Hungary Commits to GMO-Free Farming

In an act of defiance against GMOs and biotech at large, Hungary has once again made a move against Big Biotech. In an attempt to make the entire European Union free from GMO crops, Hungary will initiate a joint alliance of European Union member states rejecting the use of GMOs in farming.

Hungarian farm minister Sándor Fazekas said the countries committed to GMO-free farming must form an alliance because “we would like to keep our food and our environment healthy and we are convinced that the agriculture of the EU and Hungary can remain competitive with conventional crop and livestock production.” 

As one following GMO news might suspect Hungary’s interests stem from the EUs recent decision to allow individuals member states to institute GMO bans. While GMO bans in the European Union haven’t been the easiest thing to figure out the European Parliament’s vote to give member states or regions more power to refuse GMOs does make things clearer. This brings real rights for countries to ban GMOs a step closer. What’s more, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted against giving biotech companies any pull when it came to GMO crop bans.

The Parliament’s environment committee vote was to amend a previously agreed upon position by ministers, one which had some major ‘legal holes.’ The thing is, these bans have to be heavily justified. That is to say, no must mean no. Countries wanting to opt out of GM authorizations will need a tight legal framework set in place.

Mute Schimpf, food campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe, said:

“The right for European states to legally ban genetically modified crops has taken a major step forward, without the interference of big companies with vested interests. Parliamentarians sided with the majority of European citizens who are concerned about GM crops and voted for better EU laws to protect the environment and promote genuinely sustainable farming.”

One major reason for celebrating the new decision is that GMO bans can be made due to environmental concerns. And we know that GMOs cause some major issues with the environment, from toxic runoff into the water, to superweeds, to GMO crops contaminating organic crops.

Hungary Burns GMO Crops

This is certainly not the first time Hungary has acted against GMOs. In the past, Hungary has taken a bold stand against biotech giant Monsanto and genetic modification by destroying 1000 acres of maize found to have been grown with genetically modified seeds. Unlike many European Union countries, Hungary is a nation where genetically modified (GM) seeds are banned.

This news, reported on in 2011 by NaturalSociety, made headway, picking up virality to the point of being one of the most shared article of 2011. This kind of exposure is what needs to keep happening if we’re to have the desired, positive impact on our food, the environment, and the planet at large. Education and awareness are the building blocks that will ultimately win back food sovereignty – which is why biotech spends millions of dollars with false campaigns that fraudulently push GMOs on the unsuspecting public.

If the U.S. learns anything from the EU or Russia, GMOs will soon be labeled and regulated as they should be.