SENIOR DOS AGRICULTURAL BIOTECH ADVISOR SPIRNAK'S

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 WARSAW 001142

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SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR EUR/NCE DKOSTELANCIK AND MSESSUMS
DEPT PASS USTR FOR DVETTER AND WBUSIS
DEPT FOR USDA/FAS
USDOC FOR 4232/ITA/MAC/EUR/DBURGESS AND MRODGERS
FAS FOR ITP/PSHEIKH, MWOOLSEY; BIOTECH GROUP LJONES, RFECITT
USEU FOR USTR CWILSON, MDASTIN
NSC FOR JHERRMANN
ROME FOR USMISSION BRAKEL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO ECON EAGR ETRD PL
SUBJECT: SENIOR DOS AGRICULTURAL BIOTECH ADVISOR SPIRNAK'S
TRIP TO POLAND - MAY 21-25

REF: WARSAW 917

Sensitive but unclassified - not for internet distribution.



1. (SBU) Summary. Madelyn Spirnak, State Department Senior
Advisor for Agricultural Biotechnology, attended meetings in
Warsaw on May 22 and 23, and in Krakow on May 24, 2006. Her
visit came at a crucial time in the new GOP's legislative
assault on agricultural biotechnology. In March the GOP
drafted its "Framework Policy" (see reftel),and Spirnak
learned during her visit that President Kaczynski has signed
new legislation banning GMO seed sales and registration in
Poland. While all of her interlocutors were willing to
listen to USG arguments on the subject, the GOP's position
remains that only very limited uses of GMOs will be allowed
in Poland. Although the new Agriculture Minister may be less
stridently opposed to some uses of GM technology,
parliamentary members stressed that they would continue to
promote an anti-GMO policy, even if this means enacting
legislation stricter than EU standards, and perhaps violating
Polish EU and WTO obligations. End summary.


2. (U) Background. On May 17, 2006 the President of Poland
signed legislation that will ban the sale and registration of
biotechnology seeds in Poland. The legislation will enter
into force 30 days after its publication, which is expected
soon. The legislation does not ban the planting of biotech
seeds varieties registered in the EU seed catalogue and
purchased outside of Poland. Polish farmers currently are
not using biotech seed, but trade contacts report there are
some varieties of Bt corn available that should be
economically beneficial to Polish farmers. During debate in
Parliament, legal advisors for both houses of Parliament
reportedly told legislators that the legislation would
violate EU regulations. Many in the Polish scientific
community, including government scientists, have publicly
expressed opposition to this legislation.

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Ministry of Environment
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3. (SBU) On May 22, 2006, Spirnak began her meetings in the
Ministry of the Environment with Malgorzata Wozniak, Senior
Specialist, and Krzysztof Lissowski, Acting Director, both of
the Department of Nature Conservation. Wozniak explained
that the Ministry of Environment's primary role in crafting
Polish legislation is in preparing EU biotech regulations for
implementation in Poland. However, she continued that the
Ministry of the Environment is very concerned with the
potential environmental and human health impacts of biotech,
and that very restrictive regulations should be expected.
Wozniak also mentioned that the GOP's Commission on GMOs will
begin meeting again very soon, and will be a body composed of
personnel from several ministries. The Commission will
provide recommendations on GM issues, and will report
directly to the Minister of Environment. Spirnak stated that
the U.S. hopes that any regulatory steps that Poland takes
will be based on science and not politics. She also
mentioned that regulations that go beyond the stringent EU
regulatory system could be harmful to joint U.S.-Polish trade
interests as well as US-EU relations on this sensitive issue.
Lissowski commented that he and Wozniak are only civil
servants, and must comply with any instructions they are
given by the politicians who run the government. Spirnak
retorted that civil servants are obliged to give good advice
to superiors. Lissowski replied that not everyone wants to
listen to opinions of civil servants.

