Ad Campaign Urges Farmers to Avoid
Genetically Engineered Crops & Go With Conventional
Statistics show GE crops may be shrinking international markets

Date 3/21/01

LEWISTON, Minn. In response to mounting farmer concerns over genetically engineered crops, the Farmer-to-Farmer Campaign on Genetic Engineering in Agriculture has launched a major educational initiative. In a print and radio advertising blitz targeting Minnesota and other key Midwestern states, the Campaign is urging farmers to look at the declining export markets for GE crops before making final planting decisions this spring. The Land Stewardship Project is a founding member of the Farmer-to-Farmer Campaign.

The Campaign is encouraging farmers to consider the impact GE crops will have on export markets and to call 1-800-639-FARM to get more information on GE crops. The ad campaign targets corn and soybean farmers in Minnesota as well as Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and South Dakota. This is a grassroots effort that is intended to provide balanced information on genetic engineering from a farmer perspective, said Land Stewardship Project member Jim Riddle, who participated in creating the Farmer-to-Farmer Campaign. Riddle, of Winona, Minn., said that providing farmers with a non-industry perspective on genetic engineering is critical at this time.

"Family farmers are seeing overseas markets shrink partly because of genetically engineered seed," he said. "Prices are already low and these market declines can only do more harm. The Farmer-to-Farmer Campaign is encouraging farmers to consider this problem when they buy their seed this spring."

The ads highlight recent negative market developments brought on by GE crops, including:

• The USDA recently lowered its forecast of corn exports for the marketing year by 90 million bushels, a cut private analysts say is largely due to the impact of the contamination of the corn crop by the genetically modified corn StarLink, according to an article in the Feb. 25 Des Moines Register.
  
  
• U.S. corn export projections are being reduced because some importers, especially Japan, are expected to minimize purchases of varieties of corn not approved for some, or all, uses, according to the USDA
  
  
• Brazil has won its first contract to supply Spain with 150,000 tons of non-GMO corn. The corn was sold at a 15-cent premium. In 1999, we lost $200 million in sales of corn to Spain and Portugal alone. A leader of a Brazilian cooperative said that country may export GMO-free corn to Japan, according to the Reuters News Service.
  
  
• Europe is buying non-GMO soybeans. From 1995 to 2000, the U.S. has lost 14.3 percent of its export market share in soybeans, while Brazil's market share has climbed 10.7 percent, according to the USDA.
  
  
• As of the third week in February, the combined total of accumulated U.S. corn exports and outstanding U.S. corn export sales to Japan was 65 million bushels less than at the same time last year, according to the USDA.
  
  

The Farmer-to-Farmer Campaign on Genetic Engineering in Agriculture is a collaborative effort among family farm organizations to promote the farmer perspective on genetic engineering in agriculture. The campaign works to make the family farmer¹s voice heard in the debate over developing policies related to genetic engineering in agriculture. In November 1999, over 30 farm groups endorsed the Farmer¹s Declaration on Genetic Engineering in Agriculture, an initial effort of the campaign. Besides the Land Stewardship Project, groups involved in the media campaign are Dakota Rural Action, Illinois Stewardship Alliance, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and Missouri Rural Crisis Center.

FARM DIRECTORS & EDITORS: To record the radio ads, call Maria Levey at January Communications, 703-418-2060. A radio actuality is also available at that same number.

The print advertisement can bee seen in recent issues of Agri News, The Farmer and The Land.

To view the PDF image of the Farmer-to-Farmer advertisement using Adobe Acrobat Reader click here.

 ©Land Stewardship Project, 2001


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