Monsanto Avoids Official French Hearing on its GM Maize

By JG Vibes
theintelhub.com
November 16, 2012

Representatives from the infamous Monsanto corporation have a habit of only showing up in courtrooms where they are to be the plaintiffs, usually either against farmers who want to be independent or activists who want the world to know what the company is doing.

Just recently, Monsanto has dodged another important hearing, this time in France, regarding the long term health effects of their genetically modified maize.

According to a French publication that has been translated:

“At a joint hearing held on Wednesday, November 7 by the committees of Social Affairs and Sustainable Development of the National Assembly [France], an official from the National Agency for Food Safety, Environment and Labour (ANSES) explained that the agency would not be hearing from Monsanto as part of the follow up to the publication by controversial biologist Gilles-Eric Seralini on the effects of GM maize NK603, which the company produces.

As quoted by the Doctors’ Daily [publication], the director of risk assessment at ANSES, Dominique Gombert, told members of the Assembly that the agency had sent Monsanto “an extremely specific letter about the questions we wanted to ask them, especially about effects in long-term studies. Following this letter, we had a conference call with Monsanto and lawyers of the company to make us clarify the conditions for bringing about this hearing. Following this pre-hearing, the company stated that, within the time limit, it was not possible for it to mobilize experts, knowing that this hearing will give rise to the publication of verbal exchanges,” reported Mr. Gombert.

“Monsanto has sent us a document of about five pages that essentially describes the current conditions of authorization of GM plants and NK603. I have not found specific evidence regarding any long-term studies that the firm might have conducted,” concluded Mr. Gombert.”

GMwatch.org commented on this recent development, and brought some clarity to details of the hearing. An article on the GMwatch.org website states that:

“Monsanto has wriggled out of a hearing by the French food safety agency ANSES which is looking into the details of any long-term studies the company may have done on its GM NK603 maize and/or Roundup.

One way for Monsanto to lay speculation to rest about the safety of its GM maize and Roundup is to release its own long-term safety studies on both substances showing that they’re safe.

Or could it be that no such studies exist? Surely not!

In fact, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has already admitted (while rejecting Seralini’s study) that no long-term studies have been done on the complete glyphosate herbicide formulations as they are sold and used – only the ‘active ingredient’ glyphosate has been tested.
http://bit.ly/Sz6lRI

And even industry’s tests on glyphosate in isolation raise concerns regarding birth defects and cancer:
http://bit.ly/WYtVtR”

Monsanto has been essentially untouchable in most countries because they are extremely influential in government and are deeply entrenched in the establishment.  Many rightfully see Monsanto as a direct tool of the ruling class and a representation of their desires.

*****

Read more articles by this author HERE.

J.G. Vibes is the author of an 87 chapter counter culture textbook called Alchemy of the Modern Renaissance, a staff writer and reporter for The Intel Hub and host of a show called Voluntary Hippie Radio. 

You can keep up with his work, which includes free podcasts, free e-books & free audiobooks at his websitewww.aotmr.com

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