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2007-04-16 |

Labeling for cloned food being weighed in Californian (USA) legislature

Facing the possibility of food from cloned animals ending up on supermarket shelves within a few years, consumer groups and lawmakers are sounding the alarm about potential dangers and looking to put new restrictions on the sale of such products in California. Several bills are now pending in the Legislature that would place new regulations on food created as a result of cloning or genetic engineering. One such bill, Senate Bill 63, by Sen. Carole Migden, D-San Francisco, would require meat and milk produced from cloned animals to carry a label identifying it as having a cloned origin.

2007-04-16 |

Monsanto’s plans for Kunia (USA) pose risk for other crops

About a year ago, the USDA’s own inspector general issued a scathing audit criticizing USDA for failing to adequately regulate field tests of GM crops. The USDA was unaware of the location of many field trial sites and failed to conduct required inspections. [...] Want to know more about exactly what crops Monsanto will be growing, or where? Too bad! Monsanto claims it’s ”confidential” -- that is, none of your business. Oh, and the Hawaii legislators who refuse to hear bills seeking to restrict genetic engineering of taro, coffee, or anything else? Monsanto says it’s none of their business, either. We’re all Monsanto’s guinea pigs now.

2007-04-16 |

Data for GE crop field trials must be made public in India

Is the Department of Bio-technology guilty of promoting commercial interests of multinationals? Is it pushing for Genetically Modified (GM) crops at the cost of public health and bio-safety? From allergies among human beings to the death of sheep that ate the crop, activists have blamed GM crops for a number of ills. Now, in a landmark judgement, the Central Information Commission has asked the Department of Biotechnology to disclose information about these crops.

2007-04-13 |

GM mosquitoes - boon or bane?

Indian public health experts are not at all excited by the news that American scientists have created genetically modified mosquitoes to help fight malaria, saying it had been tried here before and abandoned as a failure. ’We tried genetic control in the 1970s and abandoned it,’ P.L. Joshi, director of the National Vector Borne Diseases Control Program in New Delhi, told IANS. ’It seemed to work in the lab but failed at field level.’ [...] In any case, the work by US scientists is still far from being taken to the field. So far they have only managed to genetically engineer the mosquitoes to be resistant to a form of malaria that affects mice. This is different from the form that affects humans.

2007-04-13 |

Will biotechnology replace nitrogen fertilizer?

Research in molecular biology has put highly desirable and widely adopted traits for herbicide and pest resistance into crop plants. It is expected that the science will soon impact the rate of progress in yield improve­ment, and that genetically modified plants may show increased stress tolerance and nutrient use efficiency. What is the likelihood of being able to replace N fertilizer altogether?

2007-04-13 |

Zambia takes steps towards biosafety law

Zambian policymakers have adopted a biosafety bill that paves the way for legislation to deal with issues surrounding genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The bill was drafted by the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Technology, and submitted to parliament on 3 April for scrutiny and adoption. Minister of Science and Technology Brian Chituwo said the bill was needed because GMOs were bound to find their way into Zambia.

2007-04-13 |

Being there and standing back - On agricultural research for the poor

When crop researchers target the poorest marginal environments, farmer participatory breeding puts them on the ground, as geographic information systems provide a bird’s eye view.
That international agricultural research has helped farmers and boosted food production is beyond doubt. But has it helped everyone? In particular, has it helped the poorest farmers in marginal areas? Yes, but it could do more, according to Mauricio Bellon, Director of the Diversity for Livelihoods Program of Bioversity International. He has just published a review examining the technical challenges and tools available to target poor farmers in marginal areas.

2007-04-13 |

GE brassica trial for South Island (New Zealand)

If Crop and Food get their way there could be a GE field trial involving brassicas at Lincoln in the very near future. The aim of the trial is to assess agronomic performance of vegetables and forage brassicas over 10 years. The vegetables will be modified for resistance to caterpillar pests like cabbage white butterfly and diamond-back moth.

2007-04-13 |

Negros Organic Agriculture Movement (Philippines) backs banning of GMOs

The Negros Organic Agriculture Movement has expressed support to the move of the provincial government to ban genetically modified organisms in Negros Occidental. In its position paper signed by its 17 members, NOAM said that the banning of GMOs in the province is indispensable in attaining the goal of making Negros the ”Organic Food Bowl in Asia.” The group’s move came after the Sangguniang Panlalawigan passed in the first reading the ordinance that will prohibit the entry of GMO products in Negros Occidental.

2007-04-12 |

Plants produce protein to fight smallpox?

Using genetically engineered plants as a factory, scientists say they have produced a protein that could help them create an effective and safe smallpox vaccine. The findings are preliminary, since the protein has only been tested against smallpox in mice. But plants show plenty of promise as a manufacturing center for drugs, said study co-author Dr. Hilary Koprowski, the developer of the live polio vaccine.

