*EPF409 08/22/2002
Text: U.S. Says Biotech Foods Are Safe for Both Americans and Africans
(August 21 statement by State Dept. Deputy Spokesman Reeker) (600)

The U.S. State Department has called on southern African governments to distribute to the millions of people in the region in danger of starving the U.S. grain they are receiving in aid shipments, saying concern about the safety of agricultural biotechnology is based on "misinformation."

The delivery of some 100,000 metric tons of U.S. food aid has been delayed, Deputy Spokesman Philip Reeker said in a statement August 21, even though the food is "the same as that eaten by millions of Americans daily" and is "both safe and wholesome." The food, Reeker added, "can make the difference between life and death for millions of southern Africa's poorest people."

The United States will give nearly a half million tons of food to the southern Africa region by the end of this year -- half the total food aid the U.N. World Food Program says is required to meet emergency needs in the region.

Following is the text of Reeker's statement:

(begin text)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
August 21, 2002

STATEMENT BY PHILIP T. REEKER, DEPUTY SPOKESMAN

Biotechnology and U.S. Food Assistance to Southern Africa

The United States is deeply concerned by the worsening food crisis in southern Africa. Thirteen million people are at risk of starvation. Nearly one million metric tons of food will be needed in the next few months to avert famine. Despite the urgency of the need, misinformation about the safety of agricultural biotechnology is preventing some U.S. food assistance from being distributed to those in need.

This misinformation has delayed delivery of some of the 100,000 metric tons of food assistance sent by the people of the United States to the region's suffering people. The food, the same as that eaten by millions of Americans daily, is both safe and wholesome and can make the difference between life and death for millions of southern Africa's poorest people.

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that biotech food is any less safe than its conventional counterparts. We are committed to working with countries and to making international experts available to ensure that leaders have the facts about biotechnology and food safety. While the United States respects the right of governments to formulate their national policies regarding food and farming, now is not the time to turn away safe and desperately needed food.

The United States will give nearly a half million tons of food -- 50 percent of the region's humanitarian food aid requirements -- by the end of this year. The response by other donors, however, is not yet sufficient to meet the expected need. We know the European Union will also respond generously to this crisis. Just as important, we call upon the European Union to join us in assuring governments in the region that food made from biotech crops is safe and should be distributed immediately to those who so desperately need it.

(end text)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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