Historical analysis of controversies in the Brazilian GMO market in ‘O Estado de São Paulo’

Abstract

This article aimed to describe, from a historical perspective, the existing controversies in the transgenic market in Brazilian
agriculture published in the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo. Starting from the Actor-Network Theory, we followed the
actors, using the study of controversies as a methodological tool. Some important actors believe GMOs are a safe way
to increase production, while others believe they can cause health and environmental problems. Transgenic history in
Brazil is relevant due to the importance attributed to different actors, and although it is still a very recent history, it is
one that we can witness. As a result, we identified that the main controversies show the interests of actors in favor of
production, marketing, and less rigid labeling rules, against the interests of actors who defend specific labeling rules and
production tracking and question safety for human, animal, and environmental health. Other issues involve the dominance of multinationals, and, in this sense, actors against transgenics argue that small farmers and family farming are at risk. We also observed that international organizations and western countries were predominant in the release of transgenics and that, over time, the controversies were emptied. This research contributed to the understanding that networks of heterogeneous actors can produce several market versions whose practices can produce unwanted effects, that market versions can coexist, even in the face of dominant versions, and the many realities found in dispute.