October, 1999

Lawsuit targets genetic engineering firms

by Lee Dean

Opponents of genetic engineering have added a legal angle to their public relations campaign against biotech foods by filing antitrust lawsuits against the companies responsible for the technology.

The lawsuits will accuse the companies of using the technology to gain control of world agriculture, according to activist Jeremy Rifkin, who is director of the Foundation on Economic Trends.

Until now, biotech opponents have worked on persuading food manufacturers not to buy genetically modified crops and getting governments to require the labeling of altered foods. Greenpeace recently scored a victory when Gerber Food Products agreed not to use bioengineered raw products to make their baby foods.

Eight major antitrust law firms have agreed to handle the lawsuits. Rifkin added that plaintiffs would include individual farmers and the National Family Farm Coalition.
Genetically altered crops have done well in the American ag production marketplace. The story is different in Europe, where concern is fueled by environmental fears and concerns about economic concentration.

"In less than five, six years from now virtually no farmer in the world will own any seed again," Rifkin said.

Defenders of the technology say it can increase yields while reducing the need for pesticides and eventually will lead to nutritionally enhanced crops.

Rifkin said the lawsuits would be filed before the next round of negotiations by the World Trade Organization start in November. Biotechnology is expected to be a major issue of the talks.

The Fruit Growers News