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GM confusion in Brazil

Nature Biotechnology volume 21, pages 1257–1258 (2003)Cite this article

Although the new measure still forbids the sale of GM seeds, the government's decision brings Monsanto (St. Louis, MO, USA) a step nearer to selling its GM soy in Brazil. "This is another time that Roundup Ready soy's safety has been attested [to] by the federal government," says Lúcio Mocsányi, director of communications for Monsanto, referring to a decision made in 1998 by the Comissão Técnica Nacional de Biossegurança (National Technical Biosafety Committee, CTNBio; Brasília, Brazil) that the GM soy could be safely commercialized (see Box 1). As a result of CTNBio's decision, Greenpeace filed a lawsuit against Monsanto that resulted in a court ruling that banned GM soy until the government's recent removal of the ban (Nat. Biotechnol. 17, 848, 1999).

Even so, the most recent provisional measure implemented by the government is only a temporary solution; it has yet to be confirmed by Congress and converted into new legislation on GM crops. This draft law, which was initially expected to be ready before October, the soy-planting season, has been delayed, partly due to disagreement within the government. The minister of agriculture, Roberto Rodrigues, defends the planting of GM crops, whereas the minister of the environment, Marina Silva, is against the commercial planting, saying that more studies are necessary.

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Figure 1: Repartition of soy in Brazil.

Folha de S. Paulo and Veja

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  1. São Paulo, Brazil

    Ricardo Bonalume Neto

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Bonalume Neto, R. GM confusion in Brazil. Nat Biotechnol 21, 1257–1258 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt901

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