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A look at Europe and GM crops

Genetically Modified soybeans may gain some ground in Europe. A German study last fall – funded by German government and university research – found that GM crops are good for the economy and reduce the amount of pesticides used in agriculture. Jim Sutter, CEO of the U.S. Soybean Export Council, USSEC, says Europe does IMPORT U.S. soybeans.

“Europe was, by far, the largest market – the EU in total – was the largest market for soybeans in the world and for genetically modified, for GM soybeans. So there’s lots of thought that, oh, Europe doesn’t accept GM. Well, for years, they’ve been the largest importer of GM soybeans and soybean products.”

Sutter says farmers in Europe would like to grow more GM crops and the U.S. wants Europe to import more GM products, “Their GM approval process for the importation of new crops, new events, is going slower than we would like. And we’re having dialogue with them. That’s part of the TTIP negotiations. So, our U.S. government is very much involved in those discussions.”

Sutter tells Brownfield Ag News it’s an ongoing issue, trying to get Europe to accept GM crops instead of limiting new technologies, “The real losers are the people at the bottom end of the spectrum. The people who can’t afford the food. So, we need to continue to push for sound science to be used as the approval methodology so that we can produce enough food to be able to feed the whole world.”

Currently, Sutter says, only one GM crop is grown in one European country – genetically modified corn in Spain.

AUDIO:  Interview with Jim Sutter at 2014 NAFB Trade Talk (3:30 mp3):