ITALY'S POWERFUL RESISTANCE - GM REVIEW OF THE YEAR

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ITALY'S POWERFUL RESISTANCE - REVIEW OF THE YEAR

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Sun, 16 Jan 2005 22:33:06 GMT

 

 

ITALY'S POWERFUL RESISTANCE - REVIEW OF THE YEAR

http://www.gmwatch.org

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Many thanks to Roberto Pinton of Italy's Green Planet -

www.greenplanet.net - for all his input into this latest review of the

year.

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ITALY 2004 - REVIEW OF THE YEAR

 

Surveys have repeatedly shown that Italians strongly distrust GM foods

and some of the most powerful resistance to GMOs in 2004 came from the

people of Italy.

 

PROTESTS

 

Protests this year have included ones by farmers against the corporate

takeover of agriculture and GM crops, and the blockading of Italian

ports in protest against GM soya imports for animal feed.

http://www.terradaily.com/2004/040510162318.1rnqs61k.html

http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=3302

 

GM FREE ZONES

 

The most remarkable achievement, though, has come in the form of GM

free zones. By the end of the year approaching 2,000 towns and cities in

Italy had chosen to declare their municipalities GM-free. Also opposing

GM crops were 14 of Italy's 20 regions and 27 of its provinces.

http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4753

 

TOUGH COEXISTENCE DECREE

 

When the European Commission decided in September to allow EU farmers

to grow up to 17 different types of GM maize seeds commercially, Italy's

Agriculture Minister proposed a law strictly regulating the planting of

GM crops.

 

The law proposed that no GM crop could be cultivated without a regional

law permitting it (remember, that 70% of the regions, not to mention

the vast majority of Italy's territory, have already been declared

GM-free). Farmers who contaminate neighbouring farms with GM pollen could

receive 6 to 12 months' imprisonment or a fine of between 2,600 to 29,500

euros.

http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4521

 

PRO-GM LOBBY LASHES OUT

 

However, the Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, intervened in

an effort to block the proposed decree, branding the measure

'illiberal'. An offensive against the decree was also launched by pro-GM

scientists. The Umberto Veronesi Foundation published a pro-GM manifesto

entitled, Food Safety and GM Organisms. The manifesto aimed to combat

what

Professor Veronesi, a former Italian health minister, called " the absurd

demonisation " of GM foods.

http://www.gmwatch.org/p2temp2.asp?aid=62 & page=1 & op=2

 

VERONESI'S DISINFORMATION

 

Hostility to GM foods, Prof Veronesi said, " was initially considered an

understandable caution in the face of something of little importance,

but in the light of studies on populations that for years have been

living on GM foods, the US above all, it has become an opposition that

must

be eliminated because it is dangerous for our country. " In fact, not a

single study on " populations that for years have been living on GM

foods " has ever been undertaken!

http://www.gmwatch.org/p2temp2.asp?aid=62 & page=1 & op=2

 

ANTI-ORGANIC ATTACKS

 

Veronesi and his supporters also launched an attack on organic

agriculture. Veronesi claimed, " I would like to eat GM maize all the

time, I

would feel safer doing so. In the USA I eat it with pleasure, while in

Italy I don't have the freedom to choose what is much safer than the

so-called organic variety. "

 

As well as attacking organic food in general, Veronesi's supporters

attacked pesto in particular, which they claimed was a cancer risk. The

Independent newspaper called the anti-organic, anti-pesto claims part of,

" a last-minute offensive by pro-GM scientists " against restrictions on

growing GM crops.

http://www.gmwatch.org/p2temp2.asp?aid=62 & page=1 & op=2

 

GM LOBBY RIDICULED

 

Slow Food President, Carlo Petrini, said the claims made about pesto

were " verging on the ridiculous " . Petrini said, " We want the world of

gastronomy to send a clear message to the government to approve the

decree

to regulate GM foods. Farmers have already protested against the

careless liberalization of GM crops, as have the populations of Italy's

regions " .

 

Green party Senator Loredana De Petris also criticised Veronesi's

claims, saying she was surprised that an " authoritative physician and

former

health minister had said such a bunch of silly things. "

 

The Agriculture Minister, Gianni Alemanno, said Veronesi's appeal,

signed by about 40 scientists and journalists, was not convincing: " I

read

the letter and I get the impression they didn't read the decree.

They're going on about a totally different thing. They mix up research

with

agricultural production, I'm dazzled! "

http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4620

 

ITALIAN GOVERNMENT BACKS THE DECREE

 

Despite the vociferous pro-GM campaign and several postponements, the

GM coexistence decree was approved by the Italian Government in

November.

 

The decree bans GM crops up to December 31, 2005. Regions are asked to

pass their own laws not later than that. Laws have to set coexistence

criteria, aimed at avoiding contamination of no-GM crops .

 

In the end only one of Berlusconi's ministers voted against the ban:

Mr. Castelli (the Attorney General). But this was not because he is a GM

supporter. On the contrary, he explained, " I am against to the

coexistence decree as I am strongly contrary to GMO's: no coexistence is

possible. My ideal law about this matter has only a short article:

'GMO's are

not allowed in Italy' " .

http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4620

 

MASSIVE POPULAR SUPPORT

 

The passing of the decree was not a surprise given the enormous

strength of the coalition supporting it. This included a majority of

Italy's

regional goverments, the trade unions, political parties (ranging from

the conservative Alleanza nazionale to the new-communist Rifondazione

comunista), the two largest conventional farmers' associations, the

organic farmers' associations, environmental groups, consumers'

associations and national retailers' associations.

http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4620

 

GM PRODUCTS HUNTED DOWN

 

In early December, Green Planet found the first GM product sold in

Italy (an oil). After an action coordinarted with Greenpeace, plus

several

articles in the Italian press, the GM oil was withdrawn from the

market, but another product with GM content has been sighted.

http://www.greenplanet.net/Articolo6860.html

 

THE FUTURE

 

The coexistence decree will be discussed by Italian deputies on January

17 2005 when, if approved, it will finally be turned in to law. A

rejection of the decree is unlikely, but there is concern there may an

attempt to water it down.

 

 

 

 

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