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2009-09-09 |

DuPont gets Canada’s OK for Optimum GAT trait in corn and soybean

DuPont Co. has received Canadian regulatory approval for its Optimum GAT trait in corn and soybean seeds. The company said the Canadian government approved the seeds, which are genetically modified to resist weed killers, for cultivation, animal feed and food. DuPont is developing Optimum GAT to compete with Monsanto Co.’s Roundup Ready trait, which helps crops resist glyphosate, an herbicide. DuPont says Optimum GAT also gives protection against another class of weed killers.

2009-09-09 |

Monsanto challenges DuPont claim in seed lawsuit

Monsanto Co., which is suing to prevent the DuPont Co. from producing soybean seeds that combine the companies’ herbicide-resistant traits, said DuPont’s antitrust counterclaim may slow the case by years and confuse jurors. Monsanto, the world’s biggest seed maker, wants the patent and antitrust claims separated. Some antitrust claims may be dismissed after the first phase of litigation, wasting the court’s time, Monsanto attorney Dan Webb told U.S. Judge Richard Webber in St. Louis today.

2009-09-09 |

War over new seed variety bill in Chile

Environmental organisations, organic farmers and indigenous people in Chile are opposed to a draft law that would expands the rights of the developers of new varieties of plants, while the government and seed companies argue that there will be no negative impacts on small farmers and biodiversity. [...] Another draft law being considered by parliament, to which the organisations are also opposed, is aimed at completely liberalising GM crops.

2009-09-09 |

Soybean makers rush to produce low-fat oils to defend soy oil market

The object is to defend soybeans’ dominance of the vegetable oil market. [...] Meanwhile, olive oil and canola began coming into the market a decade ago with natural low-fat characteristics, [...] Monsanto plans to introduce a soybean line within two years that will be low linolenic, mid-oleic and low-fat. ”It will be the equivalent of olive oil,” said Ted Crosbie, Monsanto’s vice president for plant breeding.

2009-09-08 |

Farmers face animal feed shortage EU Agriculture Commissioner warns

Farmers face an imminent shortage of animal feed because a handful of countries are blocking the approval of genetically modified crops, the European Union’s farm chief warned on Monday. Mariann Fischer Boel, the agriculture commissioner, told agriculture ministers that breaking a logjam of GMO applications would throw a lifeline to dairy and pig farmers who face high prices for non-GM feed.

2009-09-08 |

Monsanto testing GM corn as animal feed for India

After the success of genetically modified cotton in India, Monsanto is interested in extending its product line to include corn (maize), rice, wheat and vegetables such as tomato, okra and pepper. [...] ”I expect Indian farmers to move from rice to corn as rice uses a lot of water. Our technology will help reduce water usage and increase yield on less land,” Dr Robb Fraley, Monsanto Chief Technology Officer

2009-09-08 |

Farmers in rain-deficit Gujarat (India) opt for non-Bt cotton

When India is moving toward 100 per cent Bt cotton regime, some winds of change has been seen in Gujarat, the leading cotton producer in the country. Due to the deficient monsoon, farmers have taken to cotton over rain-fed crops like groundnut, to the extent that the area under cotton cultivation has increased by nearly two lakh hectares. Significantly, it’s conventional (non-Bt) cotton varieties and not the Bt cotton variety that has caught the attention of the farmers this season.

2009-09-08 |

U.S. researcher develops GE low-gossypol cotton for ”feeding the world’s hungry”

[Dr. Keerti Rathore, the Texas AgriLife Research plant biotechnologist] adds, the greatest obstacle for seeing the variety grown in fields and ultimately feeding the world’s hungry may be legalities. Because the variety is ”genetically modified,” the scientist and AgriLife Research will have to negotiate with others who hold patent rights to some of the basic technologies used to develop this ”ultra-low seed-gossypol” cotton. He will also have to seek approval through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Food and Drug Administration and perhaps other agencies to make it commercially available as seed to farmers.

2009-09-08 |

Goa (India) farmers say no to GM fruits and vegetables

Navelchea Xetkariancho Ekvott (NXE), a farmers’ club from Navelim, at its meeting held recently, resolved to oppose any moves by the government to introduce genetically modified (GM) fruits and vegetables in Goa. Expressing concern over the dangers of using GM food products, the NXE urged all farmers to be vigilant and not to allow the entry of such food items into Goa.

2009-09-08 |

Fast-track process to amend law banning GM biofuels on Cyprus

THE COMMERCE Ministry is pushing the House of Representatives to amend a 2005 law banning the sale of biofuels made from genetically-modified (GM) plants, in order to avoid being fined millions of euros by the EU for non-compliance with one of its directives. The European Commission (EC) asked the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on 28 May this year for a ruling that, by enacting a law containing the specific banning clause without previously notifying the EC, Cyprus is in breach of its obligations under EU Directive 98/34/EC.

