MONSANTO, the American biotech giant, is facing an unprecedented wave of
criticism from within the industry. Many of Monsanto鈥檚 rivals say the company is
largely to blame for a consumer backlash that could cripple the prospects for
genetically engineered food in Europe.
Polls show that consumer acceptance of engineered food has collapsed in
Europe since 1997, when it emerged that Monsanto鈥檚 herbicide-resistant Roundup
Ready soya beans had been shipped to Europe mixed with ordinary soya. Consumers
interpreted the move as a ploy to force transgenic soya down European
throats.
Monsanto officials have always maintained that the decision not to segregate
was made by farmers and distributors, but they admit to misjudging the mood in
Europe. Monsanto was convinced that smooth acceptance of transgenic soya in the
US would be mirrored in Europe.
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The entire industry is now having to deal with the consequences of that
miscalculation. Though wary of breaking a tradition of solidarity against
opponents of genetic engineering, other companies are distancing themselves from
Monsanto. 鈥淲e have a PR mountain to climb,鈥� says Willy de Greef, head of
regulatory and government affairs at Novartis Seeds in Basel, Switzerland. 鈥淵ou
have a problem if the market leader has firmly set ideas about how to do things,
which others might not agree with,鈥� he adds. 鈥淎n expensive failure can be made
into an asset if you鈥檝e learnt from it, but Monsanto still has some learning to
诲辞.鈥�
Zeneca, the British-based biotechnology giant, also feels aggrieved, not
least because it won applause from consumer groups in 1996 by labelling its
tomato pur茅e as containing genetically modified tomatoes. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a matter
of respect for your customer,鈥� says Nigel Poole, head of regulatory affairs at
Zeneca Plant Science in Bracknell, Berkshire.
Another senior figure in the industry, who asked to remain anonymous, is more
blunt, accusing Monsanto of 鈥渁rrogant stupidity鈥�. He adds: 鈥淭he issue with
Roundup Ready soya beans is the elimination of choice. It鈥檚 not about genetic
engineering, it鈥檚 an issue of `no one鈥檚 going to tell me what to eat鈥�.鈥�
Other companies are less willing to single out Monsanto for criticism, but
those contacted by 麻豆传媒 agree that the failure to segregate
Roundup Ready soya was a setback. And the problems didn鈥檛 end there, say some
industry sources: a high-profile advertising campaign from Monsanto, designed to
reassure European consumers, has if anything hardened negative public attitudes
to agricultural biotechnology. 鈥淲e鈥檙e as fed up as some others with the
Yankee-Doodle language that comes to our consumers,鈥� says de Greef of
Novartis.
Even some US companies, insulated from the worst effects of the European
storm, are concerned. Du Pont of Wilmington, Delaware, is worried about the
impact of Monsanto鈥檚 stance on future launches of its products in Europe. 鈥淚t
may be more difficult now,鈥� says a spokesman.
When it comes to their own-brand products, many of Britain鈥檚 major retailers
are telling their soya suppliers to order as much material as possible from
sources outside the US鈥攎ainly in Argentina and Brazil鈥攖hat are
guaranteed unmodified. But Brazil last month approved commercial plantings of
Roundup Ready soya beans, and Monsanto aims to capture 20 per cent of the
Brazilian market within three years.
Monsanto argues that the company is being singled out because it is the
market leader. 鈥淲e certainly didn鈥檛 intend to drop other companies in it,鈥� says
Monsanto spokesman Dan Verakis. 鈥淚f people think we started the controversy, we
are certainly trying to clarify it.鈥