In September 1999, 12 organic agriculture, consumers and environmental organizations from Chile, joined to form the Network for a Chile Free of Transgenics. The network has been successful to raise the awareness of the government and the public concerning the impact of GMOs to the environment and human health. The network has denounced the plantation in Chile of transgenic maize and soybean without biosafety regulations, has strongly opposed the chilean position at the Biosafety Protocol and has demanded that Chile leaves the Miami Group, amongst other actions. It has also denounced the import and consumption of transgenic food in Chile without any safety regulation. As a result, the Health Ministry, decided in October 1999, to impose compulsory labeling of GMO foods in Chile. However, the farmer and food industry sector had opposed this measure, which has not yet been implemented.

The first legal action against transgenic food in Chile was effected by the chilean consumer organization ODECU. They have adopted legal action against 4 food companies for using transgenic ingredients in their food processing. Unfortunately they failed in the chilean courts.

Dr. Maria Isabel Manzur, from the Programa Chile Sustentable has elaborated a document of the situation of transgenics in Chile. It is available in spanish in our web page: www.chilesustentable.net.

The Agriculture and Livestock Service in Chile is working in a new regulation for the liberation of transgenics in Chile. At present, Chile only cultivates transgenics plants for seeds for export. The new norm may allow the planting of transgenic crops for the chilean market due to pressures from the farmer sector.

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