2013/06/05

F. William Engdahl: The Monsanto Protection Plan: Monsanto's Deception Game

on GMO in Europe. On May 31, world media headlines read similar to this from Reuters: Monsanto backing away from GMO crops in Europe. The original source for the story is attributed to a German left daily, TAZ, which printed excerpts from an interview with an official spokeswoman of Monsanto Germany. Ursula Luettmer Quazane reportedly told TAZ. Which printed excerpts from an interview with an official spokeswoman of Monsanto Germany. Ursula Luettmer Ouazane reportedly told Taz: We have come to the conclusion that this has no broad acceptance at the moment. Her remarks were circulated worldwide and Reuters interviewed Monsanto corporate spokesman Thomas Helsher, who reportedly said: We are going to sell the GM seeds only where they enjoy broad farmer support, broad political support, and a functioning regulatory system. As far as we are convinced this only applies to a few countries in Europe today, primarily Spain and Portugal. Before the world opens the champagne to celebrate the death of GMO and its paired herbicides, such as Roundup, it is worthwhile to look more closely at what was officially said. What Monsanto itself says: A visit to the official website of Monsanto Germany presents an official company press release referring to the media statements: Aktuell ueberschlagen sich die Medien mit der Nachricht, dass Monsanto die Vermarktung von gentechnisch verbessertem Saatgut in Deutschland und Europa eingestellt haben soll. Das stimmt so nicht. Monsanto bieted schon seit einigen Jahren nur dort gentechnish verbesserte Sorten an, wo ein funktionierendes Zulassungssyystem und breite Unterstuetzung auf landwirtshaftlicher und politischer Ebene fuer the Technologie vorhanden ist. Aber grundsaetzlich ist es richtig, dass Monsanto sich in Deutschland und Europa auf die Zuechtung und Verkauf von konventionellem Saatgut und Pflanzenschutzmitteln konzcentriert. The essential part says: Right now the media is flooded with reports that Monsanto has stopped the marketing of GMO seeds in Germany and the EU. That is not correct.

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