Reuters | November 30, 1999 | By Greg Frost
PARIS - Ruth Rawling, a spokewoman for U.S. commodities giant Cargill in Britain, was cited as saying on Tuesday it is studying whether to adopt a system that would segregate genetically modified (GM) soybeans from non-GM organisms for the purpose of supplying European consumers, adding, "In the wider picture of food ingredients, we already have done some identity-preserved supplies. Where we've had strong customer demand for non-GM products, we've put in place a system responding to their needs."
She explained that Cargill currently supplied clients in Britain with non-GM maize products from France such as glucose, starch and corn oil, adding that, "We are now looking at how we would do the same for soybean meal for the pusposes of animal feed."
According to industry newsletter Oil World, the EU imports some 16 million tonnes of soybeans a year. Almost all of that comes from Brazil, Argentina and the United States, and for shipping purposes the latter two countries make no distinction between GM and non-GM soy.
Rawling's comments came after Cargill Soja France, the company's French soy division, was cited as saying it was weighing introducing an identity-preserved system for its customers.
The story notes that the disclosure by Cargill Soja France came as environmental group Greenpeace demanded Cargill, the largest privately held U.S. company, to stop importing GM crops to Europe.
Arnaud Apoteker, a spokesman for Greenpeace France, was cited as saying activists planned to block ships carrying soy, maize and other products destined for animal consumption from entering the harbour at Brest, the port city in western France that is home to Cargill Soja France's oilseed crushing facility, adding, "We will block the boats. We are ready to prevent all imports. We have the traditional tools to intervene to block imports of GM organisms."
