BIOTECHNOLOGY OUTREACH FUNDING REQUEST.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRAGUE 000039 STATE FOR EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT MSZYMANSKI, JBOBO USDA FAS FOR OCRA/SNENON, BBAYSINGER, OSTA/MCHESLEY, EJONES BRUSSELS FOR AG MINISTER COUNSELOR, AGATT LEISHMAN, EU MEMBER STATES FOR AGR, PAS AND ECON SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EZ PL LO LH SUBJECT: BIOTECHNOLOGY OUTREACH FUNDING REQUEST. REFS: A) 2008 STATE 129940 B) Bratislava 009 C) 2008 Warsaw 1114 ¶1. This is a joint cable from missions in Prague, Warsaw, Vilnius, and Bratislava requesting Agricultural Biotechnology Outreach Funds announced ref A. The joint mission proposal intends to develop a biotechnology outreach program using the Czech Republic as a hub for the central Europe and Baltic region. ¶2. The Czech Republic belongs to a limited number of countries in Europe with a pragmatic and scientific based approach to agricultural biotechnology. The Czech government, including its Ministry of Environment, works hard to provide objective, factually based information to its consumers. This open scientific approach makes the Czech Republic an attractive potential investment by biotechnology companies for vaccine and agricultural development. This year after the French government's ban on growing GM crops, the Czech Republic became the second largest grower of Bt corn in the EU. If other biotech varieties were EU approved they would be planted in the Czech Republic. The Czechs do not plan to focus on biotechnology during their EU presidency, and will not oppose other member states' bans on biotech. Its Agricultural Ministry and scientists, however, are open to regional cooperation. At present, the Czech Republic leads the EU Presidency until June 30, 2009. ¶3. As reported ref B, since Slovakia introduced a co-existence law in 2007, farmers have steadily increased the planting of genetically modified corn, up now to 2000 hectares. There is reason for optimism. Ref C, reports that in Poland, a pro biotech coalition is active. The nation is experiencing a disastrous outbreak of the European Corn Borer, which destroys $400 million worth of the Polish corn crop annually, losses that could easily be prevented by planting Mon 810 Bt corn, which is commercially available in the EU. Polish producers have planted 3,000 hectares of GM corn. A draft cultivation law is in play and has been sent to the EU Commission for review to see if it complies with EU regulations. In Lithuania, recent Embassy work has generated interest in agricultural biotechnology. Rapeseed growers and the Agriculture Ministry have made requests for visiting speakers, printed materials, and travel to the United States. Lithuania does not grow GM crops yet, but if there was a rapeseed GM variety available in the EU they might. This government's viewpoint has shifted towards more acceptance of the technology. ¶4. Posts can identify many obstacles to overcome with the acceptance of agricultural biotechnology. The activities proposed for funding address several. First, the press and consumers have yet to hear about benefits accruing to the public at large. One new, relevant benefit is the development of crops resistant to the effects of climate change. In Africa there are now field trials of drought resistant corn crops that in just a few more years will be widely available. Without GM corn, African farmers will be unable to cultivate this crop due changes in climate. Discussing how the technology can be useful in dealing with the consequences of climate change and to combat hunger will be a powerful message for Europeans. Second, each of the countries in Central and Eastern Europe has strong administrative controls that create bureaucratic hassles for producers. Even the Czech Ministry of Environment was prevented by legislators from streamlining administrative procedures. An expert in environmental control, traveling to the region, can continue to assure stakeholders on risk assessment principles and try to influence regulators for better management of the technology in open release. ¶5. Project 1: Bring experts from the United States to Prague and the region. This proposal funds travel to the region of U.S. scientists with expertise in the environmental control of biotech crops. This project addresses the fundamental concern of local politicians to retain their nation's cultural identity as a source for high-quality foods. Funds will be used for one team of three to visit the Czech Republic. The team will be joined by one African scientist, from Malawi, who can be funded separately, and report on field trials for drought resistant GM corn. Separate funds are available from a former USDA food aid local currency account available in Poland for African traveler. Two major events are planned for the Czech Republic, a conference in Prague and then local travel to Brno for press at the Igor Mendel Museum. Afterwards, U.S. experts will continue to Lithuania and Slovakia for further presentations and press. African representative will continue to Poland, as required to use USDA funds. Experts will make presentations on appropriate risk management for coexistence of PRAGUE 00000039 002 OF 002 crops to stakeholders in the industry and farm lobbies. Posts intend to use the IIB list to identify U.S. candidates. Request: $17,000. (USDA will jointly fund $5,000 for African TDY) ¶6. Project 2: Translating summaries of scientific articles from Czech into Polish, Lithuanian, and Slovakian languages, for use by local press and embassy contacts. This activity connects scientists from the Czech Republic with mainstream media and embassies' contacts regionally, helping to build networks among regional scholars. New science and field trials emerge from Czech researchers often and this activity will accelerate the dissemination of that information regionally. Posts note that in past years, scientific information such as new environmental studies has been transferred to academics only in English. Our mission will partner with academic institutions to pay for translation and use scientific and embassy outreach to distribute them in the region. This activity will strengthen the strong scientific partnership between academia and the Embassy. Request: $11,000. ¶7. Embassy Warsaw understands the reporting requirements as outlined in ref A. The responsible officer for the program is Eric Wenberg, Agricultural Counselor, resident in Warsaw (eric.wenberg@fas.usda.gov) supported in Prague by FAS LES Specialist Jana Mikulasova (jana.mikulasova@fas.usda.gov). Also assisting in Prague will be Economic Officer, Margaret Bula-Duane (Bula-DuaneM@state.gov),in Vilnius, Economic Officer Daniel Gage (gagedl@state.gov),and in Bratislava, Economic Officer, Michael Tran (tranmj@state.gov). Missions intend to cooperate closely and include PAS assistance. Thank you for your consideration. Thompson-Jones