2007-04-12 |

Ventria plans to start small with GE pharma rice in Kansas (USA)

A California company that seeks to create the nation’s first genetically modified rice crop plans to start small, contracting in April with Kansas farmers to plant about 200 acres of the grain.
Ventria Bioscience received preliminary approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture three weeks ago of a large-scale plan to grow rice modified to produce human proteins on more than 3,000 acres of farmland near Junction City.

2007-04-12 |

Romania and EU lose out over GM soy muddle

A muddle over Romania’s genetically modified (GM) soy crops and its January accession to the EU will leave everyone, except perhaps the environmental lobby, a little poorer. Failure by the Romanian government during its EU membership talks to get approval to cultivate GM soy means that Romanian farmers who invested heavily in this crop stand to lose everything, Romania will give up the head-start it had in Europe in growing the crop, and Europe will be forced to continue importing the €1.6bn worth of GM soy for human and animal feed it needs each year from growers outside the EU, such as the US, Argentina and Brazil.

2007-04-12 |

Insect-based flu shots might work

Genetically engineered flu vaccine made from yellow striped caterpillars instead of hen eggs has been shown for the first time to keep people from getting the flu, scientists say. The results are preliminary but suggest the insect method could be a quicker, easier alternative to the lengthy, antiquated egg-based procedure now used and lead to a more rapid response to a pandemic, the study authors say.

2007-04-12 |

Commentary: Advancing the science of biotechnology

By being innovative and progressive, California has remained the leading agricultural state in the nation for more than 60 years. Our belief in the advancement of research and the development of new sciences has improved our farming practices and the quality of our products. The use of biotechnology allows growers to produce more crops on less land and to reduce the use of crop protection materials and fuel. In recent years, efforts by activist organizations to ban biotech crops via the ballot box have raised the question as to whether or not biotech crops are safe. The Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture and health agencies around the world say they are in fact safe to consume--and based on the defeat of several county ballot campaigns, voters think so, too.

2007-04-12 |

EU presents biotech strategy

In a mid-term review of the Strategy on Life Sciences and Biotechnology 2002 – 2010, President Barroso and Commissioners Verheugen and Potocnik proposed to promote a "competitive European knowledge based Bio-Economy".

2007-04-11 |

Agriculture USTR plans to decide in two weeks whether to continue biotech talks with EU

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative plans to decide in about two weeks whether to continue dispute-settlement discussions with the European Union over its failure to lift its de facto moratorium on the sale of U.S. biotechnology products, a U.S. trade official said April 2. Discussions with the EU over the issue were held at the end of February, the official said, ”to assess the seriousness of their intentions” to normalize trade.

2007-04-11 |

Herculex(R) RW advances toward EU approval with positive scientific safety opinion

The Herculex(R) RW Rootworm corn trait -- 59122 maize -- has been given a positive safety opinion by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) moving the trait another step closer to approval for food, feed and import into the European Union (EU). The safety opinion from EFSA, the EU’s independent scientific authority charged by regulators with review of health and safety issues, represents a significant advancement for the rootworm-resistance trait. In response to EFSA’s opinion, the EU Commission now has three months to forward its approval decision to Member States for a vote.

2007-04-11 |

Seminar suggested creation of National Commission for Biotechnology in Bangladesh

Experts at a seminar yesterday strongly recommended for setting up an independent National Commission for Biotechnology (NCBT) by the government for facilitating coordinated research in biotechnology and its use in various fields. The governing body of the NCBT will consist of secretaries of the relevant ministries, eminent biotechnologists, and representatives from the academic and industry.

2007-04-11 |

Greenpeace activist denied access to data on safety tests of GM crops

The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 has not helped Greenpeace activist Divya Raghunandan. Her demand for information about safety tests of genetically modified (GM) crops was rejected on the ground that disclosure could harm the competitive position of the third party — the company which developed the crops. In February 2006, Ms. Raghunandan applied to the Department of Biotechnology for information on a list of field trial locations (villages and districts) for brinjal, okra, mustard and rice. These trials drew widespread protests from farmers and consumers last year. In several places, rice trials were destroyed and exporters were particularly alarmed at transgenic rice being tested in basmati growing areas.

2007-04-11 |

Indian GM body flouting law: Plan panel

he genetic engineering approval committee or GEAC, is flagrantly disregarding the law, says a Planning Commission taskforce report submitted recently as a precursor to the 11th Five-Year Plan. The report has questioned the safety levels being used to regulate GM technology in India. This is the second scathing report from a Planning Commission taskforce, which has created quite a stir by raking up serious concerns about the functioning of the environment ministry.

2007-04-11 |

Staving off GMO invasions in Negros Island (Philippines)

April 11, 2007 is a heartbeat away when the provincial government holds a second public hearing on the anti-GMO ordinance to protect the island’s emerging organic food industry. Those who will attend should heed a recent TIME article on how American organic farmers were double-crossed when genetically modified (GM) corn cross-pollinated their cattle feed. Their experience should ring warning bells in Negros Island, the organic food bowl of Asia.

