Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 51122 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08MUNICH365, GERMANY/AGRICULTURE: GUILT BY ASSOCIATION - GENETICALLY

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08MUNICH365.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08MUNICH365 2008-11-10 10:42 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Munich
VZCZCXRO7391
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHYG
DE RUEHMZ #0365/01 3151042
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 101042Z NOV 08
FM AMCONSUL MUNICH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4559
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEU/EU INTEREST COLLECTIVE
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MUNICH 000365 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
USDA FOR FAS/OSTA EJONES AND OCRA/EUR BBAYSINGER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TBIO BTIO PGOV GM
SUBJECT:  GERMANY/AGRICULTURE: GUILT BY ASSOCIATION - GENETICALLY 
ENGINEERED CORN TARNISHES MONSANTO'S IMAGE IN BAVARIA 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. 
 
1. (SBU)  Summary:  Monsanto fears that "populist" and "unbalanced" 
attacks by German and Bavarian politicians over Monsanto's 
genetically engineered corn have the potential to damage MonsantoQs 
much larger core business for conventional seeds and pest control 
products in Germany.  When asked by Monsanto to intervene with 
Bavarian government officials to urge a more even-handed approach, 
the Consul General said we would continue to support biotech efforts 
generally and, when appropriate, would ask Bavarian officials to 
treat Monsanto even-handedly.  End Summary. 
 
Monsanto's Image Should Not Suffer Because of Biotech 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
2.  (SBU)  Meeting with the Consul General on November 3, Monsanto's 
Ursula Luettmer Ouazane (Area Lead for North Europe, based in the 
Netherlands) noted that Monsanto had just six percent of the overall 
market in Germany for seed and pesticides.  She complained, "We are 
hardly the monopolistic agribusiness giant that the politicians 
claim" when they criticize us for using our market position to force 
the system to accept genetically engineered seeds.  With 1.6 million 
hectares of "conventional" corn planted in Germany, and only some 
3000 hectares of Monsanto genetically engineered corn planted 
country-wide, Monsanto's "GMO business in Germany is merely a 
hobby", Ouazane joked. 
 
3.  (SBU)  However, she was not joking about the potential damage to 
Monsanto's image that "the populist Minister President Seehofer" and 
new Bavarian Environmental Minister Soeder could cause by "always 
demonizing Monsanto solely over the GMO segment of the business," 
where they dominate in what is a tiny German market, according to 
 
4.  (SBU)  Monsanto's genetically engineered corn product in Germany 
specifically resists the corn borer, which Monsanto believes infests 
at least one-quarter of Bavarian corn fields, according to Dr. 
Andreas Thierfelder (Director Public and Government Affairs Austria, 
Germany Switzerland), who joined Ouazane on the visit. Thierfelder 
claimed that Bavaria had stopped research on the corn borer because, 
he said, the government alleges the problem is not severe. 
Thierfelder dismissed this position as "ridiculous," citing 
continuing demand for pesticides against the borer as evidence, and 
he said Monsanto is running tests to verify the current spread of 
the pest. 
 
Seeing Is Believing - Monsanto Works to Educate Its Customers 
--------------------------------------------- ---------------- 
5.  (SBU) Monsanto has long enjoyed profitable and cordial business 
relations with Bavarian farmers, according to Thierfelder.  Most of 
MonsantoQs business with farmers is in conventional products like 
seeds and Roundup, the popular pesticide.  Through presentations at 
agricultural fairs and "winter schools" for farmers, Monsanto 
distributes information and teaches its customers about genetically 
engineered organisms, Thierfelder said.  Monsanto actively supports 
a network for those farmers who use the modern seeds so they can 
share ideas and give each other moral support in the face of 
protests and rejection by their peers.  Thierfelder was interested 
in working with the USG to help send farmers on exchange programs to 
the United States to see for themselves how U.S. counterparts use 
the modern seeds and how well they grow. 
 
Bavarian Officials Impolite to Monsanto Representatives 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
6.  (SBU) Despite the good working relationship that Monsanto has 
with its clients for non-GMO items, the representatives complained 
that they increasingly had problems getting appointments at relevant 
ministries in Bavaria.  They said that they are confronted with 
downright hostility on the part of the FarmerQs Association 
(Bauernverband), where the leadership uses harsh language like 
"dominance" and "hate."  Thierfelder reported that Bavarian farmers 
willing to use GMOs routinely face harassment.  A Monsanto research 
unit with 5 employees in the area of Passau is facing similar 
problems. 
 
7.  (SBU) The Consul General said we would continue to advocate a 
fair hearing for genetically engineered organisms in general.  Where 
the opportunity presented itself with Bavarian interlocutors, he 
said we would point out that blanket criticism of Monsanto over one 
small segment of its business is unfair and counterproductive.  He 
asked the Monsanto representatives to alert us to specific cases 
where they felt that statements or actions by politicians or 
farmers' representatives crossed the line.  The Consulate General 
continues to support outreach on biotech in coordination with USDA's 
 
MUNICH 00000365  002 OF 002 
 
 
Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS). 
 
NELSON