sleater-Kinney

>

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[Guest guest]

silly danielle..don't you know even they don't eat it...

in the lunch room at the monsanto office in london, GMO's are banned

*rofl*

tells ya something don't it!!!!

 

" Danielle Kichler " <veggietart wrote:

 

>Well, if people here knew they were eating GM foods, do you think they would

>be happy?  I understand that if people knew food was genetically modified,

>they would not get it.  Let the folks at these biochem companies, their

>families, and their supporters eat the stuff.  Give me food as Mama Nature

>made it.

>

>I don't favor a ban on GM food; I favor labeling it clearly:   " This product

>contains genetically modified organisms. "

>

>Danielle

>

>

[Guest guest]

> silly danielle..don't you know even they don't eat it...

> in the lunch room at the monsanto office in london, GMO's are banned

> *rofl*

> tells ya something don't it!!!!

 

What really gets me is that the company who ran Auschwitz is allowed to

continue in business (OK, it was actually Monsanto's original parent

company, but you know what I mean).

 

BB

Peter

 

 

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[Guest guest]

I'm trying to be realistic. Let's face it: if there's a ban, all sorts of

rich scum will set up a howl, throw money at Congress to get them to change

it, blah, blah, blah. However, if you label the dreck--after all, if they

don't think there's anything wrong with it, why not say " We're

Frankenfood! " --people will have a choice. I mean, someone should tell

Monsanto that if GM foods are safe and what the people want, label it.

 

However, I see your point: people are ignorant. They aren't going to know

the potential dangers of this stuff.

 

*Sigh* there are no easy answers.

 

Danielle

 

 

----Original Message Follows----

" Heartwork " <Heartwork

 

 

Re: Europe Shows a Growing Distaste for Genetic Foods

Thu, 13 Feb 2003 18:38:36 -0000

 

Hi Danielle

 

I go for a ban every time. GM food is unnecessary, and causes a lot of

harm. It's strange that Kelloggs cornflakes are made from gm maize in

America but not in Europe.

 

Jo

Re: Europe Shows a Growing Distaste for Genetic Foods

 

 

> Well, if people here knew they were eating GM foods, do you think they

would

> be happy? I understand that if people knew food was genetically

modified,

> they would not get it. Let the folks at these biochem companies, their

> families, and their supporters eat the stuff. Give me food as Mama

Nature

> made it.

>

> I don't favor a ban on GM food; I favor labeling it clearly: " This

product

> contains genetically modified organisms. "

>

> Danielle

>

>

> ----Original Message Follows----

> " Peter " <Snowbow

>

>

> Re: Europe Shows a Growing Distaste for Genetic

Foods

> Wed, 12 Feb 2003 16:39:55 -0000

>

> Hi Fraggle

>

> > In fact, all across Britain and most of the rest of Europe, shoppers

> > would be hard-pressed to find any genetically modified, or " G.M., "

> > products on grocery store shelves

>

> OK - where is this Britain place then? I want to move there, 'cos there's

> way too much GM stuff around here!

>

> BB

> Peter

>

>

> ---

> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.

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>

>

>

> " Where is the questioning where is the protest song?

> Since when is skepticism un-American?

> Dissent's not treason but they talk like it's the same

> Those who disagree are afraid to show their face " --Sleater-Kinney

>

> _______________

> Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8.

> http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail

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>

> To send an email to -

>

>

[Guest guest]

Good Morning Pat!

 

I think you're right too, at least in my case. When I found out that

there was a certain percentage of rat droppings and insect parts

allowed in meat processing plants, I was disgusted, but looked the

other way. When I heard e-coli and salmonella recalls on the news, I

was shocked, but looked the other way. When I saw the turkey farms

with the crowded birds on Thanksgiving on tv, I was appalled, but

again looked the other way.

 

I guess it's part ignorance and part thinking that it's the way it is

and everyone else knows better than ourselves. Who are we to question?

 

Glad I've started looking the right way~

 

Nikki

 

 

, Sant & Brown <santbrown@l...>

wrote:

> Perhaps. But the remark I hear time after time after time is a

version

> of: 'If it weren't safe the government wouldn't allow it.' But I

guess

> that's bigtime ignorance, so you're definitely right ;=)

>

> best,

> pat

>

> > I think some people prefer to be ignorant and just eat what they

want

> > turning their heads is not uncommon

> > if they don't see it, it doesn't exist

> >

> >

>

> --

> SANTBROWN@L...

> townhounds/

> http://www.angelfire.com/art/pendragon/

> ----------

> * " Until he extends the circle of compassion to all living things,

man

> will not himself find peace. " - Albert Schweitzer

>

> * " The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder

of

> animals as they now look upon the murder of men " - Leonardo da Vinci

>

> * " The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were

not

> made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or

women

> created for men. " - Alice Walker

> ----------

[Guest guest]

ya know, maybe I am just being paranoid, prob watched too many horror

movies, but I've got to tend to think that it did get out

 

otherwise, I don't think we would know about it

 

seems the only time they release info like this, is to cover their

butts, this way if found somewhere they can say,

well, we told ya about it before

 

nikki

paranoid? or simply untrusting

 

 

 

, EBbrewpunx@c... wrote:

> i favor labelling, and banning

> why?

