CropLife International

This article is part of the Foodspin project of Spinwatch.

Based in Brussels, CropLife International (formerly the Global Crop Protection Federation) is a global federation 'representing the plant science industry' and led by the following companies:

BASF | Bayer | Dow AgroSciences | DuPont | FMC | Monsanto | Sumitomo | Syngenta

In 2003 Michael Pragnell, the chief executive of Syngenta, the world's largest agro-chemicals company, became the president of CropLife International.

CropLife International has 'six regional nodes', including CropLife America, CropLife Asia and the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA). The members of each of these 'nodes' invariably include the major biotechnology corporations. For instance, ECPA's full members are BASF, Bayer, Dow, Dupont, Monsanto and Syngenta.

CropLife International says its network includes 75 national and regional associations and their member companies. At the national level in the UK is the Crop Protection Association (CPA). The members of the CPA again include the major biotechnology corporations.

Controversially, CropLife International has been active in seeking to assist the form of bio-safety regulations developed around the world and particularly by developing countries.

CropLife International contributed $3.7m to the war-chest of the Coalition Against the Costly Labelling Law for its campaign of opposition to a state ballot initiative in Oregon that would have for the first time in the US required new labelling standards for genetically-modified foods. The initiative was narrowly defeated after an aggressive PR campaign against it.

CropLife International were also accused of being the prime mover behind an unsuccessful lawsuit filed against the language of the ballot argument in support of Measure H, a voter initiative to prohibit GMO plants in Mendocino County, California in 2004. The lawsuit was filed by the California Plant Health Association. CropLife America, contributed $300,000 to the campaign against Measure H. Despite this, Measure H was approved by voters.

In Africa, CropLife International supports the Communication Program of Florence Wambugu's African Harvest Biotechnology Foundation International (AHFBI). The main focus of the Communication Program is 'to increase awareness about the benefits of biotechnology and to generate and disseminate knowledge that empowers stakeholders - including farmers, policy makers, and the public - to make informed decisions about agricultural biotechnology for sustainable development.' However, Wambugu has been repeatedly criticised for the deceptive and inaccurate nature of her promotion of GM crops.

CropLife International was among those acknowledged as supporting the Institute of Ideas's Genes & Society Festival (held in association with Pfizer) in April 2003.

Lobbying to weaken pesticide regulations in US

In February 2011 the New York Times reported that CropLife America was lobbying the Obama administration to weaken pesticide and toxic chemical regulations:

The organization in the last three months of 2010 significantly ramped up persuasion efforts. CropLife America in that period spent nearly $751,000 on lobbying, a 58 percent increase from a year earlier. The spending came as the industry saw signals that regulation could increase, analysts said.

People

J Erik Fyrwald is reported to serve on the Board of Croplife International. He is currently also on the Board of Eli Lilly and Company and is Group Vice President of DuPont Agriculture & Nutrition (since 2003) (having served DuPont in a variety of areas since he joined them in 1981). Fyrwald also serves on the boards of Des Moines Art Center, Greater Des Moines Partnership (Public and Private Collaboration) and The Solae Company.