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Ministry of Science
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4. (SBU) At the Ministry of Science, Spirnak met with
Undersecretary of State Olaf Gajl (strictly protect),who led
off the meeting by stating that Poland needs stronger
educational programs on biotechology issues because Polish
society is traditional and conservative, and Polish farmers
are not well educated. Gajl also noted that there is a
general communication problem on the issue and that the
Ministry of Science may try to form biotech working groups at
the official level (Gajl stated this is rumor only at this
point). Gajl also noted that biotech industry development is
his responsibility and he hopes to form eco-biotech working
groups to unite industry, scientists and government officials
to develop strategies for moving biotech forward in Poland.
Biotech industry development is his responsibility and he
personally would like to move this idea forward. He also
requested USG assistance in obtaining factual information on
agbiotech that could be used in an information campaign,
which he would like to develop for use in institutes of
higher education. Although Gajl seemed to be a voice of
reason on the issue, he also requested that his statements
during the meeting be taken as private, not official Ministry
opinions.

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Ministry of Agriculture
--------------


5. (SBU) Spirnak and Warsaw's FAS Agricultural Counselor
met with Undersecretary Chrapek from the Ministry of
Agriculture to gain a better picture of Poland's new
restrictive seed legislation. Chrapek explained that the
seed legislation was Parliament's response to public concerns
over biotechnology and acknowledged that it could cause
problems for Poland with the European Commission. Chrapek
stressed, however, that Poland intends to remain in
compliance with EU biotechnology legislation, and in reply to
a question, stated that the GOP will change its legislation
if the EU determines that it is not in compliance with EU
regulations. Chrapek stressed that he hoped that Poland's
"safe" approach to biotechnology would not cause problems
between our two governments.

-------------- -
Senate and Sejm Agricultural Committee Leaders
-------------- -


6. (SBU) Spirnak held a two-hour meeting with Jerzy
Chroscikowski, Senator and Chairman of the Agricultural and
Environmental Protection Committee, and Pawel Michalak,
Senator, and Chroscikowski's Deputy. Spirnak discussed the
increased yield and efficiencies gained through planting GM
seed, the need for a no trade barrier approach to GM
products, and the myths surrounding the dangers of GMOs. The
Senators were quick to refute her arguments and pointed out
that the GOP's negative stance on biotech is based on
economic and safety concerns. They first mentioned that
Poland does not have a food shortage and thus does not need
to produce more food. On the contrary, Michalak noted,
Poland is currently working to get EU quotas for Polish fruit
increased to meet export potential - GMOs simply are not of
use to Polish farmers given current realities in Poland.
Chroscikowski and Michalak also stressed that the GOP, as
well as Polish society, is not convinced of the safety of
GMOs, and is not ready to accept the notion without well
crafted scientific studies. The Senators also stated that
thousands of agricultural workers would lose their jobs if GM
foods were introduced, and that no other sector of the Polish
economy could absorb them (Chroscikowski then quipped that
obviously the U.S. does not want Polish workers),thus
canceling out the potential efficiency gains from harvesting
GM products.


7. (SBU) Conversation then turned to newly enacted Polish
legislation banning GMO seed sales and registration in
Poland. Spirnak asked the Senators how the GOP would react
if the new legislation were to conflict with existing EU and
WTO regulations. Answering with a question, Chroscikowski
wondered aloud why the U.S. is so concerned with Poland's EU
relations. He invited the USG, if it so desires, to become
involved in Poland's interaction with the EU, requesting that
it approach Brussels about equalizing the level of
agricultural subsidies paid out to EU member states.
Chroscikowski also mentioned that as a fan of Polish cuisine,
he constantly promotes Polish foods. He wondered why GMO
advocates are so adamantly against labeling - basically
asking that if the food is good and you believe people will
like it, why not label it? The Senators concluded the
conversation by stating that the GOP is not against progress
and would like to learn more about GM research being
conducted in the U.S., but that its primary mission is to
protect Polish agriculture, especially organic production,
and that the GOP's line on the issue will not move.


8. (SBU) Over lunch, Spirnak and the Ag and Econ Counselors
met with the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Sejm (lower house)
Agriculture Committee, Wojciech Mojzesowicz and Jan Laczny.
During this session, Spirnak attempted to discuss the
benefits that had been gained globally through GMO crops as
well as the growing number of EU countries which were
adopting the technology. In response, the parliamentarians
gave unsophisticated arguments such as: US women are heavy
because they eat GMO food; organic is "healthy" because its
natural; confusing fertilizers with pesticides; and most
importantly, nationalistic arguments about US and
multinational companies coming to Poland and destroying the
Polish farming system. Efforts to present facts about
potential benefits for farmers, including increasing their
competitiveness within the EU were dismissed.

