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Study Warns of Genetic Contamination by Thousands
of US Field Tests

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 14, 2001, 10 AM EDT

CONTACT:
Amanda Gordon, NET, 202-887-8831 or 202-887-8841
Liz Hitchcock, U.S. PIRG, 202-546-9707 (ext.316)

New Study Finds Thousands of Field Tests of Genetically Engineered
Crops Across the U.S.

Experiments pose a contamination threat for farmers and the environment

Washington, DC - Each year biotechnology companies plant thousands of
acres of experimental genetically engineered crops in fields across the U.S.
Nearly 30,000 field tests of genetically engineered organisms were
authorized by the Department of Agriculture between 1987 and 2000 despite
serious environmental and contamination threats and inadequate regulations
in place to monitor their impacts, according to a new report released today
by U.S. Public Interest Research Group and the Genetically Engineered
Food Alert coalition.

The report, Raising Risk: Field Testing of Genetically Engineered Crops
in the U.S., documents for the first time the extent of field testing of
genetically engineered crops in the U.S and highlights the potential risks
associated with the release of genetically engineered plants into the
environment.

"Our environment is being used as a laboratory for widespread
experimentation on genetically engineered organisms with profound risks
that, once released, can never be recalled," said Richard Caplan,
environmental advocate for U.S. Public Interest Research Group and
report author. "Until proper safeguards are in place, this unchecked
experiment should cease."

Experimental field crop plots pose increased risks to farmers in terms of
the threat of contamination. Farmers do not have access to where test plots
of genetically engineered crops are growing, nor how prevalent they are.
The current system leaves farmers susceptible to cross-pollination between
their crops, which may not be grown with genetically engineered seed, and
industry's experimental GE crop plots.

Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease
Control (CDC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are investigating
StarLink, a genetically engineered corn, not approved for human consumption
because it may be a human food allergen. Last year, the Genetically
Engineered Food Alert discovered that StarLink had contaminated the human
food supply which forced FDA to recall over 300 food products and cost
farmers, food processors and the grain industry millions of dollars in lost
profit.

"If any one of the 29,000 experimental test plots has cross-pollinated with
local agriculture crops they could have the same effect on the U.S. food
supply as StarLink has," Caplan said.

Plants engineered to produce proteins with insecticidal properties, such as
the common genetically engineered Bt corn, may damage the soil, or harm
so-called nontarget species like the monarch butterfly. Further, plants
engineered to be virus resistant can cause new viral strains to evolve or
make existing viruses more severe. If field experiments are not properly
monitored, genetic pollution can result, inadvertently releasing
experimental genes into the environment putting farmers' livelihoods and the
environment at risk.

Key findings of the report include

More than 60% of all field tests conducted in the last year now contain
secret genes classified as "Confidential Business Information," which means
that the public has no access to information about experiments being
conducted in their communities.

Between 1987-2000, Monsanto (or a now wholly owned subsidiary) applied
to conduct the greatest number of field tests every year, with nearly 2,000
applications.

Since 1995, seven of the top 10 companies seeking to conduct field tests
have merged into two companies: Monsanto and DuPont.

As of January 2001, the ten states and territories that have hosted the
greatest number of field test sites are: Hawaii (3,275), Illinois (2,832),
Iowa (2,820), Puerto Rico (2,296), California (1,435), Idaho (1,060),
Minnesota (1,055), Nebraska (971), Wisconsin (918), and Indiana (886).

These experimental genetically engineered crops are growing in the open
environment to test the outcome and environmental impact of certain gene
combinations. Genetically Engineered Food Alert coalition charged that
field testing genetically engineered crops in such a widespread way poses
serious threats to the environment and neighboring farmers.

A major goal of the field tests is to obtain information about potential
ecological risks associated with genetically engineered organisms. However,
independent reviews of the data collected by the Department of Agriculture
demonstrate that very little data has been collected. As a result, despite
the large number of field experiments that have occurred, fundamental
questions about their impact remain unanswered, including long-term impacts
on the soil and nontarget species.

