by Heidi Stevenson   

Monsanto and BASF are pulling out of Europe, saying that they've been beaten by the protesters. It sounds too good to be true.

That's because it is.

**The Set Up**

On 18 January, BASF announced that they're moving development and marketing of genetically modified (GM) crops from Europe to the United States and South America. Stefan Marcinowski, a member of BASF's executive board, described the reason this way:

"[T]here is still a lack of acceptance for this technology in many parts of Europe—from the majority of consumers, farmers and politicians. Therefore, it does not make business sense to continue investing in products exclusively for cultivation in this market."


Monsanto pulled its cereal seed business out of Europe nearly ten years ago, ostensibly because of public pressure against GMOs, but in reality because trials for their wheat and corn in Germany, France, and the Czech Republic were dismal failures.

It sounds like public opinion against GMOs in the EU is winning the day. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. The EU has signaled its willingness to go along with genetically modified crops by approving two potato varieties:

-- Europe Approves Antibiotic Resistant Genetically Modified Potato (http://bit.ly/xlN6c8): The starch of this potato by BASF would be used by industry for its glue-like characteristic. However, the skins will be used for animal feed.

-- GM Potatoes Headed for Europe's Supermarket Shelves (http://bit.ly/y41TZI): This BASF potato has been approved for testing—and it's intended for human consumption.

Anyone who follows EU politics with regard to genetically modified crops and alternative health issues, not to mention virtually anything associated with business interests, is aware that the EU is not particularly interested in what the citizens want. The EU’s constitution enshrines the concept of corporate personhood. In effect, the entire purpose of the EU is to support corporate interests. After all, it started out as the European Economic Community.

It is, therefore, in terms of economics that we can see why Monsanto and BASF are pulling out of Europe.

**The Process**

To corporations, food is simply a marketable product. Major changes are taking place in the world-wide system of producing and selling food. In a system that is able to keep customers in the dark about the source of food and whether it’s genetically engineered, it makes no difference to corporations where they develop, produce, or market their products. Most of it is sold to other corporations, not directly to the consumer.

The fact is that Monsanto and BASF don’t really care if the public doesn’t want their products. Through treaties, they have maneuvered to blindfold the public about both the source of food and its genetic makeup. By manipulating—buying out—governmental agencies in the US, they have gained almost complete free reign in the development, production, and marketing of their toxic crap.

Through the World Trade Organization, they have gotten nearly every nation in the world to agree to their definition of free trade. As a direct result, we are about to lose the right to know where our food is produced—See The Source of Food Is None of Your Business, Says WTO (http://bit.ly/wYFCbd). Because consumers might make buying decisions based on the source of food, labeling it is being treated as an unfair barrier to trade.

**The Sting**

Monsanto and BASF have no reason to care whether the people of Europe—or anywhere else—do or don't want their GM garbage. They've pulled out of Europe for business reasons alone. The climate and amount of agricultural land in China and the US are generally far superior to Europe's. They have governments that are going along with the trade agreements, and in China they have work forces that can be treated as little more than slaves.

These Agribusiness corporations are taking their development and production of GM crops out of Europe for purely tactical reasons. Blaming the public's backlash is a brilliant stroke. It gives the impression that they're leaving with their tails between their legs, cowed by a victorious campaign against them.

They are counting on that sense of victory to blind people to the reality.

GM foods will show up on supermarket shelves. It will happen quietly. While savoring an apparent victory, the people will begin eating GM poison. It won't be labeled as GM. It won't be labeled as imported. It won't matter if individual nations in the EU have laws banning GM crops and products. The EU has signed the treaties. The EU will go along with the importation of food without country of origin or genetically modified labels. They agreed to it when they signed the treaties.

Read the original here: (http://bit.ly/A4lMYi)