According to first-hand information, which the MPA had access to, according to leader Frei Sergio, the National Biosafety Technical Commission of Brazil (CTN-Bio) suspended for two months the almost certain approval of these two crops to be commercialized in Brazil.

This herbicide has a sad history in terms of its agricultural use, but also in terms of its military use, since it was an element of the Agent Orange, the defoliant used by the US in its war against Vietnam (1964-1975), which caused serious problems in the reproductive system of the affected population.

The information about its approval is treated as confidential by the members of CTN-Bio, made up by 27 members of eleven federal ministries of Brazil, the civil society and scientific organizations.

Everything points to the fact that, beyond temporary delays, these crops will be released, although a strong campaign so that this is not left unpunished was announced. Other organizations, such as Terra de Direitos, have also rejected it publicly.

Frei Sergio denounced this by quoting “first hand information” by civil society representatives who participated in the recent CTN-Bio plenary, pointing out that it represents a huge risk for Brazilian peasants and farmers. According to him, weeds started to resist the herbicide known as glyphosate (commercial name Round Up, by Monsanto,) in several GM soy and corn plantations, so they want to increase the toxicity of the herbicides to be used in these crops in the future.

The MPA resolved to make this situation known at national and international level, by announcing the strengthening of campaigns against agrotoxics and GMOs.

The MPA states that this approval follows the logic of expansion and intensification of the use of agrotoxics by agribusiness, despite the fact that at its development stage, it was argued that the aim was to reduce its use.