Bioengineering titan Monsanto has now abandoned all future plans to pursue the approval and cultivation of genetically modified (GM) cultivation in Europe.
The company will pull about 10 applications it filed in countries across Europe that sought approval for new crops. Monsanto has cited numerous factors that contributed to its decision to forego pursuing the applications. RT.com reported that a Monsanto representative claimed that it was because of low demand among farmers. Another source said that it was because of reasons on a governmental level.
The representative outlined Monsanto’s motives, saying the company “currently has suspended the progression of cultivation files towards decisions for political reasons.”
Many of Monsanto’s GMO products, including MON810 maize, were banned by eight European Union countries. And since 1998, not a single new GM crop has been approved for cultivation by the EU. Company representatives have attested to Monsanto’s unpopularity with European farmers.
Monsanto Germany spokesperson Ursule Luttmer-Ouazane said “We’ve [Monsanto] understood that such plants don’t have any broad acceptance in European societies.” So much, in fact, that many of Monsanto’s competitors have already abandoned their pursuit of GMO cultivation.
Although it took the EU about 15 years to stonewall Monsanto into withdrawing their goals of cultivating GM crops, the country remained steadfast in their rejection of unnatural crops, resulting in a certain win for environmental and health advocates.
Joshua de Leon is a writer and researcher with Ring of Fire.