2007-04-10 |

US$26m earmarked for ECOWAS biotechnology and bio-safety action-plan

The Economic Community of West Africa States and Ministers of Agriculture, Environment, Science and Technology have projected a budget of about US$26 million to enable them implement the 2006 2010 Action-Plan for development of Biotechnology and Bio-safety in the sub-region. [...] The main objectives of the Action-Plan are to develop biotechnology products in order to improve productivity and agricultural competitiveness and sustainable management of genetic resources. It is also aimed at the development of a regional approach to bio-safety; and the establishment of a mechanism for the orientation, monitoring and evaluation of the Action-Plan.

2007-04-10 |

Liberty City (USA) liberated from genetically modified food

Whether it’s animal, vegetable or mineral, any genetically altered versions of the originals are not welcome in Liberty. About 95 residents gathered at the Walker School to act on a 63-article warrant during the annual town meeting Saturday, March 31. Triggering a good deal of discussion was an article asking the town to adopt ”a nonbinding resolution to voluntarily protect its agricultural and forest economies, environment and private property by declaring Liberty an area free of genetically engineered agriculture.”

2007-04-10 |

How to confine the plants of the future?

A NEW generation of genetically engineered crops that produce drugs and chemicals is fast approaching the market — bringing with it a new wave of concerns about the safety of the global food and feed supply. The plants produce medicinal substances like insulin, anticoagulants and blood substitutes. They produce vaccine proteins for diseases like cholera, as well as antibodies against tooth decay and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Enzymes and other chemicals from the plants can be used for a range of industrial processes. As in past debates over genetically modified crops, biotech developers say that the benefits outweigh the risks, and that the risks are manageable. Critics question the benefits, and say the risk of a contaminated and potentially toxic food supply is untenable.

2007-04-10 |

U.S. grape researcher breeds non-GE vines resistant to Pierce’s Disease

UC Davis professor Andrew Walker, a grape breeder, focused primarily on breeding disease-resistant rootstocks in the past. But in his recent work, with the help of funding from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Walker used wild American grape varieties--all of which are resistant to Pierce’s disease in varying degrees--to breed a group of eight new vines (four red, four white), with high resistance to Pierce’s disease. [...] Walker stressed that the new vines are not so-called ”genetically modified,” but are vines bred by painstakingly hand-pollinating one vine variety with pollen from another. Although both Chardonnay and Syrah were used in the breeding of the new vines, there is no resistant Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah. But it’s a step in the right direction.

2007-04-10 |

Identification of escaped transgenic Creeping Bentgrass in Oregon (USA)

When transgenic plants are cultivated near wild species that are sexually compatible with the crop, gene flow between the crop and wild plants is possible. A resultant concern is that transgene flow and transgene introgression within wild populations could have unintended ecological consequences. In order to begin testing for these potential effects, it is necessary to locate and monitor wild populations into which transgenes have escaped. Empirical data on transgene escapes is just beginning to emerge in the scientific literature, and in the November, 2006, issue of Molecular Ecology we presented the first evidence for establishment of transgenic plants in wild populations within the USA.

2007-04-10 |

Laws target genetically altered crops in California (USA)

Such plants have been banned from several California counties. A state bill would allow lawsuits if bio-crops infiltrated other fields. The growing battle over genetically engineered plants is slowly taking root in California, most recently with a proposed Assembly bill that would allow farmers to sue bio-crop manufacturers for cross-contamination of organic and traditionally grown plants, which could hurt their marketability.

2007-04-09 |

India’s farming crisis

Krishan Bir Chaudhary is executive chairman of Bharat Krishak Samaj, India"s largest farmer organisation. He is a farmer and leader, known for his anti - GM and anti-globalisation views, and for speaking out about the losses incurred by local farmers in the light of agricultural globalisation and liberalisation.

2007-04-09 |

GM crops in Argentina

While the debate over the introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops rages on in much of Africa, Asia and Europe, Argentina could not imagine a world without them. According to a recent study financed by the Argentine Council for Information and Development of Biotechnology (ArgenBio), since its introduction in 1996, GM technology has benefited Argentina to the tune of US$20 billion and the creation of one million extra jobs. This year Argentina will plant nearly 18 million hectares of GM crops, putting it second only to the United States in terms of production.

2007-04-09 |

FSA airs draft opinion on Unilever GM ice-cream protein

Low fat ice-creams made using a GM yeast to form of small ice crystals moved closer to set to be approved for the European market, as the FSA published its draft opinion on Unilever technology under novel foods regulation. The consumer goods firm applied to the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) for novel foods approval to use ice-structuring proteins derived from a fermented genetically modified baker’s yeast last year.

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