MAIZALL Position Paper On Biotechnology

Position Paper on the Authorization of Biotech Products

1. MAIZALL is the international maize alliance of growers associations from Argentina, Brazil and the United States. MAIZALL’s producers grow the majority of the world’s exportable surplus of maize (70 %) (Maizall.org).

2. Growing world demand for safe and affordable food, fueled by population growth and increasing incomes in developing countries present opportunities for farmers around the world. Meeting the demands in areas of shortage requires an open global trading system that is based on predictable, transparent and science-based food safety regulations.

3. MAIZALL believes that biotechnology and new breeding techniques are among the tools necessary to increase production sustainably. New and better products are constantly being developed, and MAIZALL’s farmers are committed to using them as soon as their effectiveness and safety have been confirmed.

4. Unfortunately, there are several countries that: 1) do not have an adequate regulatory system at all; 2) have developed inadequate systems or 3) have adequate systems and procedures that do not function properly or are not implemented in a timely manner. This leads to a situation where new agricultural biotechnology crops are subject to asynchronous approvals between markets, which has resulted in severe trade obstacles at the expense of maize producers, exporters, importers, livestock farmers and consumers.

5. MAIZALL’s members are and will remain competitors on the world market, but have come together to pursue the shared objective of removing market obstacles to the export of biotech maize and other innovative products. To this end, MAIZALL engages with all stakeholders in the agri-supply chain and with the governments of maize exporting- and importing countries.

6. MAIZALL also aims to promote the acceptance of agricultural biotechnology by providing information on its safety, use and economic, environmental and social benefits. We are aware that farmable land, water and other natural resources are limited. In combination with the growing demand for food around the world, this means that farmers are increasingly challenged to increase productivity from their land and to do so in a sustainable way.

7. As farmers, we want to be good stewards of our land. It is our greatest asset. Improved technology is essential to good stewardship so that we can leave our land in even better condition for future generations.