The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has defended its support of the Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS), despite strong opposition from over 80 international environmental organizations.

The groups signed an opposition statement to the RTRS standards agreed last week, condemning them for promoting genetically modified (GM) soy as "responsible". They have called for the abandonment of the Round Table on Responsible Soy, saying that its agreed voluntary production standards are too weak to protect biodiversity, GM soy should be excluded from the program, and "RTRS allows and encourages the expansion of soy monocultures".

But WWF has said that it is a "technologically neutral" organization, although it will continue to promote labeling of RTRS soy that is non-GM.

Defending GM inclusion

Forest conversion programme coordinator at WWF Carrie Svingen told FoodNavigator-USA.com that it is important to include the largest part of the soy industry in any discussion on sustainability.

She said: "Our core issue is deforestation and loss of natural habitat We are interested in shifting the industry at large towards sustainable production, so we have to address the issue with the industry at large."

GM soy accounted for 58.6 percent of worldwide soy production in 2007 - a greater proportion than for any other crop. Additionally, 64 percent of Brazil's and 98 percent of Argentina's soybean crops were GM in 2007.

Responsible soy?

However, Clare Oxborrow, a Senior Food Campaigner for Friends of the Earth - one of the opposition letter's signatories - told this website that increased herbicide use associated with GM soy means that "there is no way that you can look at it and say that GM soy is sustainable The only responsible soy is less."

She added: "It [the RTRS document] is not to improve sustainability; it's to improve the perception of sustainability."

Oxborrow also said that there were "too many caveats" in the RTRS agreement which could still allow deforestation.

The declaration specifically forbids expanding soy cultivation on land cleared of native habitat during an initial 12-month field test period. But it excepts producers if they produce "scientific evidence from a comprehensive and professional third party assessment of the area concerned" showing that it does not contain primary forest, other High Conservation Value Areas or local peoples' lands.

WWF has also expressed its concern about a lack of unity on the issue within the RTRS.

"WWF is working within the RTRS to ensure that the RTRS standard contains strong criteria for the protection of biodiversity and other environmental and social values threatened by the indiscriminate expansion of soy production," it said.

According to figures from the Food and Agriculture Organization, world soy production increased from 144 million tonnes in 1997, to 216 million tonnes last year. In the same period, land area used for soy has increased from 67 million hectares to 94 million hectares.

Signatories to the opposition statement include the Institute for Responsible Technology, Friends of the Earth International, the Global Forest Coalition and the Soya Alliance.

The full statement and list of signatories can be accessed online here. The RTRS statement is online here.     

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