"Any new technology must be tested, but there are important scientific
issues that must be addressed before genetically engineered foods can be
released into the environment even in the context of testing," said Paul
Muegge, a farmer and Oklahoma State Senator. "To conduct field tests before
this has been done is both premature and hazardous; it is like carrying out
clinical trials of a drug before the laboratory tests are complete."

The report, Raising Risk: Field Testing of Genetically Engineered Crops in
the US, is available at www.pirg.org/ge

30 -- 30 -- 30

U.S. PIRG is the national lobbying office for state-based Public Interest
Research Groups across the country. The state PIRGs are independent,
non-profit, non-partisan advocates for the public interest.
www.pirg.org/uspirg

Genetically Engineered Food Alert founding members include: Center for
Food Safety, Friends of the Earth, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy,
National Environmental Trust, Organic Consumers Association, Pesticide
Action Network North America, and the State Public Interest Research
Groups. Genetically Engineered Food Alert supports the removal of
genetically engineered ingredients from grocery store shelves unless they
are adequately safety tested and labeled. The campaign is endorsed by
more than 200 scientists, religious leaders, doctors, chefs, environmental
and health leaders, as well as farm groups. www.gefoodalert.org
********************************
Friday June 15, 12:25 am Eastern Time

Experimental Testing of Biotech Foods May Spread
Crops Into the Environment, Group Says

By LEON DROUIN KEITH Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Farmers, consumers and the environment are in
danger of accidentally getting genetically engineered crops that spread from
experimental field plots, environmental groups assert in a new report.
The report, released Thursday, by the California Public Interest Research
Group and Genetically Engineered Food Alert criticized the Agriculture
Department for the lax oversight of testing of genetically engineered crops.
``Our environment is being used as a widespread laboratory for experiments
on genetically engineered foods,'' said Julie Miles, the research group's
Safe Foods Campaign director, at a press conference where the report was
released.

The report contends that the USDA's requirements fail to adequately guard
against experimental plants spreading beyond test plots and contaminating
the food supply and the environment. The fact that the USDA accepts all
but 4 percent of the testing applications it receives indicates the agency is
rubber-stamping requests, environmentalists said.

The report also decries the increased secrecy surrounding the genes
introduced into test plants; nearly two-thirds of the tests last year were
considered to be ``confidential business information.''

``The oversight of the technology is inadequate and in dire need of
re-evaluation,'' report author Richard Caplan said in a telephone interview.
James Birch, an organic farmer who spoke at the conference, said he's
concerned that genetically altered organisms could end up on some of his
50 acres of crops in the Central Valley.

``Corn pollen can travel for miles. There's a chance it could end up in my
field,'' said Birch, who doesn't use manure on his crops because livestock
are commonly given genetically engineered feed.

``There have to be better safeguards or these organisms will find their way
back into the food system,'' he said.

Genetically modified plants -- which make up more than half of the nation's
corn and soybean production -- have received more acceptance in the United
States than in Europe, but still have not escaped controversy here. Biotech
corn not approved for consumer use contaminated some of the corn supply
last year, prompting recalls of taco shells and other products.
But industry spokespeople said their overall record is a sign that federal
regulators are protecting the public.

``The precautions themselves over 14 years show that the regulatory system
is protecting the environment and farmers,'' said Mark Buckingham of
Monsanto Co. [NYSE:MON - news], the corporation issued the most permits
for test plots.

Buckingham said tests must be conducted with preventive measures such as
using other crops as buffers, destroying test plants and growing them at
different times than nearby conventional crops.

Lisa Dry, communications director for the Biotechnology Industry
Organization, said most test applications are approved because ``we've got
a bunch of very good scientists submitting data packages they want to be
sure are correct.''

Secrecy is needed for crops that aren't yet ready for the market because of
competition, said Doyle Karr, a spokesman for Pioneer Hi-Bred
International, a DuPont subsidiary. ``It's part of the business we're in,''
he said.

The report gave an overview of the nearly 29,000 field tests of genetically
engineered crops authorized by the USDA between 1987 and 2000. Most
of them took place in the last three years.

Hawaii hosted the most experimental sites with 3,275, and was followed by
Illinois, Iowa and Puerto Rico and California.