Press release from African Centre for Biosafety

ACDP Parliament

Cheryllyn Dudley, MP and Chief Whip

5 June 2013

Dear Constituents,

Today, I wish to share some information with you from my desk, which indicates the African Christian Democratic Party’s stance on the issue of GM Maize.

Yesterday, on behalf of the ACDP, I give notice and moved that the house debates:Government’s decision to allow the import of the GM Maize, known as “Agent Orange”, into South Africa considering that the USA government – the country of origin – has stopped cultivation until further research into its safety has been done.

This morning the Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Health, thanked me for staying on the GM safety issue and promised he would join me by facilitating a meeting where all sides can present their views, concerns and proposals.

I have engaged in several interviews with radio stations, who were very appreciative of our bringing up of the issue. Thank you to everyone for taking the time to give their take by commenting via social media - the response has been significant.

Below please also find a recent press release from the AfricanCentre for Biosafety about the consumer petition which was sent to Tiger Brands relating to their Purity baby foods. It has generated a lot of public outrage and a call for a Tiger Brands boycott.

Regards,
Cheryllyn

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Press Release: African Centre for Biosafety

4 June 2013

Tiger Brand snubs consumers on GM Purity baby food concerns

Tiger Brands has snubbed South African consumers who petitioned the company about high levels of genetically modified (GM) maize found in Tiger Brand’s Purity baby food products.

In April 2013 GMO watchdog organisation, the African Centre for Biosafety (ACB), sent two Purity products to an independent GMO testing laboratory to test for the presence of ingredients derived from GMOs. The results showed that Purity Baby’s First cereal contained 56.25% GM maize while Purity Cream of Maize contained 71.47% GM maize. Neither of the products were labelled as containing GM, as required by law.

Consumers were shocked to learn that they were feeding their babies the controversial foodstuff and outraged at the lack of labelling. 1000 consumers sent a petition to Tiger Brands demanding that the company go GM-free, or at the very least, label their foods so that consumers could avoid GMOs if they wish. One signatory said, “people need to be in charge of what they eat - NOT the biotech companies. ALL food containing any GM product MUST be labelled”.

Managing Executive of Tiger Brands, Mr Martin Lind, responded to the petition by assuring consumers that they are using ingredients that have been approved as safe by the Department of Agriculture. In his letter, Mr Lind explained how GMOs are regulated and supplied contact details for the GMO Registrar and the Consumer Goods Council, recommending that consumers take the issue up with them.

ACB director, Mariam Mayet, said that “Tiger Brands did not even acknowledge consumers concerns or preferences or respond to their demand for labelling. Instead, Tiger Brands was very condescending, implying that consumers are ignorant and that their concerns are baseless and referred consumers to government GMO regulators. The ACB is well aware how GMOs are regulated in this country; we have submitted detailed scientific comments in respect of over 50 GMO applications over the last 9 years to GMO regulators.”

Tiger Brands’ response contrasts starkly with two other food companies that have responded positively to South African consumer concerns over GMOs – FutureLife has pledged to go GM-free and Nestle has decided to take into account local needs and consumer preferences and refrain from using GM content in their baby food products.

Many of the petitioners left messages for Tiger Brands along with their signature. One concerned consumer stated that, “for more than a decade the South African government has been force-feeding the nation with untested toxic food”. Another said that “parents have the right to choose what they feed their children; not labelling GM content is unacceptable.” Many signatories stated that they were boycotting Tiger Brands products and encouraging others to do so until they went GM-free.

Consumer Awareness Campaigner for the ACB, Zakiyya Ismail, said that, “Consumers detest producers that are indifferent to their wants and they will use their power and vote with their wallets when it comes to Tiger Brands products”.

Ends// 479 words

Contact:

·        Ms. Mariam Mayet, Director, African Centre for Biosafety:083 269 4309

·        Ms. Zakiyya Ismail, Labelling Campaigner, African Centre for Biosafety: 083 273 7304

Notes to Editors:

·        South Africa is the only nation in the world eating a GM staple food. Almost all of South Africa’s maize is now genetically modified. According to recent offical reports, more than 80% of white maize and as much as 93% of yellow maize is genetically modified.

·        In Europe, consumers have so thoroughly rejected GM technology that major GM developer Monsanto announced last week that they will no longer attempt to gain regulatory approval for their products there. Monsanto’s GM maize, MON 810 is banned in eight European countries. This variety has been growing in South Africa since 1997. Seehttp://www.agprofessional.com/news/Monsanto-backing-away-from-GMO-crops-in-Europe-209696391.html

·        FutureLife has recently announced that their product will be GM free as of 1 July 2013 due to customer demand. FutureLife communique on going GM-free:http://www.futurelife.co.za/gmo/

·  Media Statement to Cape Times and Sowetan by Nestle, Media Relations Manager, Millicent Molete, to the following effect: “As a global food manufacturer, we take into consideration local needs and consumer preferences. It is for these reasons that all Nestle infant cereals manufactured in South Africa are now produced using non-GM maize”.

-ENDS-