BASF tries to bully German Government

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BASF tries to bully German Government

" GM WATCH " <info

 

Wed, 6 Oct 2004 14:58:11 +0100

 

 

BASF tries to bully German Government

http://www.gmwatch.org

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The German chemicals group BASF is trying to force an agreement on its

own terms with the Federal Government in Germany.

 

The continuing thread is corporate control.

 

Monsanto has had repeated success in getting Argentinian governments,

amongst others, to do its bidding by such tactics as threatening to

withdraw investment and production facilities from the country.

 

Biotechnology giant Novartis even threatened to withdraw the supply of

non-GM sugar beet seed to the Republic of Ireland if resistance to the

development of GM varieties continued, warning that: " Given the

importance of Novartis on the Irish market, this would have serious

implications for the Irish sugar beet industry. "

 

Friedrich Vogel, when head of BASF's crop protection business, openly

stated that strict contracts would dictate production methods and

severely limit the farmer's share of any added value GM crops would

offer to food processors and retailers.

 

Farmers buying GM crops are already made to sign contracts so

draconian that they lead Quebec's Agriculture Minister to comment, " We

could be coming back to a situation like the Middle Ages where

producers have to depend on a single, powerful company for their

livelihood. "

 

Monsanto keeps close tabs on North American farmers and seed dealers

across the country, bringing multiple " seed piracy " cases to the point

that, in the words of one American farmer, farmers get sued for having

GMOs on their property that they did not buy, do not want, will not

use and cannot sell.

 

The question is, who rules?

http://ngin.tripod.com/farming.htm

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BASF threatens transfer of plant research abroad

06/10/2004

http://www.inpharma.com/news/news-ng.asp?n=55208-basf-threatens-transfer

 

BASF has threatened to relocate research into 'green genetic

engineering' to other countries if German law continues to restrict

R & D into

plant biotechnology, with applications as diverse as crop

biomanufacturing of proteins and GM foods.

 

The German chemicals group said it hopes that an agreement can be

reached with the Federal Government and the science and economics

communities about the legal conditions of this genetic manipulation of

crops.

 

Jurgen Hambrecht, chairman of BASF said that green genetic engineering

is crucial to the future of humanity. In the year 2050, it will be

necessary to feed a global population of 9 billion. This will only be

possible with genetically refined plants, for example in desert or

cold regions.

 

" The population's acceptance of " genetic food " will increase if its

additional benefits are recognised, for example a higher vitamin

content or a cholesterol-reducing effect. In 10 years, plant

manipulation will be just as accepted as medical " red genetic

engineering " is today, " he stated.

 

BASF's comments have been whole-heartedly supported by the Genetic

Engineering Law (GenTG), representatives of the German BioRegions.

They said: " The Genetic Engineering Bill will kill innovation as the

GenTG makes the use of plant biotechnology in Germany illegal. " The

Bill especially hinders the use of modern bio and gene technology in

agriculture.

 

" Long-term investments in research and development will have been

wasted, jobs and growth potentials will be destroyed and the image of

Germany as being a country adverse to technological innovations will

be strengthened further. "

 

The relocation of its chemicals presence and investments in Germany,

Western Europe and North America have largely been completed by BASF.

The company is increasingly following its customers to low-wage

countries, primarily in Asia.

 

For example, BASF has invested $3 billion (Û2 billion) in its

pharmaceuticals plant in Nanjing, China, which will exclusively serve

the Chinese market. The plant will go into operation as planned in 2005.

 

BAS'Õs expansion lends weight to the notion, voiced by a number of

chemical executives around the end of 2003 that the sector could be

bottoming out after a damaging period of weak demand, high raw

materials prices and the damaging effects of a weak dollar relative to

the euro.

 

Despite this Hambrecht has been quoted as saying he was optimistic

about 2004, even though he expected the negative impact on the

business of high and volatile raw materials costs and a relatively

weak dollar to continue.

 

BASF is sticking to the target of reducing its costs by Û1.5 billion

annually up to 2006. This does not include research and development,

which will continue to account for 3 per cent of turnover.

 

 

 

 

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