MaltaMedia.com
October 29, 2005

FOE WELCOMES MALTA 'NO' VOTE AGAINST GMOS

By Alexia Conti

Malta's Friends of the Earth (FoE) welcomed the government's
consistent position against Modified Organisms (GMOs) when it voted
against the EU Commission's proposals to authorise the placing on the
EU market of foods and food ingredients produced from genetically
modified organism maize.

"We should be protecting and promoting our typical agricultural
products and not introducing other varieties that can be grown
anywhere in the world. There is also a growing body of evidence that
links GMOs to health risks, and loss of biodiversity, and simply put,
the risks of GMOs are too great to take," FoE said.

FoE (Malta) also maintains that the question of hunger is not question
of production capacity as farmers in developed nations produce
surpluses so great that they receive subsidies not to produce at
capacity and still have silos full of product leftover to rot, the
question being of an economical and political will.

"There is also a strong evidence to indicate the danger of GMOs. Many
of the studies made so far have pointed out the risks of growing and
consuming GMO products. Yet, in most cases, companies would not be
liable for any environmental, consumer health or economic damage
resulting from GMOs," FoE continued.

FoE (Malta) expresses its gratitude to those who put the safety of
European citizens and their environment before the financial interests
of biotech giants. FoE (Malta) also commended the government for
wisely applying the precautionary principle and augured that it will
continue to do so.

Copyright 2005