Editors, Progressive Farmer / Thursday, July 27, 2000
A lawsuit filed three years ago by Greenpeace claiming that genetically engineered Bt crops were negligently approved has been dismissed this week by a U.S. District Court judge in Washington, D.C. Greenpeace had virtually given up this court fight even before the judge's dismissal by withdrawing from the case.
"This just goes to show that Greenpeace and others don't have a leg to stand on when it comes to the science," says Michael J. Phillips, the executive director for the Biotechnology Industry Organization. "These crops enhance environmental quality when compared to the pesticide alternatives ... and that's exactly what the EPA's response said."
Phillips refers to a 100-page EPA response to Greenpeace's claims. The report "refuted every argument that Greenpeace had made," says Phillips.
The agency found "no valid data demonstrating adverse effects on Monarch butterflies or other nontarget organisms." Phillips noted that the judge dismissed the case "with prejudice," which is the court's way of telling Greenpeace that "this never should have been brought to our attention in the first place."
Greenpeace has a different interpretation of events. "We have withdrawn the suit voluntarily without prejudice," says Charles Margulis, the organization's genetic engineering specialist. "We reserve the right to bring this matter back to court. We felt it was an important victory when we forced their [EPA's] response earlier this year," he says. Greenpeace will now evaluate its options as the first Bt crops come up for re-registration under the EPA. The EPA court response is being reviewed to see if it raises new issues Greenpeace may "want to look at," Margulis says.
(posted without permission)
