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| Growing, Harvesting and Distribution |
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January 2000
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All GM crops currently being grown commercially and ending up in the human food supply are grown overseas, mainly in North America. This second flowchart maps the movement of GM material from the life sciences company that produces the original seeds, through the growing and trading process, to its export to the UK. We can expect a similar process to occur in the UK if GM crops are commercialised in the future. Go to Glossary |
| Notes The flow of GM material can follow any one of myriad paths from the farmer who grows it to the consumer of the food containing GM ingredients. This flow chart demonstrates how the vast majority of GM material gets from the Life Sciences company, through the agribusiness sector, before it finally ends up in the UK. Since this flowchart shows the passage of bulk GM material, it has to be transported at every stage, whether by lorry, barge or train. Some GM material receives initial processing in the country of origin. Some however is processed in the final destination country, and some in a third country (eg for UK imports, much has come in via Rotterdam, and been processed there). Some GM material will arrive in the UK as a processed food, as will meat and dairy products from animals reared on a diet contianing GM ingredients. Thus the latter stages of processing shown on page 6 might sometimes happen before the export / import. The companies that transport processed food to the UK are often the same import / export companies that transport the raw agricultural commodities. |
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| Glossary | |
| Elevator Stores grain, oil etc in large silos, often where a commodity is transferred from one form of transportation to another, such as docks. In the USA, where much of the GM material in the UK comes from, many of these are on the banks of the Mississippi river. From here it is loaded onto barges which deliver it to ports on the east coast. Often elevators are part of one of the large iport / export companies such as Cargill or Archer Daniels Midland. |
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| Exporter (See IMPORT / EXPORT COMPANY, ) |
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| Farmer Grows the crop. Most GM crops (soya, maize and canola / oil seed rape) come from USA, Argentina, Canada, Brazil. A US farming survey has shown the 2000 crop of GM corn is over 20% down on the previous year, mainly due to collapse of European markets; GM soya planting is down 15% [see American Corn Growers Association, www.acga.org/news/ ]. Farmers may also rear livestock on animal feed containing GM material. |
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| Ingredients processor Separates soya beans / rape seed / maize into oil, flour, gluten, meal, hulls, starch etc. Again, it is often part of one of the import / export companies. |
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| Life sciences company (See also page 3). Multinational company which produces agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and often veterinary and 'healthcare' products. Life sciences is a relatively new concept which seeks to exploit biotechnology in pharmaceuticals and agriculture. This is already being questioned by ANALYSTS and as a result some companies are moving away from this model. GM crops are developed by these companies by the agrochemical or 'crop protection' division, often to be resistant to their own brand herbicides. Most of these companies also own seed companies (see below). E.g. Monsanto, Aventis, Novartis, AstraZeneca, DuPont. www.corporatewatch.org/pages/cwaventis.html |
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| Port authority (See page 5) |
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| Seed company (See also page 3) Breeds commercial quantities of GM seeds for sale to farmers. It does this under license from the LIFE SCIENCES COMPANY. Seed companies are often owned by life sciences companies. Examples are Plant Genetic Systems (owned by Aventis), Pioneer Hi-bred International (owned by DuPont) and Sharpes International Seeds. Back l Next page |
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