BIO Condemns Destruction of Research at Brazil GE Tree Facility

Washington, D.C. (March 9, 2015) – Late last week, approximately one thousand individuals representing MST (Brazil’s Landless Workers Movement) invaded the operations of genetically engineered (GE) tree company Futuragene in Brazil.

The action included the destruction of GE eucalyptus seedlings and coincided with the meeting of the National Biosafety Technical Commission (CTNBio) in Brasilia.

Jim Greenwood, President and CEO of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), issued the following statement in response:

“The biotechnology industry and the greater scientific community is deeply saddened by the thoughtless destruction of research that occurred at the Futuragene facility in Brazil.  These acts of vandalism are an attack on science, progress, innovation and civilized discourse.

“When the anti-science activists’ opposition to biotechnology escalates to malicious criminal destruction of property, it’s a sobering reminder that we have a responsibility to better educate the world on biotechnology’s promise help to feed, fuel and heal the world. 

“Research and development of biotechnology’s life-changing solutions must go on, but acts of intimidation, aggression and threats of violence against researchers must not be tolerated and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”