Friends of the Earth Brazil had knowledge in the National Forum of Struggle against the Impacts of Pesticides and Transgenics of the authorisation made in the 259th Ordinary Meeting of CTNBio which took place on 1 March, 2023, which analysing the suit nº 01250.014650/2019-71 authorised the liberation of transgenic wheat (IND-ØØ412-7) in the country.
The liberation was carried out without the due development of studies concerning the impacts on the environment and human health. It is known that the authorisation to grow transgenics in the country has not been happening with the due public debate and the use of idoneous and independent studies about transnational corporations to verify dietary and biophysical safety. It is worth remembering that bill nº 2755/2021 aims exactly at prohibiting the growth and commercialisation of transgenic wheat in Brazil due to the risks to human health.
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Studies carried out by researchers in Public Universities point out that the technique of gene delivery of wheat involves the addition of 62 thousand DNA base pairs. In the case of transgenic soy, it is 4 or 5 thousand pairs, therefore it involves a genetic alteration of unknown proportions. Even more serious is one of the genes inserted in the modification of resistance to the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium, about which there are studies of the impacts on the nervous system. It is not for no reason that wheat gene delivery is prohibited in Europe.
Differently from other liberated products like soy, wheat is present in the daily life of all Brazilians. With the liberation, the people will be exposed to contamination without any control mechanism. Therefore, the liberation does not respect the Federal Constitution nor the need for an equilibrated environment, the obligation to prevent damage to health, besides the Cartagena Biosafety Protocol and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
We cannot keep privileging the interests of agribusiness companies to the detriment of Brazilian people’s health and environmental damage. We demand the immediate suspension of the liberation of transgenic wheat, and that independent studies about the possible impacts be carried out.
Friends of the Earth Brazil
Available on: https://www.uol.com.br/ecoa/colunas/mara-gama/2021/06/02/se-liberado-trigo-transgenico-fara-brasileiro-de-cobaia-diz-especialista.htm.