Mainstream news media doesn’t give much coverage about the worldwide protests against GMOs, GM and GE crops. These have occurred under the general public’s radar, but they have impacted many countries, specifically 19 countries.Reuters reported in October 2015 that the “Majority of EU nations seek opt-out from growing GM crops.”

19 EU member states made the request to opt-out for either all or part of their territories from “Cultivation of a Monsanto genetically-modified crop, which is authorized to be grown in the European Union, the European Commission.”

The 28 nations of the EU had until October 3, 2015 to exercise their opt-out option. This opt-out ratio reflects the general European public’s opposition to Monsanto’s GMO crops. Specially, Monsanto’s GM maize MON 810 or “for pending applications, of which there are eight so far.”

Even in the face of such unified opposition, Monsanto stands strong that such requests to opt-out are “unscientific”. GMO Free Regions provides an updated “opt-out monitor” of the European countries that have opted-out of Monsanto (1).

The 19 countries opting out include:

–> Austria

–> Belgium for the Wallonia region

–> Britain for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

–> Bulgaria

–> Croatia

–> Cyprus

–> Denmark

–> France

–> Germany (except for research)

–> Greece

–> Hungary

–> Italy

–> Latvia

–> Lithuania

–> Luxembourg

–> Malta

–> the Netherlands

–> Poland

–> Slovenia









Studies on Harmful Effects of GMO Crops and Herbicides

In July 2014, Collective Evolution published an extensive article summarizing more than a dozen studies linking GMO corn, glyphosate and other GMO crops and herbicides to various physical diseases and side effects. These included cancer, liver and kidney damage as well as “severe hormonal disruption” (2).

In August 2014, TSW discussed the increase in cancer of those living near farms growing GM crops.

In July 2015, TSW reported on the announcement made by the “UN’s [United Nations] ‘France-based cancer research arm of the World Health Organization’ International Agency for Research on Cancer IARC (IARC) glysophate (Roundup)” that the herbicide “is a carcinogenic agent. In fact, France has banned all ‘glyphosate-based products’ from its garden centers” (3).

Prior to that “On June 14, 2015, French Ecology Minister Segolene Royal announced France was banning the sale of Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer and other glyphosate products from all of its garden centers. Phys. Org reported that France had banned the ‘sale of Monsanto herbicide Roundup in nurseries’.”

Cornering the world’s food market via seed patents for GMO crops followed by patent infringement lawsuits for accidental cross-pollination and the GMO crops designed specifically for the company’s herbicide Roundup is a multi-billion dollar business. Monsanto goes on the defensive to protect its world market share, which is massive. One of the tactics used is to try to discredit studies that reveal Monsanto’s crops and herbicides are major health risks.

TSW discussed how in “late June 2014, GMO Seralini announced the republishing of its 2012 study that was originally published in Food and Chemical Toxicology (FCT). That study, however, was ‘retracted by the editor-in-chief in November 2013 after a sustained campaign of criticism and defamation by pro-GMO scientists’” (4).