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[SANET-MG] EU should not punish US over syngenta gene pollution



The secretary of Agriculture presumes that the polluting corn (Bt10) is
safe event though the corn was never tested for safety. Syngenta
continues to stone wall demands that they provide full data on the
molecular makeup of Bt10. It seems clear that USDA has completely
replaced the scientific principle full and truthful reporting  with  the
principle of sleazy public relations must prevail.
EU should not punish US in biotech corn case-USDA
12 Apr 2005

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - The United States does not believe the European
Union would be justified in imposing sanctions over U.S. exports of an
unapproved variety of biotech corn (maize) seeds, Agriculture Secretary
Mike Johanns said on Monday.

"There's just no threat to human health or plant health or animal
health. Sanctions really would not be justified," Johanns told reporters.

The Agriculture Department on Friday fined Swiss agrochemicals group
Syngenta $375,000 for the movement of unapproved genetically modified
corn. Syngenta last month announced that some of its corn seeds were
mistakenly contaminated over a four-year period with Bt10, an
insect-resistant strain that was not approved for U.S. distribution.

Approximately 1,000 tonnes of Bt10 corn entered the EU as food and
animal feed and 10 kg of seed were planted in France and Spain in
research field trials. The EU Executive Commission on Friday considered
stopping imports of genetically modified corn gluten feed from the
United States.

Additional U.S. fines could be announced soon.

Johanns said there was no health impact related to the distribution of
the Syngenta product. But the EU has voiced concern that it contains a
gene making it resistant to an important group of antibiotics.

Johanns said the EU had not informed him that sanctions is "where
they're (the EU) headed" in this case.

EU vets are scheduled to meet on Tuesday to review an EU report on risks
associated with Bt10 corn.

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