STOP (IR)RESPONSIBLE SOY

The Dutch government is playing an active role to have GMO crops accepted and introduced to Europe. Part of this strategy is the financial and political support for the Round Table on Resposible Soy (RTRS). This platform of mostly industry and big producers has set up a very weak standard that gives GM Roundup Ready soy a 'responsible'label. The vast monocultures of this crop are creating huge problems.

You will find more information in this  newsletter.

Please raise your voice and sign  the petition to the Dutch government.

At the moment more than 6.000 persons have already signed the call to the
Dutch government.

2.200 in German on  www.regenwald.org
1.400 in Spanish on  www.salvalaselva.org
8.00 in English on  www.rainforest-rescue.org
1.600 in Dutch and English on  www.gifsoja.nl and  www.toxicsoy.org

5th EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON GMO-FREE REGIONS

LUCERNE - SWITZERLAND

APRIL 24TH – 25TH, 2009

 

At the 5th European Conference on GMO-Free Regions - “Food & Democracy”, in Lucerne (Switzerland), 250 representatives from 28 European countries were welcomed by the Speaker of the Swiss National Parliament, the Ministers of Agriculture of Austria, Scotland and the Czech Republic, as well as the President of Swiss Farmers.

 

At the end of 2 days of plenary sessions and workshops, the participants called upon the member states of the European Union to rethink their legislation and policy on the use of genetically
engineered organisms in agriculture.

 

For pictures, documentation and final statement visit the Conference  website

 

ISIS  Press Release on the Conference

STOP THE CROP

On January 21st 2009 the European Commission announced that it will propose to the member states the approval of two new varieties of GM maize for cultivation . The genetically modified maize varieties BT11 (Syngenta) and 1507 (Dupont/Pioneer) would be the first GM maize varieties to be approved for cultivation within the European Union since 1998.

A campaign was set up to oppose the approval of these crops. Please check the "Stop the Crop" informations on  FoEE and  GMO-free regions websites and participate in the actions.

PSx2 - PARTICIPATORY SCIENCE AND SCIENTIFIC PARTICIPATION

PSx2 is a project that explores the participatory role of civil society organisations (CSOs) in new scientific and technological developments, with particular reference to experiences in the development of agricultural biotechnology (GM plants, food and feeds). The issue of novel biotechnologies is not only an expanding area of scientific research, but also provides a very important area for social experimentation in more active citizenship and a deeper involvement of the lay public in European research activities. Five civil society organisations and four scientific institutions worked together in this project funded by the DG research of the European Commission.<o:p></o:p>

The overall objective is to increase the social relevance of scientific research through the promotion of public participation in European research activities. It is hoped that both the project process and its outcomes can be used to encourage dialogue and constructive engagement between civil society organisations and scientific research institutions.

The final report of the project is now available in 6 languages.  Click here to access the project website.

 

Powerpoint  presentation of the project results.

PLANET DIVERSITY CONGRESS

 

At the occasion of the Conference of the Parties to the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity a range of worldwide NGOs, along with GENET, organised a global conference on the future of food and agriculture in Bonn.

 

A global movement from different directions came together for the common cause of defending diversity against destructive and threatening tendencies in agriculture, rural development and food production and to celebrate the natural and cultural diversity of life in food and agriculture.

 

More than 700 participants from 100 nations gathered for four days during the UN-Convention on Biodiversity and the Biosafety Protocol negotiations. They discussed how farmers, consumers, food producers and their communities can cooperate. 6.000 joined a demonstration for local diversity and against genetic engineering in agriculture and 15.000 gathered on a festival of diversity.

 

For more information about this successful event and to read the Planet Diversity Manifesto, visit the Congress' website.

GENET-news of today

2010-02-05

Prime Minister Borisov: 5-year GM crop ban ensures calmness in Bulgaria

Bulgaria PM Boyko Borisov has stated that the proposed 5-year ban on GM crop trials will ”guarantee calmness” in Bulgarian society. ”I think that what the GERB MPs and the cabinet are proposing for Genetically Modified Organisms: firstly a moratorium for 5 years on everything to reassure the public and then what Brussels wants – to vote on the changes, I think this is a 100% guarantee for all fear GMOs,” Borisov said Friday.

2010-02-05

EU weighs proposals to break GMO deadlock

Plans to let national governments decide whether to allow genetically modified (GMO) crop cultivation on their land could unblock a paralysis in EU GMO approvals, but risk igniting internal-market disputes. Proposals from the Dutch and Austrian governments, under consideration by the executive European Commission, have won the backing of several countries and interested parties, and will be at the top of the new Commission’s agenda.

2010-02-05

Rise in GM crops raises ethical alarms in Brazil

AS-PTA has challenged the impartiality of Brazil’s National Technical Commission for Bio-safety, which monitors the effects of GM crops on human health, the environment and agriculture. The Commission’s independence came under scrutiny recently when Dr Lia Giraldo resigned from the Commission in protest at its members’ links with multinational corporations.

2010-02-05

Negative public attitudes to GM agriculture unchanged in Australia

Public attitudes to genetically modified (GM) agriculture in Australia are not changing, with the majority of Australians still uncomfortable with GM foods. An article published in the latest edition of People and Place reports findings about attitudes to GM foods from Swinburne University’s National Science and Technology Monitor (SNSTM). According to this data, public attitudes in Australia to GM foods have remained constant since 2003.

2010-02-05

Greenpeace report exposes high costs of genetic engineering of crops

Greenpeace called on the Philippine government to promote and invest in ecological farming practices as a solution to the challenges facing the country’s agriculture sector. The call was made at the launch of a new report, ”Counting the Costs of Genetic Engineering”, which documents the agronomic and economic failures of genetically engineered (GE) crops from around the world.

2010-02-05

Bayer to pay $1.5 mln in 2nd of 500 lawsuits over GM rice

Germany’s Bayer was ordered by a jury in the United States to pay $1.5 million in damages to three farmers for losses they incurred because of contaminations of Bayer’s genetically modified rice, the second in about 500 similar cases pending. [...] ”Bayer CropScience is standing by its view that the company has handled its biotech rice responsibly and appropriately at all times,” he added.

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