November 20, 2012
Russia approves GM soy in animal feed
The use of GM soy BPS-CV127-9 (BASF Plant Science Company) has been recently approved by the Russian authorities for use in animal feed.
This strain of soy is resistant to herbicide of imidazolines class. The strain can only be imported into Russia in the form of beans and the beans have to be processed to render them unable to reproduce.
GM soy BPS-CV127-9 can now be used exclusively for the production of feed and feed additives for different species of animals. At the same time, the cultivation of this crop in Russia is still prohibited. Members of the public and representatives of the country''s consumer groups have criticised the decision. Experts have once again stated the country need to adopt a new legal framework with tougher restrictions on the use GMO crops in feed production. Experts have also called for "transparency" of the process of importation and distribution of GMO''s. The experts believe that transparency is vital especially after Russia''s accession into WTO, which opens the door for new GM-crops entering the country.
"After Russia''s accession to the WTO, the volume of imported transgenic products will continue to grow in the Russian market," says Victoria Kopeikin, representative of the alliance "Biosafety." In this regard, the alliance proposed in the Russian Parliament a five-year moratorium on the cultivation of GM crops in the country. During this period, it will be possible to prepare a legal framework that would ensure "transparency" of the process of importation and distribution of products containing GMOs, Kipeikini said.
According to Kopeikin, it is extremely necessary to legislate funding for independent studies on the impact of GMO production on human and animal health. Now, about 99% of these studies are conducting with funds from leading multinational companies. In this regard, experts strongly doubt their objectivity.