GMO critics’ Resolutions Fail at Monsanto AGM
Two shareholder resolutions backed by environmental, food safety and consumer activists groups failed to be approved at Monsanto's annual general meeting in suburban St. Louis, Missouri on Jan. 28 after the U.S. agrochemicals giant recommended rejection of the proposals, reports the news agency Reuters.
Critics of genetically modified crops protesting at the meeting called for the world's largest seed company to provide a report on contamination in non-GMO crops and to stop fighting mandatory labels on foods containing GMO ingredients. They claimed that more than 2.6 million members support their efforts.
Some two dozen protesters waved signs criticizing the $15 billion company, and one man is said to have been arrested. "We are asking for shareholders to vote in favor of transparency," said Margot McMillen, a Missouri farmer and member of the executive council of the National Family Farm Coalition, who introduced one of the resolutions.
Board chairman Hugh Grant acknowledged that the company has not done a good job winning public trust, and told shareholders at the meeting that the company was changing its approach. "There is a recognition that we need to do more," he said.
One of the resolutions seeking a company report on seed contamination of non-GMO crops, including costs of seed replacement, and crop and production losses, including losses associated with market rejections gathered only 6.51% of the vote. A related resolution calling on Monsanto to work with government regulators to set a standard threshold for foods containing GMO ingredients that should be labeled garnered 4.16%.
Grant said the company supports voluntary labeling of GMO foods by individual food companies but believes mandatory labeling could confuse and mislead consumers if there is no meaningful difference in nutrition or safety of the foods.
More than 20 U.S. states are contemplating mandatory labeling of GMO foods, and Congress and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are being pushed to act on this issue.
