GE soya intercepted in Italy

This morning in Chioggia Italy, Greenpeace’s Esperanza intercepted the Panama-registered bulk carrier, 'Keoyang Majesty' carrying 40,000 thousands tonnes GE soya from Argentina and demanded an end to the massive contamination of the Italian food supply from these GE imports.

Greenpeace activists from Hungary, Australia and Germany have boarded the Keoyang Majesty, and are occupying two onboard cranes and one activist is hanging from the anchor chain, displaying banners saying ‘Don't Buy GE Food’ and ‘Defend Yourself from GMOs’.

"Italian consumers do not want GMOs to contaminate their food supply. We have a right to know and to say no to this GE in our food", said Federica Ferrario, our campaigner in Italy. "This GE soya is not feeding the world as claimed by the GE industries cynical marketing, it is used for feeding pigs, cows and chickens in Europe."

The Keoyang Majesty from Argentina is transporting GE soyameal for the multinational companies Bunge and Cargill, to be used for animal feed. Italy imports 4.2 million tonnes of soya annually for food and animal feed of which over 3 million tons are estimated to be GE or GE contaminated.

"Almost 100 percent of soya is GE in Argentina. This GE-soya obsession has become an environmental and social nightmare in Argentina. However, Argentina is determined to produce GE soya to feed pigs, cows and chickens in the developed world. Meanwhile, many Argentinean families are being evicted from their lands to make room for large GE soya
plantations," said Daniela Montalto, our GE Campaigner from Argentina, who is on board the Esperanza.

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