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Grain Producer Association
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9. (SBU) One ray of light was a discussion with Maciej
Tomaszewicz of the Grain Producers Association. Tomaszewicz
stated that his membership opposed the seed legislation.
Asked about biotech/transgenic organisms in general, he
replied that his membership had no objection to either feed
or food containing GMOs. He also noted that he had recently
watched a weekly agricultural television program which
focused on the GMO issue. He was pleasantly surprised that
the majority of speakers were in favor of the technology for
Poland and the lone voice against agbiotech was an
ill-prepared Agriculture Ministry Undersecretary (not
Chrapek).

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Krakow
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10. (SBU) On May 24 Spirnak traveled to Krakow to meet with
students and faculty of Krakow Agriculture University and
Jagiellonian University, which offers a major in
biotechnology. Among the topics discussed were biotechnology
legislation, and the future of farming. Educators expressed
deep concern that new Polish legislation would inhibit their
ability to perform research using biotechnology; indeed they
have been waiting months for GOP approval to move forward on
one research project. As they are already restricted to
testing only in labs and not in open fields, the proposed
legislation is another step in the wrong direction. Numerous
times, government officials have asked scientists for their
opinions on biotechnology. Yet, the professors complained,
the government will not listen to these expert opinions
advising them to embrace biotechnology. Jagiellonian
University Dean Kazimierz Strzalka wonders what the GOP is
really afraid of when, in his opinion, GMOs would help Polish
farmers more successfully compete with the rest of Europe.
He cited a study that indicated that 60% of Polish farmers
would use GMOs if they were given the option.


11. (SBU) The greatest hope, according to Dean Strzalka, is
in the hands of students. At a recent Greenpeace meeting
held at the university, students were vocal in challenging
the assertions made by the Greenpeace "ideologists"
concerning biotechnology. Nationally, the Polish Association
of Biotechnology Students is well organized. They have a few
hundred members, a website, and plans for a national
conference in the fall. Strzalka asked if the U.S. could
help to provide speakers for the conference, and for a Polish
National Biotech Conference that will take place in April

2007.


12. (SBU) At the Krakow Agriculture University, Ms. Spirnak
addressed a group of approximately 50 students and
professors. There were few questions and most were from
professors. Based on the Krakow visit, it appears that
overall, professors and students of biotechnology support
transgenic crops for Poland and feel that they are good for
Poland and for farmers. They are frustrated that the GOP is
so opposed. They also believe that it is inevitable that
Poland will see an increase in farmers using GM seeds from
other countries, whether it is legal or not.

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Comment - Outreach Critical
-------------- -


13. (SBU) Comment: Clearly the GOP remains opposed to the
use of GM crops in Poland as evidenced by the polite but firm
arguments against biotech Ms. Spirnak heard from the majority
of her interlocutors. Post believes that the current GOP and
leaders within the Parliament will continue to work within
the EU against the expanded use of biotech products in the
EU. While there may be a slight positive shift as heard by
Spirnak in her meeting with the Ag U/S and by the Ambassador
in his introductory call on the new Agriculture Minister
(reftel),the Chairs of the Senate and Sejm Agricultural
Committees are unwilling to listen to science-based arguments
regarding agbiotech. Thus, Post believes the USG should work
with pro-biotech scientists, student groups and farmer
organizations to educate current and future farmers about the
safety and advantages of biotechology in agriculture. We
should also continue to educate GOP officials with the goal
of preventing additional regulations that prohibit farmer
choice when it comes to biotechnology. Working with the
Ministry of Science and Higher Education may also help to
spread a more positive message on agbiotech to students and
the general public. Finally, we need to push the EU to
ensure that Poland and other anti-biotech member states abide
by EU commitments as well as WTO obligations governing the
use of biotechnology in agriculture. While pushing to open
Poland to biotechnology, we need to take care to be seen as
protecting choice, not pushing use.


14. (SBU) FAS Warsaw and Senior DOS Agricultural Biotech
Advisor Madelyn Spirnak have cleared this cable.
ASHE