During
his visit to Uruguay, Mr. Peter Chase met with Uruguayan
governmental officials, representatives from biotech industry,
farmers associations, seed producers and companies, biotech
researchers and academicians, and representatives from non-governmental
organizations (NGOs). The purpose the visit was to discuss
issues related to agricultural biotechnology, biosafety,
and global markets. Chase stressed that the US goal is to
reduce world poverty and hunger by half by 2015. He stressed
the importance of biotechnology as a tool for achieving
this goal. He also emphasized the importance of promoting
science-based regulatory policies in biotechnology, and
sought to build a coalition to supporting science-based
regulations.
Uruguayan governmental officials agreed
that agricultural development is a key part of economic
growth, particularly in Uruguay. They mentioned that Uruguayan
policy is based on precaution. A risk analysis is required
before allowing the use of Genetically Modified Organisms
(GMOs). Criteria are based on biosafety: if a GMO is safe
for the farmers and the society, the GOU will authorize
its introduction and use. Once approved, the individual
farmer decides whether or not to use GMOs. GOU officials
noted that in 2003-04 land use for soybean cultivation tripled
and that all the varieties used are GMOs. Everyone agreed
that public perception is significant, and that more information
must be provided to the general public to promote the utilization
of GMOs.
Uruguayan researchers agreed that scientific
information is difficult for non-scientists to understand
and that people take positions based on their trust in the
individual presenting the information. In Uruguay, the Clemente
Estable Institute for Biological Research has a Program
of Education in Schools, and, Mr. Chase noted, that in the
US there are models available for children’s training
and education. All agreed that the public will be more receptive
to biotechnology if local research is done to demonstrate
its safety. The Uruguayans also stressed the importance
of higher education, and indicated that training opportunities
(such as the US Cochran Fellowship Program) are very helpful
for Uruguayan scientists. They suggested increasing this
type of training.
In discussing traceability and labeling
issues, Mr. Chase stressed that the US is concerned about
informing the public, and has a mandatory system for labeling
all ingredients and nutritional information. The US argues
that the current system promoted by the European Union to
enforce the labeling of any product that might have been
exposed to any biotech event in the past, is unacceptable
and misleading. The labeling of a product as containing
GMOs implies that consumers should be concerned, when all
of these products have received rigorous testing before
being approved for the market. In the US system products
labeled “organic” are free of GMOs. Chase argues
that labeling should only be based on the ingredients and
nutritional content of the product, not on the process of
manufacturing the product unless that process materially
affects the properties of the product. During the upcoming
First Conference of the Parties of the Cartagena Protocol
on Biosafety to be held in February in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
the US will unveil and demonstrate a clearinghouse system
containing all regulations and testing of transgenic events.
This new web-based database will be available for general
consultation.
During the meetings with NGOs, Mr. Chase
emphasized that biotechnology helped countries like Kenya
and Argentina recover from economic problems. NGOs indicated
that the main problem is the lack of adequate information
for the general public. Their concerns are related to the
preservation of local biodiversity and the need for a public
debate on the impact of GMOs on public health and the environment.
They said that the perception of risk that the society has
is different than the actual scientific risk and the public
needs to be educated concerning that risk. Finally, Mr.
Chase was interviewed by a prestigious local weekly and
discussed the US position on biotechnology and biosafety
issues.
