Expansionary Institute

Michael Zey
futurist3000@aol.com

Greenpeace said in a statement it believed that the 60,000 tonnes of U.S.-grown soya beans being imported by agribusiness giant Cargill for processing in Ghent, northern Belgium, were "genetically contaminated."

"We can not confirm that, though there is a likelihood some of them might be (genetically modified)," Cargill spokesman Randy MacNack told Reuters, adding that the company was importing the beans legally.

"Given the infrastructure of where we buy the beans and the amount of crops grown from GM seeds it is likely they are mixed."

Some European consumer groups, food manufacturers and supermarkets have demanded that GM crops be strictly separated from non-GM crops. They have also asked for strict labelling of any foods that might contain genetically modified products.

"We have acted this morning because GM crops are not wanted in Europe, consumers don't want it in the food chain and supermarkets don't want it in the food chain," Greenpeace member Jean-Francois Fauconnier told Reuters by telephone.

After talks with the mayor of Terneuzen, who is responsible for the free movement of vessels on the canal up to the Belgian border, Greenpeace agreed not to stop the cargo ship from entering the lock at high tide on Monday morning.

"We have a guarantee the ship will not enter the canal before midnight," Fauconnier said, adding that the protesters had been informed they would be arrested if they blocked the ship.

The ship, which Greenpeace named as the George sailing from New Orleans in the United States, could theoretically enter the lock again at high tide on Sunday evening.

10:19 12-03-00

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