2009-09-07 |

Exporting non-GE soybeans from Ohio (USA) is expanding business

Bluegrass Farms started in the 1980s when the Martin family began raising identity preserved soybeans for local suppliers. Today, in addition to producing identity preserved beans, Bluegrass works exclusively with non-GMO, or non-genetically modified organism, crops. [...] each lot tested at the state certification lab to support their guarantee of 99.5 percent purity. In 2004, Bluegrass Farms began exporting food-grade soybeans, a venture that proved successful enough to warrant the building of a new processing facility, which opened in 2008.

2009-09-07 |

Kenyan and Tanzanian Prime Ministers call GE crop awareness creation strategy

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has called on research institutions to provide expert information to farmers for the purposes of improving crop and livestock production, land use management and biodiversity conservation. [...] ”We are fighting against hunger as a result of drought, and only modern farming through planting drought resistant crops can help us,” he said. [... Tanzanian Prime Minister Mizengo Peter Pinda] said lack of understanding has led to criticism of GMOs but called for awareness creation strategy that should address this gap.

2009-09-07 |

Philippine Maize Federation asks Monsanto for new GE soybeans

A GROUP of local corn farmers have asked biotechnology giant Monsanto Co. to develop and distribute a genetically-modified (GM) soybean variety as an alternative crop. ”We are asking Monsanto to help us develop a tropical variety soybean that is round-up ready [weed-tolerant],” Roderico R. Bioco, chairman emeritus of the Philippine Maize Federation, Inc. (Philmaize), told reporters late Monday.

2009-09-07 |

The Soy Republic of Argentina

GMO soy was swiftly approved for cultivation in Argentina in 1996, under former Agricultural Secretary Felipe Sola. A 180-page file report, prepared by GMO giant Monsanto was written in English, with no Spanish translation made available, and was the only document evaluated before Sola approved GM soy after only 81 days of review. The former secretary and now investor in the soy industry won a seat in the legislature in the June 2009 elections, riding in on his opposition to President Cristina Kirchner’s decision to increase the export tax on soy. Many of the ministers and congressional representatives involved in the passage have since become investors in the soy market.

2009-09-07 |

On Bill Gates’ Green Revolution in Africa

Africa’s Green Revolution has another similarity with the first Green Revolution: the technological preferences of the philanthropist shape the approaches on the ground. For the Rockefellers, that meant agricultural technology based on industrial chemistry and oil. For Gates, it’s about proprietary intellectual property. Africa’s Green Revolution is, in other words, just a new way of doing business as usual. In its push for technological solutions, its distaste for redistributive social policy and disregard for extant alternatives--as well as in the circumstances that have made food an international security concern--this Green Revolution looks very similar to its predecessor.

2009-09-07 |

Canadian flax bids fall over Europe’s GMO concerns

Cash bids for flaxseed in Western Canada have taken a dramatic turn for the worse. with some of the decline being linked to European concerns the crop contains genetically modified organisms (GMOs). [...] ”While details on why flax bids have dropped so sharply in Western Canada remain sketchy, there are rumours circulating that a cargo of Canadian flaxseed has been prevented from being unloaded at a port in Europe,” said Mike Jubinville, a market analyst with ProFarmer Canada in Winnipeg. ”All the signs point to GMO issues.”

2009-09-04 |

Irish aquarium trade warned over GM fish imports

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned the aquarium trade in Ireland to be on the lookout for genetically modified fish after confirming a recent illegal import. In a statement issued via an advertisement in Practical Fishkeeping magazine, the EPA said that following a recent incidence of the importation of GM aquarium fish it was reminding importers in the Republic of Ireland that imports of the fish were in breach of National and European law.

2009-09-04 |

Allerca sued for not delevering a GE ’hypoallergenic kitten’

A township man is suing a Delaware cat breeder for not delivering a $5,950 ”hypoallergenic” kitten. [...] In the suit, Reale states he signed a contract with Allerca on Sept. 11, 2007 to buy the kitten. Reale paid $5,950 for the kitten, plus $1,950 for ”premium placement,” which included delivery of the feline in eight months. [...] Reale, who has not received the kitten, is seeking the return of his money, the suit states.

2009-09-04 |

GE pigs could be used for human transplants

Scientists participating in a government-backed biotechnology project said they had produced genetically engineered pig clones with organs designed for human transplants. The Rural Development Administration, which financed the project, said that Tuesday’s announcement represents a step forward in the efforts to make xeno-transplantation, or the use of animal organs to replace human ones, a reality.

2009-09-04 |

The monkeys with three parents that could stop mothers passing on incurable diseases

Four baby monkeys created in a laboratory in the United States could hold the key to the eradication of a class of incurable genetic diseases, scientists revealed today. In an experiment that brings the creation of babies with three biological parents a step closer, Spindler, Spindly and twins Mito and Tracker were born through IVF using a technique that should make it possible to prevent women who carry genetic disorders of the mitochondria from passing them on to their children.