> cuz, genetic drift

> soon, it won't matter if something was genetically modified er not,

as pollen and such will mix with natural crops and plants and tada,

everything has monsanto genes in em.....

> can you even fathom wot would happen in the terminator technology

continues and that gets released into the world??? er how about that

german company that almost released that soil bacterium that ate

garbage,and unfortunately, also killed EVERYTHING in the soil...say

goodbye to the world if that got out...

> fraggle

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Nikki!

 

It makes it difficult, doesn't it ;=) And the problem is that when we

actually start 'looking the right way', as you say, there are always

people supposedly 'wiser' to tell us that we are deluding ourselves, are

paranoid, are trouble-makers, etc. There are good reasons to ask for, at

the very least, *labelling* of genetically modified food, however. Even

if it were to be proved not only 'safe' but 'beneficial' (hah!), one

still has the right, one would think, to know what one is paying for and

ingesting.

 

As for what happens re meat and meat production (re your post), that's

just too gross. Even if one didn't care for the animals - and some

really don't and will happily tell you that they don't - one would have

to care for what it does not only to the bodies of human animals but

also to their minds (I hesitate to say 'souls') - the latter because

cruelty tends to beget cruelty, etc etc etc and all that jazz, as the

kids used to say eons ago.

 

but happy valentine's day anyway ;=) We're going out for lunch ;=)

 

best,

pat

 

 

 

> Good Morning Pat!

>

> I think you're right too, at least in my case. When I found out that

> there was a certain percentage of rat droppings and insect parts

> allowed in meat processing plants, I was disgusted, but looked the

> other way. When I heard e-coli and salmonella recalls on the news, I

> was shocked, but looked the other way. When I saw the turkey farms

> with the crowded birds on Thanksgiving on tv, I was appalled, but

> again looked the other way.

>

> I guess it's part ignorance and part thinking that it's the way it is

> and everyone else knows better than ourselves. Who are we to question?

>

> Glad I've started looking the right way~

>

> Nikki

>

--

SANTBROWN

townhounds/

http://www.angelfire.com/art/pendragon/

----------

* " Until he extends the circle of compassion to all living things, man

will not himself find peace. " - Albert Schweitzer

 

* " The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of

animals as they now look upon the murder of men " - Leonardo da Vinci

 

* " The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not

made for humans any more than black people were made for white, or women

created for men. " - Alice Walker

----------

[Guest guest]

well..if the soil bacterium had gotten out, we'd know about it, as suddenly

everything would start dying, trees, crops, lawns..you know people in upper

slobovia would lose their minds if the Chem-lawn just belly upped and turned

brown..

as fer the rest..oh, we've already seen genetic drift, from corn samples in

Mexico, to genetic drift into " weed " species " in the upper midwest...

gee..ain't this fun?

 

" nikki_mackovitch <nikkimack " <nikkimack wrote:

 

>ya know, maybe I am just being paranoid, prob watched too many horror

>movies, but I've got to tend to think that it did get out

>

>otherwise, I don't think we would know about it

>

>seems the only time they release info like this, is to cover their

>butts, this way if found somewhere they can say,

>well, we told ya about it before

>

>nikki

>paranoid? or simply untrusting

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Nikki

 

> seems the only time they release info like this, is to cover their

> butts, this way if found somewhere they can say,

> well, we told ya about it before

> paranoid? or simply untrusting

 

You're not as paranoid as me :-)

 

I believe they let release info like this just to scare the hell out of

everyone. Seriously - scared people are far easier to control than care-free

people. :-(

 

BB

Peter

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Hi Pat!

 

Very well put, thank you!

 

Hope you enjoyed lunch!

 

Nikki

 

, Sant & Brown <santbrown@l...>

wrote:

>

> Hi Nikki!

>

> It makes it difficult, doesn't it ;=) And the problem is that when

we

> actually start 'looking the right way', as you say, there are always

> people supposedly 'wiser' to tell us that we are deluding

ourselves, are

> paranoid, are trouble-makers, etc. There are good reasons to ask

for, at

> the very least, *labelling* of genetically modified food, however.

Even

> if it were to be proved not only 'safe' but 'beneficial' (hah!), one

> still has the right, one would think, to know what one is paying

for and

> ingesting.

>

> As for what happens re meat and meat production (re your post),

that's

> just too gross. Even if one didn't care for the animals - and some

> really don't and will happily tell you that they don't - one would

have

> to care for what it does not only to the bodies of human animals but

> also to their minds (I hesitate to say 'souls') - the latter because

> cruelty tends to beget cruelty, etc etc etc and all that jazz, as

the

> kids used to say eons ago.

>

> but happy valentine's day anyway ;=) We're going out for lunch ;=)

>

> best,

> pat

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Peter

 

I agree with you there! If we " need " them, we are controlled.

 

nikki

Kind deeds begin with kind thoughts.

Leo Tolstoy

 

 

, " Peter " <Snowbow@b...> wrote:

> Hi Nikki

>

> > seems the only time they release info like this, is to cover their

> > butts, this way if found somewhere they can say,

> > well, we told ya about it before

> > paranoid? or simply untrusting

>

> You're not as paranoid as me :-)

>

> I believe they let release info like this just to scare the hell

out of

> everyone. Seriously - scared people are far easier to control than

care-free

> people. :-(

>

> BB

> Peter

>

>

> ---

> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.

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