Monsanto GM traits get EU backing
The EU Commission authorized the three GM traits today. They include two Monsanto developed products: MON87705 x MON89788 and MON87708 x MON89788 along with Bayer’s FG72.
“The EU’s approval of these events is welcome news for US soybean farmers,” said USSEC chairman Laura Foell.
Europe is one of the largest customers of US soy farmers with over 165 million bushels of soybeans in exports already this year, noted the Council.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) deemed the three GM products safe back in 2015.
Along with the USSEC and the American Soybean Association (ASA), the European feed, cereals and oilseeds industry representatives had also argued that the lack of approval for those three GM traits was causing trade disruption.
The EU cereals, oilseeds and feed trade groups, COCERAL, FEDIOL and FEFAC, commenting on the authorizations, reiterated the need for "a robust, predictable EU GM import authorisation system providing legal certainty to operators to ensure vital protein supplies to the EU feed and livestock sector."
And they queried the lack of an explanation for the extended delay of the final decision stage on the market authorisations, with the deferral creating "undue uncertainty in export countries and at the level of importers, food and feed business operators."
They stressed the feed and food chain relies on a fully functioning EU regulatory framework in order to be able to make forward contracts covering the supply of new crop vegetable protein to meet the demand of the EU food, feed and livestock sector which is dependent on imports for 70% of its protein feed material needs.