2009-09-04 |

Pharming re-submits marketing application for Rhucin from GE goats

Dutch biotech firm Pharming said on Thursday it had lodged its application for marketing approval for its lead product Rhucin with the European Medicines Agency (EMEA). [...] But Pharming said it has followed up on and addressed concerns raised by the EMEA during the former evaluation procedure in 2007, adding that the size of the clinical database has been significantly expanded.

2009-09-04 |

Pain-free GE animals could take suffering out of farming

WITH ”hormone-free”, ”cage-free” and ”antibiotic-free” becoming common labels on our supermarket shelves, might ”pain-free” be the next sticker slapped onto a rump roast? As unlikely as that may seem, progress in neuroscience and genetics in recent years makes it a very real possibility. In fact, according to one philosopher, we have an ethical duty to consider the option. ”If we can’t do away with factory farming, we should at least take steps to minimise the amount of suffering that is caused,” says Adam Shriver, a philosopher at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri.

2009-09-03 |

Supply of certified GMO-free material is stronger than ever before

Major problems in the area of sufficient future supply of GM-free raw materials for the food and feed industries have been predicted with almost annual regularity since 1998. Eleven years later, the supply of certified GMO-free material is stronger than ever before. Contrary to what is reported in the media these days, the recently concluded harvest campaign in Brazil has, for the first time since GM soybeans were planted in that country, shown a practical halt to the trend of increasing GM volumes.

2009-09-03 |

Germany food essentially GMO-free in 2008

Once again in 2008, food inspectors in Germany found only isolated cases of GM-labelling infringements. Whereas very slight traces of GM soybeans were frequently found in products containing soy, those derived from maize were mostly ”GMO free”. Initial data received from four German states uphold the trend established in previous years.

2009-09-03 |

US regulators set to speed up GE crop deregulation process

U.S. regulators are speeding their assessment of new high-tech crop seeds following ”frustrating” delays to the oversight process, according to the head of DuPont Co’s (DD) agribusiness unit. [...] Paul Schickler, Pioneer’s president, said a ”bit of uncertainty” had emerged among regulators assessing the new products and pushed the approval process from an average of 18 months to around three years.

2009-09-03 |

Regulating genetically modified organisms in Canada

Two recent events involving genetically modified organisms (GMOs) illustrate the government’s current sensitivity to GMO issues. Although they are not directly related, both events point to delicate handling of novel food chain products and a growing acceptance of the current Canadian regulatory model for GMOs. This is surprising as the regulatory model is considered by many as confusing at best.

2009-09-03 |

Farming students organisation FFA and Monsanto partner to tell story of agriculture on YouTube

The National FFA Organization and Monsanto Company at the 2009 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill., today revealed the top five FFA student-produced YouTube videos from the 2009 Washington Leadership Conference (WLC). FFA student-leaders filmed a variety of 3-minute videos to educate the public about agriculture in the hopes of winning Monsanto-sponsored Flip video cameras.

2009-09-03 |

Scientists suggesting negative GE crop effects ”get seriously harassed”

Those who, like Rosi-Marshall and her colleagues, suggest that biotech crops might have harmful environmental effects are learning to expect attacks of a different kind. These strikes are launched from within the scientific community and can sometimes be emotional and personal; heated rhetoric that dismisses papers and can even, as in Rosi-Marshall’s case, accuse scientists of misconduct. ”The response we got — it went through your jugular,” says Rosi-Marshall. [...] Behind the attacks are scientists who are determined to prevent papers they deem to have scientific flaws from influencing policy-makers. When a paper comes out in which they see problems, they react quickly, criticize the work in public forums, write rebuttal letters, and send them to policy-makers, funding agencies and journal editors.

2009-09-02 |

Viet Nam plans to introduce GE crops while GE food oversight is lacking

”In order to develop and apply GMOs into agricultural production in a sustainable way, it is necessary to set up and implement effective biotechnology regulations and safety management mechanisms for GMOs and foods derived from recombinant DNA,” said Nguyen Xuan Cuong, deputy minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE). [...] However, many opponents had expressed concern about how to ensure GMO products are safe for people and the environment, said Dr Nguyen Van Khai, who is well known for his vegetable and plant protection methods.

2009-09-02 |

U.S. Grains Council supported Taiwan in approving Syngenta’s GE corn

The U.S. Grains Council-sponsored biotech team that traveled to the United States last year aided in supporting the events’ approval with the DOH and the Genetically Modified Food Advisory Committee (GMFAC). According to Clover Chang, USGC director in Taiwan, industry highly appreciated the Council’s help in organizing the team and coordinating the meetings with related government officials and committee members of the GMFAC for these approvals.

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