Benny Haerlin

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Global perspectives of GMO marketing and
resistance

• Benny Haerlin
• Foundation on Future Farming
• Save our Seeds

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ConsumerNetworks
It all started with consumer resistance in Europe
... and elsewhere
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Supermarkets and brands go ge free

• Today most European supermarkets and food brands
  have a gmo free policy

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There is no market for GM food products but
there is a huge market for GM animal feedEU GMO
labelling regulations in food and feed April
2004 (1997)
gt 95 of all GMOsimported to Europe
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(No Transcript)
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Latest figures of ISAAA GMO planting by country
2004
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Latest figures of ISAAA GMO planting by crop
2004
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GMOs will feed the world?
golden rice
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GMO cultivation in developing countries

• Basically all GMO planted in developing
  countries are cash crops for export, most of
  them in industrial farming
• Most developing countries growing GMO have a
  hunger problem, which these GMOs do not address
  (e.g. Argentina, China, India)

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The Industrial concept of reshaping the
agricultural market
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GMO industry concept

• Increase external input of chemcials and
  standardised seeds (i.e. also increased input of
  machinery and energy)
• Decrease and devaluate input of human labour
• Exclusive private ownership of seeds and germ
  plasm (patents)
• Vertical integration Control of the chain from
  seed to food
• Global markets for food, commodities, seeds and
  knowledge
• Adapting the environment to industrial
  requirements
• Produce for those who can pay, less those who
  need

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Our concept

• Food sovereignty
• Food for all
• Regional and local markets first
• More decent jobs and livelihoods
• Less toxic and energy input
• Low risk, error-friendly and reversible
  technologies
• Fairly shared access to common heritage of seeds
  and knowledge No patents on life!
• Adapting land use and agriculture to local and
  global environmental conditions
• Preserve and cultivate natural, agricultural and
  cultural diversity and identity

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GMO-free Regionsa new perspective and focus

• Freedom of choice on cultivation and releases of
  GMO is not an individual but a collective
  decision gt what democratic context?
• environment and nature protection (not only food
  safety)
• contamination and co-existence
• Control over agricultural practice and rural
  livelihoods, incl. patents and seed control

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Global resistance against GMO
GMO wheat stopped
GMO free counties
Plant GM rice?
NO! GMO campaign
Stop GM maize imports
GM cotton out of control
Legalise gm soya?
GMO free Parana
GMO in food Aid ?
States GM rape seed moratorium
GMO free New Zealand initiative
Protect forests from GM soya
GMO free Tasmania
GM labelling
Active campaings
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No GMO in our seeds!
w w w . s a v e o u r s e e d s . o r g
Seeds are handed over from generation to
generation since 10 000 years.They are the basis
of global food security and the heritage of
future generations.
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Market decisons in industrialised democracies
regulators
Developing countries Farmers,rural
communities and markets
Consumers / citizens
media
Retailers / Supermarkets
Food producers brands
Suppliers / commdodity dealers
Farmers
Agro-chemical seed companies